Tag: Liam Neeson

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The Naked Gun
(2025)

Director – Akiva Schaffer – 2025 – US – Cert. 15 – 85m

*****

Frank Drebin, the bumbling, self-confident, incompetent, cop and son of Frank Drebin, the bumbling, self-confident, incompetent cop sets out to solve a case involving a self-driving car and a P.L.O.T. Device – reboot of the classic comedy franchise is out in UK cinemas on Friday, August 1st

Sequels and reboots are often questionable, and can so easily be made for all the wrong reasons. The Naked Gun franchise started out as the six-episode, L.A. police procedural TV series spoof Police Squad! (1982) which spawned three features under The Naked Gun moniker (1988, 1991, 1994). The TV series is both extremely funny and groundbreaking in its use of the format. The three movies cleverly translated the humour to the big screen, and had the good sense to quit while still ahead. Both the TV series and the movies were well received at the time and are fondly remembered today.

The humour derives from a combination of ridiculous gags and non-comedy actors playing it straight. At the centre of the franchise was Lt. Frank Drebin, who despite a general cluelessness possesses a determination to follow through that means he always gets his man.… Read the rest

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Features Live Action Movies

Schindler’s List

Director – Steven Spielberg – 1993 – US – Cert. 15 – 195m

*****

World War Two allows failed Czech industrialist Schindler to come into his own as he saves Jews from Aushwitz by employing them as slave labour in his factories– out in UK cinemas on Friday, February 18th 1994

Unsuccessful Czech businessman Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) comes into his own during the war years as a supplier of pots and pans to the German Army. Although a badge-wearing Party member, he is neither well- nor ill-disposed towards Jews, simply an honest businessman seizing the opportunities presented by their persecution under Nazi rule. As the Jews are ghettoised in Krakow, he realises that here are investors with capital to burn for whom it is illegal to invest in business under their own names – in other words, surefire financiers; here are workers required to work all hours of the day for virtually nothing, keeping down a businessman’s cost.

He hires brilliant, ghettoised, Jewish accountant Itzhak Stern (Ben Kingsley) to run his enterprise. Under the command of ruthless commandant Amon Goeth (an astonishing turn from an unknown Ralph Fiennes which catapaulted the actor to overnight stardom) the ghettos are cleared, and the Jews moved into Plasnow concentration camp, but Schindler continues undeterred until the transportation of inmates to the Auschwitz death camp, against which he compiles Schindler’s List of 1 100 Jews necessary to run his factory, saving them from extermination.… Read the rest

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Silence

Director – Martin Scorsese – 2016 – US – Cert. 15 – 161m

*****

Scorsese questions and tests the unwavering faith of the hidden Christians of Japan, and our allegiance to the director remains just as steadfast – read our verdict on the director’s latest movie, out on New Year’s Day

Religion is a subject capable of arousing great emotion among both believers and non-believers. Martin Scorsese’s Silence is essentially concerned with adherents of one religion attempting to proselytise in a foreign land where the predominant religious system is so utterly alien as to be almost unassailable. To the point where even the incoming missionaries might have to abandon the faith which they seek to spread.

That land is 17th century Japan, where Christianity has been outlawed and believers practise their faith in secret as Kakure Kirishitan (“hidden” Christians). Two Jesuit priests, Father Garupe (Adam Driver) and Father Rodrigues (Andrew Garfield) are smuggled into the country in order to find the older Father Ferreira (Liam Neeson) who is rumoured to have denounced his faith. After spending time with local believers, they are captured by the authorities who proceed to torture the Japanese Christians and make the priests watch, thereby encouraging them to renounce the Jesus they adore and serve.… Read the rest