Sherlock - Season 3 prequel minisode! [Watch Now]

Oh yes, it's here. In anticipation for the arrival of season 3 of Sherlock, the BBC has released a little minisode featuring the events that take place before the return of Sherlock's arrival - 2 years after his initial 'death.' In the minisode, we can see Lastrade and Anderson discussing Sherlock's possible 'return,' although, only Anderson seems convinced. He links Sherlock's return with the success of several cases: a court hearing, a blonde hiding in a monastery etc. Lastrade returns to Watson's house and gives him an unedited clip from a birthday message on DVD, and it reveals that Watson is missing Sherlock - as he reacts to his friend's apparent demise. Watch the hilarious and touching clip below: 

Three cheers for the return of this great show. Everyone raise your deerstalker hats in the air. 

22 Jump Street - New Official Trailer - Watch Now!

The new trailer (watch below) for the sequel to 21 Jump Street is here! Aptly named 22 Jump Street, the film sees Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill reprise their roles as Officers Jenko and Schmidt, respectively. In the new movie, the duo go undercover at a local college in order to find the culprits of crime. The team must embark on several difficult challengers in order to find the offenders; some which have the duo questioning their friendship and unlikely partnership. Watch the new trailer for 22 Jump Street, below: 

If the trailer is anything to go by, the film sure looks like it will contain a lot of laughs and bizarre moments. 

Eminem - The Monster, ft. Rihanna (Music Video - Watch now!) [+ Review]

 It's here - the music video for the track The Monster, featuring Eminem and duet partner, Rihanna. The track is the fourth collaboration from the notorious rapper and barbadian singer. The new music video, released earlier today, sees Eminem play the role of the patient, who reflects on his past; contemplating the negative impacts that come with fame. Rihanna, on the other hand, portrays the role of therapist, and is seen to struggle with her inner demons, singing the chorus. Watch the intriguing video, below:

In true Inception style, Eminem embarks on a journey in a lift viewing moments from him receiving therapy, whilst memories from his past videos play on a TV screen. In terms of economic success, the song itself topped the charts in several countries, marking another successful collaboration for Eminem and Rihanna. The video itself is suitably dark and poignant, which reflects the nature of the song well, and fits into the general theme of Eminem's videos. So, what do you think of the video, and more importantly, the track itself?

Reviewed by Mel. 

Sherlock - New Series 3 Launch Trailer!!

Yes! Finally a trailer has come forth which contains a little bit more actual footage from the upcoming third series. How will John react to Sherlock's return 2 years after he faked his death? Watch the suspense building series 3 launch trailer, below: 

Sherlock Series 3 graces itself onto UK screens on New Years day at 9pm, and will hit American screens on PBS, 3 weeks later. 

The Amazing Spiderman 2 - New Trailer!

In case you didn't know, the new trailer for The Amazing Spider-man 2 is out - and it really packs the punch! The film, set for release on May 2nd 2014, features villains such as The Rhino, The Green Goblin and Electro; let's hope it's nothing like Spider-man 3. Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone reprise their roles in the film as Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy, respectively. Check out the trailer below: 

Also starring in the film is Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan and Paul Giamatti. 

Don Jon (2013) Review

Formidable actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt has turned his hand to feature film directing and screenwriting in Don Jon. 

Gordon-Levitt also stars in the main role of Jon Martello, an Italian-American with a distinct obsession with pornography, only caring about eight things in his life: ‘my body, my pad, my ride, my family, my church, my boys, my girls, my porn.’ His questionable lifestyle is put under sufficient threat when he meets Scarlett Johansson’s Barbara Sugarman, a fantasist whose love for her romantic movies rivals his commitment to explicit films. Julianne Moore also stars, playing a woman named Esther, one of Jon’s fellow night school classmates.

The performances by all three main actors are impressive, and there is no denying that the chemistry between Johansson and Gordon-Levitt is sizzling and electrifying. But this sometimes overshadows the role Moore’s character contributes to the whole affair. And this is some of the problem; the ending is a bit clichéd and the film suffers from a few inconsistencies in tone and script. Whilst some may fully appreciate Gordon-Levitt’s efforts, others will find it all a bit too contrived. More so, the character of Mister Don Juan himself can at times be presented as a little too stereotypical. Essentially, his level of dedication to his ‘fantasy’ and his pornography can become grating.

That said, Don Jon does provide a unique take on romantic comedies. Whilst it has substantial humour, wit and flair, it is presented in a distinctive manner that gives the film a refreshing element, which puts it ahead of the pack of so many of its predecessors.

Overall, the film is initially promising, but tends to fade in some places. However, Gordon-Levitt has come up with a suitably cheeky and explicit alternative to the romantic comedy genre, and his role in this piece differs greatly from any of his more recent roles. If you needed a reason to watch the film then it comes in the form of a very committed Scarlett Johansson. Her performance is lively and energetic and gives an added boost to the film, complimenting Gordon-Levitt’s undeniable acting ability.

While the film may not appeal to a universal audience, its relatively thought-provoking plot and the witty charm of its actors make it a relative success for its director and worth a watch.

3.5 stars 

This review has also been published online via Concrete, which you can check out at the following link: 

http://www.concrete-online.co.uk/don-jon-review/

A Blizzard of Christmas Adverts

With Christmas fast approaching, I recently wrote an article which reflects on the latest Christmas Adverts churned out by big name companies: Marks and Spencers, John Lewis, Asda. The article is available to read by clicking the link below: 

http://www.concrete-online.co.uk/blizzard-of-ads/

Enjoy!

Sherlock Series 3 UK Air date announced! [TV News]

It's finally here. After much anticipation and waiting, the Sherlock Series 3 UK air date has been announced - for none other than New Years Day. The first episode entitled 'The Empty Hearse' will premier on January the 1st, 2 years after Series 2. The second episode of Series 3 of Sherlock will be aired on January the 5th and the third on January the 12th. This will no doubt please fans who have agonisingly waited for the third series starring Benedict 'Otter' Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes and Martin 'Bilbo' Freeman as Doctor John Watson. Rejoice Sherlockians! Here's a selection of trailers below to get everyone in the mood and ready for January! 

Sherlock Season 3 #SherlockLives Trailer:

Sky Ferreira - Night Time, My Time (Official Music Video - Watch now!) [+ Review]

In Sky Ferreira's new music video for the title track of her debut album, 'Night Time, My Time,' Sky takes a particularly dark route to showcase her persona of a prostitute.  There's a whole heap of shady lighting and disturbing imagery to get you really in the mood for the video. Sky also goes through a number of wigs to achieve her look, ranging from a striking red piece, to a short black bob (looking not dissimilar to Mia Wallace from Pulp Fiction); her activities culminate in a ride on a creepy porcelain rocking horse. As the music video progresses, things get just that little more eerie, with the repetition of 'Faster/Faster,' until things go completely hazy and Sky rocks and shakes back and forth. Watch the deliciously disturbing video below: 

Will.i.am. ft. Miley Cyrus - Feelin' Myself (Official Music Video) [+ Review]

And coming courtesy to you today is another music video featuring Miley Cyrus - yes, she is officially everywhere. Will.i.am's new track Feelin' Myself is out and in a thankfully rather understated video, which also features Wiz Khalifa and French Montana (did someone say Hannah?). There's enough ego in this video to fill several jumbo jets, as they all rap about how they're 'the shit.' The video possesses a distinctly digital theme with bright lit backgrounds and varying shapes and patterns, to combine with the extra added effects to all singers. Watch the video below: 

New Sherlock Season 3 Trailer - 'Sherlock Lives' [Watch Now!]

For eager viewers who were tuned in to watch BBC's 'The Day of The Doctor' last night, there was another great surprise. A season 3 teaser trailer for Sherlock arrived, [watch below] with the hashtag #SherlockLives, re affirming for viewers that he is indeed alive, in case you hadn't watched the last episode of season 2. The release of the new teaser sent the social networking website Twitter, into a frenzy, with many retweeting the hashtag and expressing their delight at the return of the popular crime drama, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes, and Martin Freeman as his partner, Watson. There has still be no announcement of the airing date for the new series, however, as the American air date is around the mid January, we can expect to see Sherlock back on British screens before then, as the BBC has first rights to air the programme. In case you were in your local cinema watching 'The Day of The Doctor,' and didn't get the opportunity to see the trailer, watch below: 

The Big Bang Theory - Season 7, Episode 9 'The Thanksgiving Decoupling' [Recap + Review]

The latest episode of The Big Bang Theory really piled on the laughs; there was turkey, divorce and drunk Sheldon. What more could you ask for? One of the best episodes from the latest series, 'The Thanksgiving Decoupling' opened with Sheldon, Leonard and Raj trying to explain to Penny that it is physically impossible to tip a cow. After much deliberation, Penny eventually realised that she was just drunk and had fell over herself. In comes Howard who confirms this theory and then invites everyone to thanksgiving at his mother's house, to which Sheldon initially declines. 

However, everyone manages to persuade him and they all agree to go. Whilst everyone gets ready at Sheldon's flat, Sheldon moans to Amy about how he is being forced to go and the begins to compare his situation to that of an African slave, to which Amy is appalled. 

The attention is diverted from Sheldon when Penny reveals she once got 'married' in a Las Vegas wedding chapel, which she thought was fake, but it turns out it was in fact real. Leonard is angry and annoyed and the gang help Penny think up a reason to get it annulled, which turns out to be her lack of understanding of the situation. They arrive at Howard's mum's house, where Howard is trying to get along with Bernadette's dad, whilst simultaneously attending to his loud and obnoxious mother. 

However, the whole thing is absolutely hilarious as Howard makes many quips about his mother. Bernadette's dad sits down to watch the game and Howard begrudgingly joins him with Sheldon. In the kitchen, Raj, Bernadette and Amy prepare the food, but are ultimately distracted when Amy reveals that Penny married Zack. 

Bernadette also simultaneously stuffs her face with marshmallows. Leonard and Penny argue with each other about Penny's mistake, which leads Penny to invite Zack over to sign the papers straight away, so they can get it annulled as soon as possible. Raj, who is watching whilst Bernadette and Amy listen from the kitchen, makes the most ridiculous comment about the plot thickening like the gravy he is holding in his hands. Meanwhile, Sheldon and Bernadette's dad are actually bonding over their knowledge of football, as Sheldon's dad made Sheldon watch it when he was young, before he was allowed to do his homework. 

When Sheldon reveals his dad died when he was 14, Bernadette's dad comforts Sheldon and offers to have his first beer with him. This leads to some surprising bonding between Sheldon and Bernadette's dad, and the two get absolutely hammered. Howard retreats to the kitchen hoping to get some comfort from Bernadette, but as soon as the doorbell rings and Zack shows up, Bernadette, Amy and eventually Raj, jet out of the kitchen faster than a cheetah to go watch. 

Zack is initially weary to sign as he is concerned for the children (of which they have none), but Penny eventually bullies him into signing, after arguing with Leonard some more. Afterwards, Sheldon and Bernadette's dad are still drinking, and Sheldon remarks that he is having the best thanksgiving ever. Bernadette comes in with Howard and Amy, telling them to apologise for being mean to Howard. Sheldon apologises, and when Amy berates him he tells her that she is great and she appreciates it and blushes. He then smacks her on her ass and asks her to go get him some more beers, and she looks surprisingly happy at the fact that he touched her. The episode ends with everyone eating food around the table, whilst Sheldon goes upstairs to vomit all over the clowns in Howard's mum's bathroom. Also, Bernadette's dad tells Howard that he is not the worst son in law he could have, which is about as much of a compliment that he'll ever get. Huzzah! The next episode will be in 2 weeks time, and is called 'The Discovery Dissipation.' 

Reviewed by Mel. 

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) Review

                                'Since the last games, something is different. I can see it'
                                                     'What can you see?'
                                                               'Hope.' 

Straight hot off the screen is the new second instalment from the movie series The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. It is surprising that in this case, the latter appears to be just that bit more impressive than the former. Visually breath-taking and with a certain flair for the dramatic, the film picks up the pace and flies off with it.

The film continues to follow Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) after her victory in the 74^th Annual Hunger Games, alongside her fake beau, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), as they embark on their victory tour around all the districts in Panem. Soon however, Katniss’ new found symbol of hope forces President Snow to become weary of an uprising, so he thrusts a weary Katniss back into the games in a 75^th Annual Hunger Games (also known as the Quarter Quell), which is made up of previous victors. Also back is third member of the love triangle, Gale, (Liam Hemsworth) and Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks), who returns to rally her team from District 12. Also along for the journey are Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson) and designer Cinna, (Lenny Kravitz), whilst ruthless dictator President Snow is portrayed by Donald Sutherland. Some of the key tributes in the latter part of the film are Finnick Odair (Sam Claflik), Mags (Lynn Cohen), Johanna Mason (Jena Malone), Beetee (Jeffrey Wright) and Wiress (Amanda Plummer), who help Katniss along with her journey.

Lawrence (Jennifer) sparkles on screen as the symbol of rebellion herself, Katniss Everdeen; electrifying the audience’s attention and making sure that all eyes are on her (literally). It is questionable as to whether the film would prove to be made of such a sound infrastructure without Lawrence being there to hold everything together, but nevertheless, all the actors put in a fine performance, which helps to unify the struggle that each character is facing.

What’s more obvious in this film is the level of devastation and the impact and consequences violence has. Everything is kicked up a notch, the events more ruthless and emotional, and the depth of the characters explored further and presented more complexly. We see Katniss once again at possibly an even more vulnerable level; everyone is thrust into the scenes of war and rebellion, and with that comes violence and death, which the film certainly deals with. 

A more emotional, and thought-provoking piece than the first, it masterfully gets the audience involved, and feeling the flames, the burn and the heat that the districts feel. It would seem that Francis Lawrence’s film does what it says in the title; it ‘catches fire,’ both in the literal sense, but also in the way it is able to ignite a certain sense of thrill into its audience, not only for the characters on screen but also engages with the darker, more political plot that underlines the film.

For the most part, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is a gripping and thoroughly entertaining piece of cinema, whose only flaw is that it perhaps overruns too much; the 146 minute running time can drag on for even the most eager viewer. However, the film’s overall more intimate and personal themes of plight and struggle, put forth a greater meaning to viewers, and provide a more substantial source of material for director Lawrence to work with. This in turn is executed superbly, managing to grip and intensify the situation for all involved, both on and off screen.

Exceedingly darker and devious, and overall more rebellious and violent, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire serves to remind everyone who the real enemy is. 

4.5 stars 

Reviewed by Mel. 

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - New Character Posters!

Some new character posters for The upcoming Hobbit movie are in! And as usual, they are looking pretty spectacular. For larger images and captions, and to revel in the glory of the film, see below: 

Good ol' Gandalf [the grey] (Ian McKellan) looking pretty bad-ass in his new character poster. 

In a nice change of character posters, Legolas (Orlando Bloom) the elf is doing the butt-shot pose instead of Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly). Yep, you go elves. 

Luke Evans as Bard the Bowman. 

Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield, looking to be in a bit of a sticky situation. 

And finally, the hobbit himself, Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins! (who has also stars alongside Sherlock Co-Star, Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays Smaug and The Necromancer.) So, how do the new posters shape up for you? Getting excited for the film which is released less than a month away? If not, watch a sneak peek below!: 

Muppets Most Wanted (2014) - New Theatrical and UK Trailers!

The new theatrical and UK trailers for Muppets Most Wanted (scheduled for release in March 2014) have been released, and see the good ol' green frog and his friends back, and in more trouble, than ever. Following on from the last film, The Muppets go on a tour in Europe, where they unfortunately encounter Constantine, the World's number 1 criminal, who looks almost identical to Kermit, who plans to become to most notorious criminal ever. Quickly and abruptly the gang and especially Kermit face various foes including Dominic Badguy (Ricky Gervais), who is Constantine's sidekick. The film features a whole heap of celebrity cameos, most notably including the formidable Tom Hiddleston (Thor: The Dark World), Sean Combs, Tina Fey (who plays a Russian GULAG officer), Ty Burrell (who plays a French interpol inspector) and many more. Watch the new theatrical trailer below: 

And watch the official UK Trailer as well, below:

Film news by Mel. 

Castle - Season 6, Episode 9 'Disciple' (RETURN OF 3XK!) [Review + Recap]

Well, this week's episode of Castle was certainly one of the most interesting and disturbing episodes. Just in case killed doppelgängers of Laine and Espo wasn't enough to get you interested, the potential return of 3XK and his equally as crazy girlfriend certainly will be. 

What's that you say? You want a bit more of a detailed recap? Can do! And this one's certainly going to beguile you. The episode opens with a security guard at the docks who finds a women who is seemingly levitating off of the ground, but upon closer inspection, it's revealed she is hanging from fishing wire. Now for the scary part - she looks exactly like Laine. 

Yep, and Laine's pretty freaked out by it all. Cue the arrival of Castle and Beckett, who were previously discussing potential honeymoon locations, except that Castle has been pretty much all around the world - oh dear. It is soon uncovered that Laine and her doppelgänger, Pam, are exactly identical, and nope they're not related, someone has made Pam (aka ex streetwalker) up to look exactly like Laine. Creepy. Even down to a tattoo that Laine has in a private place. Kate and Rick go to see a plastic surgeon who operated on Laine to ask her a few questions. Her name is Dr. Kelly Nieman. 

She is pretty useless in terms of information. However, she is pretty creepy, complimenting Kate on her looks but insisting she isn't perfect, and let's just say she's less that complimentary to Rick. Ryan calls and says that they have located the boat Pam was last seen on, and they go on over to investigate. Ryan and Espo go on the boat only to find another victim, Daniel, who looks exactly like Esposito. 

Both victims were involved in seedy industries until apparently they both got a big break and someone who funded their lavish lifestyle, and also, they both knew each other. Kate likes Kelly for the crime, as it is revealed she was having a 'physical' relationship with Daniel, but she is less than upset about his death. However, there is no evidence and apparently she has good alibi's, so back to square one. The team uncover security footage of Daniel getting into a car owned by the security guard at the beginning of the episode, who found Pam, and they feel confident they have found the right killer. 

However, all the pieces don't exactly match up and Castle is unsure. Castle has had an overarching theory that 3XK is behind the killings, and upon inspection, they find the lab files and other documents missing, having been checked out by the doppelgängers. Uh-Oh. Castle is now certain 3XK didn't die on the bridge, but is back, and now he just needs to figure out how everything fits. The security guard Carl eventually admits to the murders but says he doesn't know anything about 3XK, and as Kate and Rick leave the room he makes a significant comment that they have no idea what is truly going on. Ryan, on the other hand, has discovered that Dr. Kelly knew 3XK when he was imprisoned, and that she is potentially his girlfriend. Double Uh-Oh. 

They rush on over to her office, but it is completely abandoned and the only thing left behind is a Dr.Kelly pen and a note saying 'better luck next time.' Whilst back at home, contemplating the situation, Rick discovers that the pen is actually a flash drive, and plugs it into his computer, only to hear the song 'we'll meet again' by Vera Lynn. 

Kate and Rick are speechless. The episode ends with a lot of potential questions, like as to whether 3XK is back and teamed up with his girlfriend to kill again? Will Castle and Beckett be able to uncover the truth? Who knows, but this was one hell of an episode. The next episode entitled 'The Good, The Bad and The Baby' sees Kate and Rick become temporary parents to a newborn baby who was left at the scene of a murder. Watch the promo below:

Reviewed by Mel. 

Kanye West - Bound 2 [Watch the Official Music Video!] [+ Review]

The new video, (starring a topless Kim Kardashian) for Kanye West's track 'Bound 2' is out, and let's just say it's weird. Ok, it's a whole heap of weird, with a dash of awkward for good measure. Just in case you haven't heard, the new music video [which you can watch below] features Kanye West's new fiancée, Kim Kardashian. Except she's topless, not a big deal, necessarily, but when you pair it with the ridiculous graphics and the fact Kanye and Kim are riding on the back of a motorbike, performing some questionable intimate acts. The whole thing is a heap load of bizarre, and the random wild horses just make the thing possibly even more laughable. I'm not quite sure whether this is some sort of international joke, but it does resemble some hap-hazard project by a bunch of students with a penchant for green screen. If all the above hasn't aroused your attention enough to encourage you to watch the video, then I would suggest you perhaps watch it just so you can be in the know, when everyone else is talking about it, no doubt. Watch the ridiculous video below: 

We hope you enjoyed this ground-breaking, deeply poetic piece of video. You're welcome. 

Katy Perry - Unconditionally

Katy Perry has recently released the music video for her new track 'Unconditionally,' from her fourth studio album Prism. The video has an air of the festive and whimsical, featuring copious amounts of snow, flowers and elaborate costumes. Not to mention a hawk. Perry is certainly capitalizing on the upcoming seasonal event. Watch the dramatic and striking music video below: 

The video sees Perry belting out her power pop record whilst sitting amongst various people dancing whilst snow falls all around. It's certainly atmospheric, that's for sure. The singer switches between a variety of outfits and settings; donning a gorgeous gold number and a slinky black dress whilst standing in a large ballroom, with multiple dancers. The lyrics discuss the notion of accepting a partner's multiple flaws due to presence of a love that is unconditional; a slightly ironic theme perhaps for Perry. The track is relatively catchy and the video certainly helps to communicate the ideas of the pop song, whilst giving is a fantastic visual element. 

Reviewed by Mel. 

Future, Miley Cyrus - Real and True ft. Mr Hudson (Official Music Video) [+ Review]

It seems to be the latest trend to whack good ol' Miley Cyrus on your track and in the video, and rather unsurprisingly, it will get you views. In this particular instalment, Cyrus is lathered in metallic silver and a whole heap of glitter that would make even Ke$ha jealous. Cyrus plays an out of this world creature for the video, which features vocals from the former, Mr Hudson and of course Future (who is by now pretty irrelevant to his own song - oops). The whole focus is of course, heaped on to Cyrus in the video, considering the serious amount of media attention she's received since, well, all of her antics. 

By now, it seems silly to talk about the actual song, what with all the naked Cyrus and alien paraphernalia, but, still - the track is a lot more slower and sentimental than maybe first anticipated. The track, according to future is all 'about somebody sacrificing their life for love,' which seems a bit contradictory to me. So, by now how are we all holding up with the new Cyrus? Are you enjoying seeing her in pretty much every music video and all over TV or is it getting a bit too much? Let us know in the comments! 

Reviewed by Mel. 

Die Hard (1988) Review

Die Hard (1988) Review

                                    'I'm going to count to three, there will not be a four.'

With its release pre dating my existence, unfortunately I was not privy to the Die Hard films until at least a decade after its conception, and even then, I was far too young to thoroughly appreciate what I had just watched. However, many, many, years later I find myself able to truly recognise the exceptional work of the original Die Hard (1998), directed by John McTiernan, as nothing short of ingenious. 

Set on Christmas Eve, the film follows New York City Police Detective, John McClane (Bruce Willis) who travels to Los Angeles to try to reconnect with his estranged wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia) at a Christmas party in the Nakatomi Plaza Tower, where she works. However, the reconciliation is put on hold when a group of heavily armed criminals seize control of the tower lead by Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman.) 

Like previous films that I have watched in my youth and re-discovered in later life, I find myself able to develop a personal attachment to the film and watching in brings back a certain sense of nostalgia, not to mention it is, for me, the epitome of great action sequences combined with memorable characters and a coherent plot line. 

The film has the added attraction of possessing one of the greatest villains in action films – Hans Gruber (portrayed expertly by the phenomenal Alan Rickman) whose inconceivably comical one liners and dramatic performance make him not easily forgotten and earns him a place as the ‘quintessential Die Hard villain.’ A particular favourite amongst many is the resonating line - ‘alas your Mr. Takagi did not see it that way... so he won't be joining us for the rest of his life’ that Rickman delivers with such finesse that make it terribly hard not to like his rather depraved character. Equally, in the original instalment of what later becomes a series of films, Bruce Willis portrays a shunned family man (McClane) and cop turned Christmas time hero rather well, pulling off a convincing performance and too, delivering iconic lines such as ‘yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker’ with the determination, amusement and annoyance that the character possesses. 

The film spawned countless sequels and inspired a whole new range of movies to adapt the genre and plot of McTiernan’s gritty action thriller about a lone man who takes on an entire squad of highly skilled criminals. It is this which shows its significance and defines the very reasons why audiences should go see it. It’s likely that some of your favourite movies have been influenced by this piece; I would describe it as a poignant landmark in cinematic history as it has been referenced in countless descriptions of films. Such as Speed (1994) being ‘Die Hard on a bus’ and Passenger 57 (1994) as ‘Die Hard on a plane.’ It is no surprise that the movie has been continually listed in numerous lists of greatest movies and villains of all time and is always particularly popular with its focus on disaster at Christmas time. It’s not hard to see why this has proven so popular over the years, it encapsulates everything a ‘die hard’ thriller movie goer could want; ruthless action, epic fight scenes, dramatic explosions, sensationally suave villain, lone hero and plenty of comical and intense moments to boot, make Die Hard unable to be forgotten.

4.5/5 stars 

Reviewed by Mel.