It’s been some time since I’ve watched this film from 1989 but was prompted to do so with the release of a new version. Patrick, Patrick, Patrick! He was definitely “the man” back in the day. Of course, political incorrectness abounds here, especially where women are concerned, so be prepared. Swayze is the serene and laconic but lethal, expert martial artist James Dalton who is the best professional bouncer in the business. Dalton arrives in Jasper, Missouri, to clean up The Double Deuce, a seedy bar terrorised by troublemakers. However, Dalton is unaware that villainous local entrepreneur Brad Wesley wants things to stay as they are. There’s a great soundtrack, with Swayze leading an ensemble cast that includes the gorgeous Sam Elliott and Ben Gazzara. The only weak link for me was “love” interest, Kelly Lynch. Attraction appeared to be lacking between the two leads. There’s violence, nudity and language so be aware if that’s not your thing.

Unfortunately, I must say I prefer the 1989 version with Patrick. At least there were some scenes that didn’t involve violence. Jake’s version seems to be just one long fight scene. Perhaps because it also stars Conor McGregor, the Irish professional mixed martial artist and professional boxer. Jake does look the part muscle wise and has the stony-faced look required, but Patrick’s stony face had a wry, pensive tone. The story follows ex-UFC fighter Dalton who takes a job as a bouncer at a Florida Keys roadhouse, only to discover that this paradise is not all it seems. I’ve been to a lot of bars in my time, but I’ve never seen so much fighting. Obviously, I’m not going to the right places. I saw one comment that it was “typical shallow, incongruent nonsense.” You can decide.

I’m a bit of a fan of the boys behaving badly movie, where the male of the species weaves a web of fantastic and mostly improbable stories to avoid being caught out, but just get themselves deeper into the mire. Peter Farrelly directs this mostly funny comedy where 20 years after creating the imaginary friend Ricky Stanicky to get them out of trouble, Dean, JT, and Wes still use the non-existent Ricky as a handy alibi for their immature behaviour. When their spouses and partners get suspicious and demand to finally meet the fabled Mr. Stanicky, the guilty trio decide to hire washed-up actor and raunchy celebrity impersonator “Rock Hard” Rod to bring him to life. But when Rod takes his role of a lifetime too far, they begin to wish they’d never invented Ricky in the first place. I wasn’t sure about how this comedy would pan out, but it was hilarious, in places, but towards the finale became a little schmaltzy. For Australians, there will be a number of familiar locations as filming took place in Melbourne, and quite a few recognisable faces in the cast. The story did hold my attention, and that’s no mean feat.

This drama romance film is pleasant viewing, and with mild sexual references and coarse language, there’s not much to offend anyone here. The story begins in 1953 where two young Italian children are promised in marriage by their fathers. 21 years on, despite changing times, fading traditions and 70’s liberation – the pair are expected to marry, or face the consequences. The film explores the dated tradition and the effect it has on those involved. It doesn’t go too far into the cultural issues, but it is a solid story and enjoyable viewing.

This emotional film is based on the true story of the murder of five innocent Amish school girls in 2006 in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania. The world media attention rapidly turned from the tragic events to the extraordinary forgiveness demonstrated by the Amish community. Through the eyes of a grieving mother, Ida Graber, and other devastated families, this movie explores the Amish’s astonishing reaction to the horrific shootings – of forgiveness and compassion. There is a message of how we should all endeavour to live in harmony within our community and put aside mundane issues that offend. Sadly, in the majority of cases, this appears to be beyond our capacity.

Tagged as a supernatural horror story, but the horror is more psychological than graphic violence. Sydney Sweeney stars as Juliet, an incredibly gifted pianist who, on finding a former student’s devil’s handbook, makes a Faustian bargain to overtake her prodigy twin sister at a prestigious institution for classical musicians. These devil’s handbooks seem to appear all over the place constantly, but I’ve yet to find one. It is certainly a trusty tool for setting a lot of horror scenarios in motion. It is slow at times and the horror is minimal, but this is still worth a look.

This fantasy sci-fi story, adapted from the novel “Dream a Little Dream” by Kerstin Gier, has amazing visuals, which perfectly capture the fantasy world which appears in the dream sequences. It tells of Liv, who moves to London with her sister, where she meets a mysterious group of boys who pull her into the world of dream-travel, where they can enter other people’s dreams. Liv and her dream-wanderer boys conduct a ritual to make their biggest dream come true, but it demands the gravest sacrifice. I think a devil’s handbook could be responsible here also for the adventures undertaken by the dreamers. Entertaining viewing, albeit with minimum action.

My knowledge of Queen Kristina of Sweden is sparse. I was aware that she succeeded her father at aged 6, beginning her rule at the age of 18, and that she had been raised as a prince, without a woman’s influence, at her father’s bidding. In this historical drama, Kristina is thrust into a labyrinth of power and tradition, where a court of austere, Lutheran men pressure her to marry and produce an heir to fulfill her destiny. But the brilliance of her educated mind propels her to rebel against this conservative force. Apparently, the movie is accurate in showing Kristina’s unique upbringing, but the validity of her personal relationships is somewhat sketchy. But then Hollywood has been rewriting history since the inception of film.

As with most war films, some scenes depicted here are harrowing and violent. This story is set in 1945, where a group of Jewish holocaust survivors, whose families have been taken from them, or have been killed, planned to poison the water system in Germany. The film tells of the dangerous and bold secret-operation which was called – Plan A. The film is based on the incredible true story of the “Avengers “, a group of Jewish vigilantes, men and woman, vow to avenge the death of their people – “an eye for any eye, a tooth for a tooth “. This emotional, tense story will linger with you long after viewing.