Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.

Review #2216: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. 

Cast: 

Anya Taylor-Joy (Furiosa; Alyla Browne as young Furiosa), Chris Hemsworth (Dementus), Tom Burke (Praetorian Jack), Lachy Hulme (Immortan Joe), Nathan Jones (Rictus Erectus), Josh Helman (Scrotus), John Howard (The People Eater), Angus Sampson (The Organic Mechanic), and Charlee Fraser (Mary Jo Bassa) Directed by George Miller (#380 - Mad Max, #392 - Happy Feet, #493 - The Witches of Eastwick, #707 - Mad Max 2, #781 - Mad Max: Fury Road, #2026 - Twilight Zone: The Movie, #2215 - Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome)

Review: 

It seemed only yesterday that one was heralding the return of George Miller to directing a new Mad Max film, because the development of Fury Road (which in addition to having Tom Hardy as the title character had Charlize Theron co-starring as Furiosa, who if you remember had one grey arm and paint around the eyes) was one that took multiple decades to go from an idea of a continuous chase to something that resulted in plenty of stuff (as developed by Miller, Brendan McCarthy, and Nico Lathouris for the screenplay) that could've resulted in a whole other film (in fact, there was an idea to shoot back-to-back a Furiosa film with Fury Road, but, this did not pass). Long story short, years would pass before Miller got to make what he envisioned in a film that is both prequel to Fury Road and spinoff; there was an idea to use de-aging tech on Theron but instead Miller went with just casting a younger actress for this film (of course, in the segments of the film with a really young Furiosa, technology was used on the eyes to more resemble Taylor-Joy). Several members of the crew from the last film returned here (such as for production design, music, and, well Miller writing with Lathoruis for the screenplay). Evidently, it took over two months to shoot the big action sequence of the film (the longest of the films at 148 minutes). which is only the tip of the iceberg in rip-roaring interest before its climax. Plans are never set in stone, but Miller apparently has one idea in mind for another Mad Max film involving a Wasteland, but one never knows.

It is pretty amazing for a series like Mad Max to go five-for-five in quality entertainment. Miller wanted to make a movie that goes all in for action that lends its lead actor plenty to show in their eyes rather than copious amounts of dialogue (Miller has stated his longstanding passion for silent films) that also manages to look like something worth seeing in a theater for all of its spectacle. It manages to uphold what made Fury Road so special all those years ago that acts on instinct in a manner that makes for quite the accomplishment once again for primary Australian productions and Miller. You could highlight the opening chase sequence or the rig sequence for its execution of sound and not be wrong with either choice. The landscape always manages to make an impression on oneself when viewing it among the imagery in a way that makes the storytelling all the more effective in what gets conveyed within the selective dialogue used. Browne and Taylor-Joy each have their moments in the sun to express so much when it comes to having to make a place for themselves in a world that values resources above all (as evidenced by the fact that two of the main locations of the film are "Gastown" and "Bullet Farm"), particularly for someone like her that has plenty of suppression amid all of the mayhem. It isn't about the dialogue that matters so much to her journey as it is the way she maneuvers the surroundings that arise from such perils. The dynamic that arises from her and Burke in trying to carve a living while in a rig that doesn't seem to allow any thought of it is a curious one because of that understated charm that arises as if one was viewing a Western (again, it seems hard to have any sort of bond with people in a place full of nuts named "Immortan"). Hulme works well in fitting into the role as originally played by Hugh Keays-Byrne in terms of stature (as opposed to just calling him a creep for all of those wives, shall we say). However, it is Hemsworth who seems to stand out the best in the film because of how much he commands of the screen in his villainy. Far from just an inflated nose and other little things to spot in his features (and of course, the chariot), he cultivates a unnerving presence that is tremendously captivating within his brutality and chaotic nature (consider the group seen with him at the start as compared with how he stands at the end). He clearly relishes being in this role and the climactic scene with him and Taylor-Joy is especially helpful in understanding the nature of revenge versus fulfillment within one's soul. In general, this is the kind of film that gives a spark to make plans to watch alongside Fury Road and enjoy with complete fulfillment for all of the technical accomplishment that arises from each production in post-apocalyptic spectacle and mythmaking on the most interesting levels. I'm not sure where it ranks when compared to the other quality predecessors, but it is quite an odyssey to experience.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.

Review #2215: Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.

Cast: 

Mel Gibson (Mad Max), Tina Turner (Aunty Entity), Bruce Spence (Jedediah), Adam Cockburn (Jedediah Jr), Frank Thring (The Collector), Angelo Rossitto (The Master), Paul Larsson (The Blaster), Angry Anderson (Ironbar), Robert Grubb (Pig Killer), George Spartels (Blackfinger), Edwin Hodgeman (Dr. Dealgood), and Bob Hornery (Waterseller) Directed by George Miller (#380 - Mad Max, #392 - Happy Feet, #493 - The Witches of Eastwick, #707 - Mad Max 2, #781 - Mad Max: Fury Road, #2026 - Twilight Zone: The Movie) and George Ogilvie.

Review: 

"It, in a way of all the films, it’s the one I have most affection for of the three films. Even though most people wouldn’t agree. I realise looking back on it that we almost took on too much story. We told about three, two or three different worlds, trying to struggle … juggle all those things together. So that’s what led to the third story. It’s just … the third film. It’s just the story came along."

In 1979, Mad Max came out with such visceral power that could only come from someone with a dedicated eye to make an involving film, as set out by director/co-writer George Miller and producer Byron Kennedy (who also served as a co-writer with James McCausland). He had studied and had served as a doctor in his native Australia before he was a director, you know. It probably won't surprise you to know that the original idea for what became the third film was actually sprung out of a suggestion made when it was just an offshoot post-apocalyptic film about a tribe of children found by an adult that, well, is what you see in the second half of the film (naturally those familiar with the Lord of the Flies novel would know what I mean); Miller and Terry Hayes, who wrote the last film together, wrote for this one. This was the first of the series made without Kennedy involved, as he died in a helicopter accident in 1983. Miller, already in the ideas of making the third film, decided to move past his reluctance and made it basically as a way to "just to get over the shock and grief of all of that", which in turn saw him bring in George Ogilvie as a co-director. For the most part, Miller and Ogilvie were together during production, as opposed to say, directing separately. This was the feature film debut for Ogilvie, who had worked as both actor and director in the theatre and television since growing up in New South Wales in Australia. He directed three further feature films but was busier with television (such as miniseries) before he died in 2020 at the age of 89. The film was the last Mad Max film (Miller never thought of it as a franchise or envisioned it as such) for three decades, although the idea behind what became Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) had been first thought about since 1987 as "almost a continuous chase".

I wish I liked the film better, I really do. It has a good deal of worthwhile production value of 107 minutes that has a pretty interesting first half involving "Bartertown" when it comes to the ever-shifting mores of where wasteland society (read: place that happens to look like Australia); incidentally, the film is apparently set 15 years after the second film. The performances with its main two of Gibson and Turner is probably the most curious interaction of wanderer and non-wanderer in the last features when it comes to a place that tries to value for trade and, well, an arena that could only be called Thunderdome that has a pretty harrowing battle sequence and decision to come with a mass calling for blood. And then of course there is the part of the film that deals with an oasis of "Planet Erf" and a tribe of children that see our lead as their possible hero. It might not be fair to say it reminds me a bit of Return of the Jedi (1983) when it comes to its place when compared to the first two films of a series, but I digress. Gibson and Turner equally have something worth watching when together in a manner that is distinct from what we saw in the past two films in terms of dueling interests that sees a mix of vitality and one coming to terms with their sense of self (easy to do that when confronting the use of pigs and methane as a potential road forward). This was one of two films with the noted singer Turner in a main role, with the other being Tommy (1975), and she makes the most of it in enterprising stature that she clearly is enjoying going with Gibson and the general self-sufficient nature that comes in the odyssey of a man in sand. He wanders the earth with an odyssey that he commits to in the way you would expect from a pro like him. The chase that arises from that does make for an interesting resolution, at least. This was the last major role for dwarf actor Rossitto, who had a lengthy career prior to his death in 1991, and he lends a few chuckles here and there. The rest of the cast is fine, but somehow, it just feels strange to deal with the fact that one is basically watching two films trying to play as one with a softer sense of the apocalyptic wasteland that is just...okay. I'm not really sure how to put it succinctly, but somehow, having children take ahold of the attention makes the action that come from the climax (plane included) seem more safe than the chaos that made the last two all the more interesting. Besides, having read Lord of the Flies long ago, one can say that the folks here aren't exactly as compelling in that attempt of trying to make do on their own. It is always possible that a re-watch in the next few years could make things seem different, but even calling it the lesser of the Mad Max films is still a compliment when it comes to a film that is pretty efficient in the entertainment value when it comes to that rip-roaring foundation set in the beginning that sticks the eventual landing that stands on its own regardless of what ended up coming later on.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Twilight Zone: The Movie.

Review #2026: Twilight Zone: The Movie.

Cast: 

Opening sequence: Albert Brooks (the Driver), Dan Aykroyd (the Passenger), and Burgess Meredith (Narrator)

"Time Out": Vic Morrow (Bill Connor), Doug McGrath (Larry), and Charles Hallahan (Ray)

"Kick the Can": Scatman Crothers (Mr. Bloom), Bill Quinn (Leo Conroy), Martin Garner (Mr. Weinstein), Selma Diamond (Mrs. Weinstein), Helen Shaw (Mrs. Dempsey), and Murray Matheson (Mr. Agee)

"It's a Good Life": Kathleen Quinlan (Helen Foley), Jeremy Licht (Anthony), Kevin McCarthy (Uncle Walt), Patricia Barry (Mother), and William Schallert (Father)

"Nightmare at 20,000 Feet": John Lithgow (John Valentine), Abbe Lane (Sr. Flight attendant), Donna Dixon (Jr. Flight attendant), John Dennis Johnston (Co-Pilot), and Larry Cedar (Gremlin)

Directed by John Landis (#328 - Trading Places, #410 - Coming to America, #513 - Spies Like Us, #1114 - Animal House, #1462 - The Blues Brothers, #1465 - An American Werewolf in London, #1699 - Blues Brothers 2000, and #1718 - The Stupids), 

Steven Spielberg (#126 - Close Encounters of the Third Kind, #168-#170, #302, #351, #480, #563, #573,  #642, #958, #1068, #1305, #1478, #1520, #1528, #1560, #1843, and #2000 - Duel), 

Joe Dante (#007 - Looney Tunes: Back in Action, #096 - Gremlins, #097 - Small Soldiers, #1494 - Gremlins 2: The New Batch, #1744 - The Howling) 

and George Miller (#380 - Mad Max, #392 - Happy Feet, #493 - The Witches of Eastwick, #707 - Mad Max 2, #781 - Mad Max: Fury Road)

Review:

The Twilight Zone, originally broadcast on CBS in 1959, is generally considered one of the best television shows of its time, if not one of the best ever. There were 156 episodes of the anthology series, with a good majority of them (92!) written by series creator (and presenter) Rod Serling. He had come up with the idea for an anthology series that would use its "science-fiction setting" to have more freedom to write what he felt. Technically, the show was not meant to be scary, but it just happened to have plenty of twists within a mostly consistent show. Providing a list of what episodes are the best seems futile, but here is a list of episodes that would be neat for one to check out if they want to see just what the show could do in its format (most are a half-hour long, minus the hour-long fourth season): "One for the Angels", "Walking Distance", "A Quality of Mercy", "Printer's Devil", and "One More Pallbearer" (one could also go for Serling's reported favorites in "The Invaders" and "Time Enough at Last"). Rod Serling had an interest in doing a Twilight Zone film for quite some time prior to his death in 1975. Various cast members that had appeared in an original episode appear in the film: Burgess Meredith, Patricia Barry, Peter Brocco, Murray Matheson, Kevin McCarthy, Bill Mumy, and William Schallert. The movie was marked by tragedy in the making of the first segment of the film due to an accident involving a helicopter crash during filming on July 23, 1982. Two children, Myca Dinh Le, Renee Shin-Yi Chen were hired to do a scene at night (under the table) that involved pyrotechnics and a helicopter. This resulted in an accident that saw the death of Morrow and the two children. Various people, which included Landis, were tried and ultimately acquitted on manslaughter charges in a trial that spanned 1986 and 1987. Of course, the tragedy as a whole sparked a movement for fire safety regulations and entertainment industry requirements, complete with a safety committee made by the Directors Guild of America about safety bulletins and a phone hotline. The film was released 40 years ago in June of 1983, and it was a mild success with audiences. It would inspire CBS (who had the rights to the show because Serling had sold it to them) to go forward with a second rendition of the show in 1985. After its end in 1989, two further shows came and went in the following decades (2002-2003 and 2019-2020). 

The opening segment (roughly eight minutes) features Albert Brooks and Dan Aykroyd in a car conversation that eventually talks about the show within the movie and the question of if one wants to see something "really scary"? It is, uh, a strange way to start a movie, mostly because when I think of Twilight Zone, I don't think, man suddenly finds a surprise in a car. But it is with two folks that I like, so there's that. Burgess Meredith, who appeared in classic episodes of the show such as "Time Enough at Last", introduces each story in narration, which is a nice tribute to Serling's previous method, although they do use Serling's voice for the ending as a whole. John Landis directed this sequence alongside the first segment in "Time Out". The segment, lasting roughly 18 minutes, involves a racist and resentful man that goes to a bar after being passed over for promotion that finds himself wrapped up in the past, more specifically places such as Nazi-occupied France, a racist Klan rally, or in Vietnam. Evidently, the segment is a mishmash of the classic stories "Back There" (namely the time travel) and "A Quality of Mercy", with the writer being none other than Landis.  The original scripted idea obviously couldn't be completed due to the tragedy that occurred, which apparently was meant to have a resolution that would've tried to find redemption for the racist that saw him try to help two children out of a helicopter attack in a Vietnamese swamp. Instead, it ends on him going through a frenzy of terrifying events before being sent off by a train despite yelling out to his friends that he can see out of the slats. As such, the story is mild because it requires a bit more bite than what is required to either reach a payoff of redemption...or the opposite, and a segment that doesn't even last the time of an actual TV episode isn't going to cut it. As such, Morrow is essentially trapped in a segment with an unavoidable pall over the entire thing, but you can see the glimmer in one part of the diner scene. There he is, blithering around with a dirty mouth, and for a moment you can see him for what he is beyond the epithets: a loser who really thought the world owed him one because of what he looks and sounds like "as an American". Intended redemption or not, there obviously was something that could've been done here beyond what you know.

"Kick the Can" (lasting roughly 21 minutes) is based on the third season episode of the same name originally written by George Clayton Johnson. The segment screenplay was written by Johnson, Richard Matheson, and Melissa Mathison. It was directed by Steven Spielberg. Apparently, he had plans for an ambitious segment before the helicopter tragedy led to him curtailing plans...for a remake of an episode that I honestly can't remember watching to begin with beyond the phrase "old people get young". It has been rumored that Spielberg, under contract but having lost the heart for the project due to the tragedy, made only a half-hearted effort here. All of this is meant to subside the actual thoughts of the story about "the day we stop playing is the day we start getting old", which I vaguely remember seeing in my neighborhood park when I was a kid. If the Landis segment could be thought of as perhaps a bit too short, the Spielberg segment can be best described as half-brained and half-effective. I can't tell what is more annoying, its cloying sense of "cheer" for such an average effort, or the very rumor of Spielberg half-assing a story just to get out of a dilemma. Crothers actually does provide a decent performance here, pulling some of the mysterious requirements necessary to make a story telegraphed to us in every step of the way not nearly as painful as it could be, and Quinn is at least a quality foil the basic arguments made involving the inevitability of age. By the time the segment gets to the ultimate decision made, the lesson put there is at least one that isn't sapped of hokum...and then of course Crothers does a fourth wall bit before leaving. As a whole, it's just an okay segment, one that makes you wonder if being the "light segment" of the film is really a compliment.

"It's a Good Life" (roughly 27 minutes long) is loosely based off the third season episode of the same name (as written by Serling that was based on a short story by Jerome Bixby). Matheson wrote the screenplay for this segment (which Serling had discussed prior to his death as writing a draft to make into a film), with Joe Dante serving as director. The story involves a lady schoolteacher finding the company of a young boy at a rural diner when she helps him after he is accosted only to then accidently back her car into his bike. She gives him a ride home and meets the rest of his family, who all seem nice. Heck, I like Kevin McCarthy, what could go wrong with his character presence? Despite having quite a hill to climb in trying to remake one of the most famous Zone episodes, Dante has provided something special here: an off-beat and weird segment that seems to take you on a trip of not just sight and sound but of mind. It is a delightful and deranged segment, headlined by a useful cast. I of course dig the presences around the supporting folks like McCarthy, ever the panicky one in trying to keep appearances as essentially the elder statesmen of character presences here, made clear when he tries to figure just how a magic trick with an imaginative boy is going to go. Quinlan and Lichy make quite an effective pairing in the realm of dealing with such a funhouse of creativity that invites a tragic quality not present in the earlier adaptation (of course, since this adaptation uses an eight-year-old rather than a six-year-old, why not?), which seems like a suitable twist. It's a neat story as a whole.

"Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" (22 minutes) is a remake of the story of the same name (based on the short story by Richard Matheson, who also wrote the screenplay for this segment) that had premiered in the fifth season of the show, which I'm sure you remember had William Shatner as star. George Miller serves as director here. The key change is to the circumstances of the man in the predicament of seeing a gremlin on the plane he is flying in: the TV episode had him travel with his wife after just spending time in a sanitarium while the film features a man with a fear of flying traveling alone. The segment is all about the tension that comes with what you know of the person observing a nightmare right in front of their eyes that obviously could be just our nightmare too: what if you saw something that no one could see that could lead to your death? The gremlin costume is the biggest evident difference in adaptation, mainly because it actually looks quite spooky in the moments it is seen in the dark rainy night, which only add to the fear portrayed excellently by Lithgow. This segment is probably the one that hews closest to the original spirit of the TV episode, which either makes it the best segment of the film or a pretty close second and one can't go wrong there. The movie begins and ends with the same man asking if one wants to see something really scary. Friends of anthologies with varying quality such as O. Henry's Full House (1952) or Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965) will be just fine with this movie, one that will have enough peaks and lows to make the 101-minute runtime seem useful to perhaps step further into the realm of the Twilight Zone and see just how fun anthology can be in the right hands.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Mad Max: Fury Road.

Review #781: Mad Max: Fury Road.

Cast
Tom Hardy (Max Rockatansky), Charlize Theron (Imperator Furiosa), Nicholas Hoult (Nux), Hugh Keays-Byrne (Immortan Joe), Josh Helman (Slit), Nathan Jones (Rictus Erectus), Zoë Kravitz (Toast the Knowing), Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (The Splendid Angharad), Riley Keough (Capable), Abbey Lee (The Dag), Courtney Eaton (Cheedo the Fragile), John Howard (The People Eater), Richard Carter (The Bullet Farmer), and iOTA (The Doof Warrior) Directed by George Miller (#380 - Mad Max, #392 - Happy Feet, #493 - The Witches of Eastwick, and #707 - Mad Max 2)

Review
When it comes to action films, Mad Max: Fury Road will certainly come up as a discussion subject with regards to action movies that truly never let up, from beginning to end. Miller wanted to make a movie that was a continuous chase of cars and action...and he certainly succeeds. But the movie is more than that, it's a wonderland of spectacle and unique action. One of the characters has a guitar that doubles as a flamethrower, but the movie already has enough in terms of interesting characters, with the most interesting not entirely being Max, but Furiosa. Perhaps it has to do with her being a strong character who flat out takes command of the situation (and perhaps the movie) and never lets up in just being a compelling action hero (With a metal arm to boot), with her motive of redemption being especially interesting. Hardy is our new Mad Max, doing a good job at capturing the essence of a man haunted by his past (even awakening from a dream shaking), and thankfully there's never a moment where you're stuck wondering how it would've been with Gibson, which helps the movie gain more and more footing. The rest of the cast also does a good job, especially Keays-Byrne, who makes for an interesting villain. The wives (Kravitz, Huntington-Whiteley, Keough, Lee, Eaton) also do a fine job, interacting well with each other as well as rest of the cast. The movie (much like the other Mad Max films) looks great with regards to the environment and effects. The music by Tom Holkenborg (aka Junkie XL) is also well-done, matching the movie in great unison. It's a movie about survival and redemption, with home being the biggest motivation of them all. Whether it's a sequel or a reboot is irrelevant, the movie is a wonderfully octane experience that has more layers than meets the eye.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Mad Max 2.

Review #707: Mad Max 2.

Cast
Mel Gibson (Mad Max Rockatansky), Bruce Spence (Gyro Captain), Vernon Wells (Wez), Emil Minty (The Feral Kid), Michael Preston (Pappagallo), Virginia Hey (Warrior Woman), Kjell Nilsson (Lord Humungus), Max Phipps (Todie), and Arkie Whiteley (The Captain's Girl) Directed by George Miller (#380 - Mad Max, #392 - Happy Feet, and #493 - The Witches of Eastwick)

Review
Mad Max 2 (also known as The Road Warrior) was released just two years after the original film. The first movie was brutal, but effective in its bleakness, especially on a low budget. This time around, the sequel has a bigger budget but more importantly, the sequel has more excitement and more (dare I say it) awesomeness. The environment of the movie and how much of a wasteland helps to the movie's advantage in making for cynical bleakness. Gibson is just perfectly well suited for a hardened character such as this, and the rest of the cast (especially the Gyro Captain) are perfectly well suited. Wez and Lord Humungus are brilliantly effective villains, and the climax of the movie is helped especially by them. The action in the movie is fast paced but also satisfying. This is like a Western, only if the West was Australia, and revolving around the apocalypse. It's a movie that pulls no punches, and is relentless in its dystopian punk outlook. It's a brisk 96 minute film that manages to be extremely slick in its approach, so go see it.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Witches of Eastwick.

Review #493: The Witches of Eastwick.

Cast
Jack Nicholson (Daryl Van Horne), Cher (Alexandra Medford), Susan Sarandon (Jane Spofford), Michelle Pfeiffer (Sukie Ridgemont), Veronica Cartwright (Felicia Alden), and Richard Jenkins (Clyde Alden) Directed by George Miller (#380 - Mad Max and #392 - Happy Feet)

Review
I woke up in the morning, realizing it was my birthday today, and in light of that, I decided to not only begin the new month with watching a movie, but a movie I've wanted to watch for a long while, and since I had time on my hands and couldn't think of a movie that actually dealt with birthdays, I watched this. The film itself is mostly enjoyable, and Jack Nicholson (as usual) steals the show. He seems to be born to play this role, he has a good deal of manic energy and scenes to use them in. Cher does an good job, pairing well with Nicholson. Sarandon and Pfeiffer are good, the trio seem to mesh well together. The rest of the cast are alright, and the story is balanced. The climax of the film has been criticized for being overdone or ridiculous in the past, but I don't really hate the climax that much, maybe it's because it just feels right, and I wouldn't know how the climax could be improved on anyway. The film has its ups and downs of lunacy, but it is enjoyable nonetheless. Happy birthday to me. Countdown to 500 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7...

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Happy Feet.

Review #392: Happy Feet.

Cast
Elijah Wood (Mumble), Brittany Murphy (Gloria), Robin Williams (Ramón and Lovelace), Hugh Jackman (Memphis), Nicole Kidman (Norma Jean), Hugo Weaving (Noah the Elder), and Carlos Alazraqui (Nestor) Directed by George Miller (#380 - Mad Max)

Review
Happy Feet to me is a bit of an odd shell compared to other animated films. But hey, I have a soft spot for weirdness as long as it works out well and manages overcome awkwardness. Does this do that, or not is the underlying question. And it...mostly does. It starts out okay, even if it contains my least favorite cliche of the moment where "the character different from everyone else" is embarrassed which goes slowly and annoys me, but that could just be a matter of opinion. The film gets better as it goes on, skipping over speed bumps, and having an entertaining value to it, with some good dancing, which was done by motion capture, which isn't creepy, as it shows that motion capture does have some benefits. Elijah Wood does good, certainly a million times better from his last performance reviewed here (#363 - North), and Murphy does well. Robin Williams does stand out, even more given he plays two characters, and he does an alright job, not annoying, just fine. The animation is good, as it does a good job being a centerpiece, but no the whole thing to, a developed animated film that works well, and it can be entertaining, with some fine song choices all in all. Countdown to 400 Reviews: 10, 9, 8...

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Mad Max.

Review #380: Mad Max.

Cast
Mel Gibson (Max Rockatansky), Joanne Samuel (Jessie Rockatansky), Hugh Keays-Byrne (Toecutter), Steve Bisley (Jim Goose), Tim Burns (Johnny), Geoff Parry (Bubba Zanetti), Roger Ward (Fifi Macaffee), and David Bracks (Mudguts) Directed by George Miller.

Review
It's been a while since I've reviewed something with Mel Gibson in it (#356 - Lethal Weapon 2), and its also been a while since I've reviewed a film from Australia, which I barely noticed (#023 - Crocodile Dundee, #024 - Crocodile Dundee 2, #032 - The Man From Snowy River) until now. How is this film? Pretty good. Its brutal nature and dystopian outlook work well for the film is because the film uses its sets well. Gibson does a fine job in a film that was in the beginning of his career. The rest of the (let me be honest) unknown cast do an alright job, contributing to the bleak outlook of the film. Its car chases are destructive but effective.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.