Bronson - 2008

I was unimpressed by Nicolas Winding Refn's film "Valhalla Rising", I thought it was tedious, overly gory and pretentious thus I wasn't to motivated to delve into the rest of his admittedly small filmography (he's only 40).
But after seeing his film "Bronson" I regret that decision, for this film is one of the best of 2009 which was a great year for films. (District 9, Inglourious Basterds....)
It is funny, thrilling, repelling and thought provoking all at once, the opposite of Valhalla Rising, in my opinion.

The film is loosely based on the life of Michael Peterson otherwise know as Charles Bronson, for years he has been known as Britain's most dangerous prisoner and Britain's most expensive prisoner, he has been in prison for a total of 34 years (30 of which were in solitary confinement).
All attempts at "reforming" him or "curing" him of his "insanity" have been failures.
He deliberately provoked fights with other prisoners and the guards, but most worrying of all, he admits that he enjoys prison, how should one deal with such a man, who sees violence not as a means but as an end in itself? Who's complete and utter lack of respect for anything and anyone combined with his apparent immunity to fear renders him unbelievably dangerous. 

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Red Cliff - 2008/2009 and a List of Historical Epics

 Trailer

I won't be writing a proper review for this film just a few thoughts on it as it completely blew me away!

Easily one of the best Historical Epics I've ever seen, 4 hours and a half in length, John Woo's masterpiece and the most expensive Asian funded film to date, 80 million dollars worth of budget and yet it grossed more than 120 million dollars worth in Asia alone, a commercial and critical success that outranks all those similar to it and marks the high point of John Woo's career, in my opinion: