300

The Battle of Thermopylae gets a modern comic book makeover. I was a fan of the old Rudolph Mate’s 1962 film the 300 Spartans starring Richard Egan and Ralph Richardson, but to be honest this movie rocks!

Based on Frank Miller’s comic book it really delivers both in terms of story and action. Even the performances are good. Gerard Butler is superb as the snarling, fearless King Leonidas (what a Bond he would make) and Lena Headley is just gorgeous as Queen Gorgo.

The Spartans are portrayed as heroic, militaristic ancient Terminators, whereas their Persian foes are depicted as some kind of S&M piereced Gimps!

The battle scenes are done in slo-mo and handled well. I don’t think it was anywhere near as violent as Apocalypto!

Oh and David Wenham does his usual sterling job as the narrator and the sole survivor who takes his place at the decisive Greek victory at Plataea.

Oh and after doing a bit of research, the real reason only 300 Spartans (and 700 other Greeks and another 2,000 slaves) fought the battle was not because of a religious festival, but the Olympic Games were on!

God help us if in 2012 Vladimir Putin decides to go Red on us!

Dr No

After getting Casino Royale through the post I decided to watch Sean Connery's debut as 007 once again.

How tough was he? Is Daniel Craig the toughest?

Watching Dr No for the first time in years was like visiting an old mucker.

Connery was and is Bond. He is by far the most ruthless Bond. I love the bit he shoots Professor Dent: "That's a Smith and Wesson. And you've hard your six."

Before plugging Dent with the PPK.

Brilliant.

Dr No has all the elements of the Bond franchise in place.

Mind you it is like two separate films. The first half is a tradtional style thriller, then once then go to Crab Island it all becomes the Bond world we know. The fantastical Ken Adam sets just make the whole thing look so different from anything people saw in 1962.

Sean Connery, we salute you!

Apocalypto

This is an example of everything a movie should be.

Exciting, dramatic, and characters you care about. Oh and it has a story!

This spectacular tale from Mel Gibson tells the story of Jaguar Paw, a Mayan forest hunter who has a pregnant wife and a small kid.

Something nasty is coming in the forest though...

Jaguar Paw and his villagers are taken hostage by another tribe who live in the City and worship Gods who need bloody ritual sacrifice. And Jaguar Paw and his mates fit the bill. Meanwhile Jag's wife and son are trapped in a pit - out of sight of the villains - but equally in danger from animals and the sky.

The film is basically a triumph from start to finish. Great, bloody fight scenes, coupled with poignant story beats and echoes to our own future (a wise man laments about the lack of respect Man has for nature; the foreboding of end of civilisations; the loss of innocence; and even ethnic cleansing).

Okay so it isn't Schindler's List, but it is an entertaining movie with a message espousing family values as well as having some more respect for people, animals and nature.

Gibson has evolved into an action director with few equals. He has also now donned the mantle of a storyteller with few equals.

Apocalypto is simply the best film you will see this year.

Best Picture of 2007?

Casino Royale

Anyone else feel a little underwhelmed?

It was good in places, but the climax was just not exciting enough. Daniel Craig was good as Bond, and I actually think he is better than tailor's dummy Brosnan.

The poker scenes were brilliant, but Le Chiffre was not used enough. And for some other geezer to snuff him out (I know it is in the book) just wasn't a good idea.

Also this whole Bond Begins idea wasn't as good as it should have been.

Bond was a hero in the Royal Navy in WW2 and we should have seen him in action then. I know it wouldn't make any sense in terms of time but it would in terms of the backstory.

To have the current M be the first M just doesn't make any sense!

Also why do we have to see him win the Aston Martin? Has Bond no style of his own?

Give us the Bond we love. Full of escapism, great stunts, gadgets and girls.

Artholes v Popcorn

I think there is an inherent snobbery in the cinema today.

It basically runs like this:Every popcorn blockbuster is viewed as dumb, stupid and unworthy.

On the other hand every art house movie or indie film is automatically lauded as being original, creative and intellectual.

Poppycock!The same goes for black and white movies or foreign movies. In reality there are good and bad movies, regardless of who makes them.

ARTHOLES as I call them are the pretentious people who really don't know that much about cinema and don't seem to care much about story.

I believe story is what drives ALL great movies.

Welcome

Hi there all!

This is Private Hudson - not the one from the movie, but the one who for many years has been the King of Empire (as in the UK film magazine).

Anyway I thought I would share some of my ramblings about movies, poker, sports and life in general!

So feel free to tell me what you think!

Private Hudson