TheRetroCritic

Thor is back! Sorry, did I say Thor? I meant Flash Gordon.

Based on Dick King-Smith's novel "The Sheep-Pig", Babe was such a big hit back in 1995 that it even earned itself a Best Picture Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe. Not bad for a film about a talking pig becoming a sheepdog. On paper, Babe sounds like just another straight-to-video kids' movie but a unique storybook look, some nifty visual effects and tons of charm elevated it to well above average. Indeed, there's something irresistible about this tale of a pig who is bought by farmer Arthur Hoggett (James Cromwell) and finds a new, unlikely purpose. The film definitely has its silly kid-friendly moments but also a surprisingly serious tone at times, never sugar-coating farm life too much or devolving into farce. One second you're following duck-turned-rooster Ferdinand join Babe on a quest to destroy an alarm clock (don't ask), the next you're mourning the death of a sheep as Babe is almost executed for a crime he didn't commit. It's t

As the world digests Hollywood's recent attempt at producing a live-action adaptation of Mamoru Oshii's much celebrated animated feature, there's no better time to revisit the original Ghost In The Shell from 1995. Based on one of the popular manga's stories involving a mysterious hacker known as the Puppet Master, this first film was not only groundbreaking as an anime but as a science-fiction film in general influencing pretty much every science-fiction film after it including The Matrix . We're introduced to a dangerous world where people can be cybernetically enhanced which creates new threats for special units to deal with. Major Motoko Kusanagi is the mostly artificial leader of an assault team tasked with various missions including finding the Puppet Master. The film is a complex sci-fi thriller which deals with self-identity, what it means to be human and technology gone mad in a subtle yet often brutal way. There are unexpected bursts of gore in this

Loosely based on real events, Cool Runnings was a surprise hit for Disney back in 1993 and it's still one of the most beloved sports movies out there. The story of the first Jamaican bobsled team charmed audiences with its lighthearted tone, likeable cast and Olympic spirit. The film introduces us to the main players as they fail to qualify for the Olympics as sprinters and decide to team-up in the hope of making it to the Winter Games as bobsledders. They hire the help of has-been champion coach Irv Blitzer (John Candy) who, like everyone else in town, doesn't believe in them at first but soon realises they might actually stand a chance. The idea that everyone in Jamaica would be literally laughing out loud at the thought of a bunch of guys putting together a bobsled team is not all that convincing, especially in the over-the-top way the film portrays that. Granted, the lack of ice in Jamaica and the bobsledders' inexperience would no doubt prompt some skepticism but

Whether you're playing it on the Dreamcast, the PS1 or a piece of wood, one thing is clear: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 is a great game. The best thing about this game is you don't even need to like skateboarding, understand the concept of a "Kickflip" or know who the heck Tony Hawk is to enjoy it! In fact, I personally know exactly three things about Mr Tony Hawk: he's a skateboarder, he was a stunt double in one of the Police Academy movies and kickass games are named after him. I also do not care much for real life skateboarding as it detracts from one of my favourite pastimes, playing extensive amounts of skateboarding video games. This particular masterpiece was developed by Neversoft, published by Activision and originally released for the Playstation before being ported to other consoles. What else is so great about Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2? Well, for one thing, the controls are delightful. Although you're just pressing or holdin

My first attempt at the impossible: trying to complete the Beetlejuice NES game.

Robert Downey Jr. stars in Less Than Zero , a 1987 film based on Bret Easton Ellis' novel. It also stars Jami Gertz, Andrew McCarthy and James Spader. The film follows three friends as their lives evolve (or devolve) after college: Clay (McCarthy) and Blair's (Gertz) relationship ends when the latter has an affair with Julian (Downey Jr.) and, some time later, a now successful Clay returns to Los Angeles to spend Christmas with his family and reconnect with old friends, including old flame Blair. Unfortunately, Julian's drug problem quickly becomes a liability for everyone. Robert Downey Jr. gives a reliably strong performance as the ebullient yet wounded Julian and James Spader is, of course, entirely convincing as the main antagonist. The film itself works best when it focuses on the sleazier side of L.A. and how the pressures of fitting in and making it big in the city can turn people into mindless cocaine-fuelled zombies, probably on a downward spiral to self-destr

I compile some of the "best" moments from the film Wolf .

Here's the video version of my The Woman In Red review.

Here's the video version of my The Frozen Ground review.