AndrewGHickey

Wow no more reviews since 2005. I have to agree with my esteemed fellow reviewer Movie Nuttball, Clash of the Champions was the cream of the crop when it came to pro wrestling for the nine years it ran.

I recently acquired the whole collection on DVD and it is a blast, not only did you get superb main events like Sting vs. Ric Flair, but you got to see the likes of the Ding Dongs, Oz/Vinnie Vegas (Kevin Nash), Mean Mark Callous (the Undertaker) and so much more. Not to mention the goofy PPV promos (Wrestle War 90, Beach Blast 92) that aired during the commercial breaks. It's also a trip to have a revolving door of legends on commentary including Jese Ventura, Bobby Heenan and Gordon Solie. The greatness of the Clash almost erases the inept booking and poor business decisions WCW was responsible for, in my mind at least!

Watching Fantastic Mr Fox can be a bit jarring at first. Its on the surface a Wes Anderson movie with puppets. Once you sink into it though and you enter the imaginary world its a blast. Its great to watch a film that appeals to adults and kids and isn't dumbed down. There are actually some parts that may freak out or perplex some children, but on the whole its very accessible to all.

George Clooney is likable as the conflicted Mr Fox, who just cant stay out of trouble, Meryl Streep puts in a solid performance as Mrs Fox and Bill Murray is his usual droll self as Badger, Fox's lawyer. Jason Schwarztman is also memorable as Fox's emotionally strained son. Anderson regular Owen Wilson makes a cameo and his vocal inflection is actually perfect for this form.

Having not read the original book I entered this with a fresh perspective, my friend who has read it numerous times still enjoyed it. It serves as a fun ride on its own and a nice progression in Wes Anderson's career. A great start to the 2010 film year.

Now this was something, not really a good something but it was something nonetheless. Being a novice when it comes to the filmic work of 'The King' I approached this film and his others from a fresh perspective. I guess I was put off by the stigma of corniness that plagues his filmography. After checking out Jaihouse Rock, Paradise Hawaiian Style and Spinout I thought I'd give this relative b-movie a look.

I enjoyed the pseudo middle eastern soundtrack and expected the visual equivalent here, which essentially is what I got. The faux parody element of the film falls by the wayside pretty quick unfortunately and ultimately becomes another vehicle for Elvis' kung-fu, romancing and spontaneous song performances. Shake Your Tambourine and So Close So Far are the performance highlights and there is some overlooked snappy dialogue. The less said about the creepy Hey Little Girl sequence though the better. My favourite song, the Garage-lite Animal Instinct was sadly not featured in the film.

Its universally looked at as the bottom of the barrel in the career of Elvis but I think its a pretty fun 80 mins or so, there are far worse movies out there.