Movie review - "Enemies Closer" (2013) **1/2

 Not bad little action film which suffers from the casting of Tom Everett Scott as an ex-seal naval vet - Scott's a good actor he just gives off suburban dad vibes. But this is off set by Jean Claude Van Damme having wonderful fun with curly air and veganism as the villain.

Orlando Jones is solid as a guy with a vendetta against Scott, though both actors are forced to monologue too much. Plenty of cheese, a body count that feels unnecessarily high - Sudden Death had this too - nighttime photography, quick pace, some twists, the nighttime setting is good, decent ish action. But the real novelty is Van Damme.

Movie review - "Beyond Reasonable Doubt" (2009) **

 Random film to remake but I guess it has a high concept - a journalist tries to frame a crooked DA by deliberately framing himself for murder then plans on exposing himself as being framed. But didn't he frame himself?

Oh anyway look it's high concept. Michael Douglas has quite a small role as the crooked DA. Jess Metcalf has a decent speaking voice and isn't bad, but he's not a star, nor is Amber Tamblyn and the film needed one.

There's lots of plot - well, detail in the plot, plenty of details, but I didn't buy it. I didn't buy a lot of it - Metcalf as a journo, his determination, or Douglas being evil, or Tamblyn's motives. Maybe the film should've been told from her point of view.

It's got marks of Hyams films: logic flaws, zingers, crisp editing, sharp whispering noises, confused character motivations, sharp pace, easy to watch, car chases, good black people who don't have a big part, fat actors.

Movie review - "Time Cop" (1994) **1/2

 I was hoping this would be better than it was but there are some decent moments. It's nicely shot, has a few twists and has a kind of logic. I got here and there. The action was a little underwhelming. Jean Claude Van Damme is relaxed and confident. Mia Sara is beautiful, not a great actor. Ron Silver can act very well. 

The film lacked something. I can't figure what it is. More holistic approach or something. I don't know. That's not very useful.

Book review - "Rascals in Paradise" by James Michener & Arthur Day (1957)

 "Rascals" is generous considering a lot of these people are rapists, slavers and murderers. A lot of topics that I'm surprised haven't been filmed. The Globe Mutineers were very violent. The French nobleman who sent Europeans out to a dud country. There's a successful Chinese pirate, good old Bligh, a lady explorer, Bully Hayes who is a rascal but also a slavery and child rapist. Leeteg is a painter. Louis Becke an Aussie writer I'd never heard of! Walter Gibson is a Yank who got involved in Hawaiian politics. William Mariner is perhaps the most intersting story - teenager who survived a massacre and was befriended by the King of Tonga, survived and got home to become an accountant.

Book review - "Quartered Safe Out Here" by George MacDonald Fraser

 I've read this book account. A mostly superb account of Fraser's brief time in the line in Burma during World War Two. Great vivid sketches of the army, battle, Slim Gurkhas, Calcutta, the 1945 election. Interspersed the grumpy rants. This one had an epilogue about anniversary of VJ Day and isn't that interesting - more grumpiness about the state of Britain. Still when this is on song it's wonderful.

Movie review - "Wild Card" (2015) ** (re-watching)

 Better cast. Jason Statham isn't as good an actor as Burt Reynolds but he's fine. It was shot in New Orleans, apparently - that can't help. Shoots the original script. Still lacks flavour. Christmas decorations are in the script but it seems to lack the point of setting it at Christmas. Excellent support cast. Cyrus plot doesn't work.

Book review - "The industry : life in the Hollywood fast lane" by Saul David (1981)

 David isn't that famous a figure but had an interesting career, producing a series of hits at Fox in the late 60s, and this is an entertaining book. It wobbles a little all over the place but has terrific accounts of the making of movies like Von Ryan's Express, Skullduggery, The Black Bird - ego trips from Sinatra and George Segal (!), MGM in the early 70s, Lew Wasserman, the Zanucks. I thought there's be more on the Flint films.