Mat

MatBorn in the mid-70’s, Mat ‘Witchfinder’ Corne grew up as part of the Star Wars generation, and to be honest he’s still stuck there! If there’s some kind of geeky hobby that can be pursued then Mat is almost certainly interested, be it Retro Gaming, binge-watching Cult TV shows, collecting vintage Star Wars toys or checking out the latest action films at the cinema.

With an encyclopaedic knowledge of movies, TV, games and music, Mat is never short of something to say on any topic and is partial to a good rant about most things. Aside from the nostalgic hobbies he’s also a fan of football, rollercoasters and travelling the world, which he combines at regular opportunities! He lives in Stoke-on-Trent with his incredibly patient wife and a ridiculous Romanian rescue dog called Luca.

Mat is responsible for MovieMuse’s weekly Freeview Movies of the Week article and is co-editor of the MovieMuse podcast.


Mat's favourite things...

FilmsGamesTVMusic
The Empire Strikes BackBubble Bobble (Arcade)The X-FilesMaster of Puppets (Metallica)
Die HardGrand Theft Auto: Vice City (PS2)Twin PeaksSongs for the Deaf (Queens of the Stone Age)
Back to the FutureWizball (Commodore 64)The Walking DeadAppetite for Destruction (Guns n Roses)
Star WarsFallout 3 (PS3)Breaking BadEarth Vs The Wildhearts (The Wildhearts)
The TerminatorChuckie Egg (BBC Micro)24 (Seasons 1-4 only!)Rust in Peace (Megadeth)
RockyRock Band 3 (PS3)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the RingStar Wars (Arcade)
HalloweenSonic the Hedgehog 2 (Megadrive)
FargoDonkey Kong (Arcade)
Pulp FictionGolden Axe (Megadrive)

Mat’s Reviews

Total MovieViews Found: 778, showing 25 per page
PosterMovieYearCommentsRating
Predator 1987 Packed with macho bravado, suspense, impressive special effects and a touch of comedy, this is one of big Arnie’s best, with an excellent supporting cast and a thrilling finale. 10
Insidious 2010 The team behind Saw tones down the gore and produces a creepy and original take on the demonic possession horror film, which is only let down by its hard-to-follow final half hour. 7
Insidious: Chapter 2 2013 A disappointing follow-up with a confusing and ultimately boring story, which also lacks the unnerving tension and scares of the first film. 5
Wishmaster 1997 Kudos to this film for featuring cameos from a number of well-known horror actors, but that's about all it has going for it. Dreadful acting and low-par effects in a movie that is unintentionally more comedy than horror. 4
Speed 1994 One of the most innovative action films of the 90s, with some thrilling setpieces, a surprisingly good turn from Keanu Reeves as the hero, and an excellent, emotion-filled performance by Sandra Bullock. 8
Tron 1982 The computer generated effects have aged remarkably well, and the light cycle sequence is great, but the plot is largely dull and the characters unmemorable. Given the subject matter I should love this, but it always leaves me cold. 5
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes 2014 The franchise reboot continues to surprise with another high quality offering. More action-orientated than its predecessor, but still with a thrilling and thought-provoking story. The CGI is top notch and Andy Serkis is superb as lead ape Caesar. 8
Spider-Man: Homecoming 2017 Tom Holland proves a worthy successor to Tobey Maguire as Spidey in a film that is equal parts action thriller and high school comedy. As with most Marvel offerings, the action is fun yet forgettable but the characters are what makes it watchable. 8
Brick 2005 The premise was interesting but the film is incredibly tedious, bogged down by endless conversation, very little action and an unconvincing, unlikeable performance from Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the lead role. 4
Jaws 2 1978 Another, slightly more realistic shark terrorises Amity Island but none of the returning cast seem to care, with Roy Scheider looking particularly bored. Even the shark seems subdued in this unnecessary sequel. 5
Jaws 3 1983 The returns continue to diminish with a poor story, largely terrible acting and a rarely-seen shark. The removal of the 3D format also showcases some awful special effects and murky cinematography. 3
Lake Placid 1999 A refreshing aquatic monster movie that wastes little time with plot or character development but provides an equal amount of thrills and laughs, with Brendan Gleeson the standout amongst a decent cast. 7
Tron: Legacy 2010 Much like the original, this visually impressive film has occasional moments of excitement but the story is quite boring and overcomplicated. Redeemed slightly by the presence of the always appealing Olivia Wilde! 5
The Negotiator 1998 A tense conspiracy thriller that's at its best in the face-to-face scenes between Jackson and Spacey. Sadly, the largely superflous action scenes detract from those moments and dumb down the film as a whole. 7
The Incredible Hulk 2008 Edward Norton is probably too good to play this character, but he does his best in a reasonable thriller that is unlike most superhero films. Unfortunately, that's part of the problem - nobody seems to know what to do with The Hulk in his own movies! 6
An Eye For An Eye 2016 Billed as a story of hate, murder, redemption and love, this documentary ends up more a study of the nonsensicality of US Law. Investment in the story depends largely on whether you believe Mark Stroman's remorse, and I was less than convinced. 5
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 2014 Less Reality TV and more dystopian war movie, this instalment lacks a bit of action but compelling perfomances by the lead actors meant this was the first time I really cared about this story. Best of the series so far to my eyes. 7
War for the Planet of the Apes 2017 Astoundingly good CG effects and a decent, if sometimes predictable story bring this trilogy to a satisfying end. For me, slightly less enjoyable than its predecessors, but overall this has probably been the best franchise reboot in cinema history. 7
Oblivion 2013 Relies on familiar Sci-Fi themes and gets bogged down by romantic wistfulness at times, but the post-apocalyptic locations and production design are stunning, the story has some great twists and Tom Cruise gives an excellent performance. 7
Jaws 1975 The shark may look a bit cheap these days, but with jump scares aplenty, an action-packed final showdown and John Williams’ masterful score, this film still has the ability to jangle your nerves. A genuine classic. 9
Intruders 2015 Starts off as an unusual spin on the Home Invasion sub-genre, but loses its way towards the end and features some fairly stupid characters. The major plot twist is given away in the trailer too, so don’t watch it! 5
Jaws: The Revenge 1987 The plot is ludicrous, the acting mostly awful and the shark looks worse than the original, but this is still more entertaining than the third film, mostly due to the unintentional comedy. 4
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Extended) 2001 My favourite of the three films, a warm-hearted story of heroism and the power of friendship, with plenty of action and glorious visuals. The extended version gives further enrichment to Peter Jackson's vision of Tolkien's Middle Earth. 10
Elysium 2013 The shaky camerawork is a bit jarring at times and the story isn't developed as well as it could be, but Neill Blomkamp excels at creating a plausible dark vision of the near future, the acting is good and the action is enjoyably over the top. 7
Sharknado 5: Global Swarming 2017 From the dire acting and preposterous plot to the cheap special effects, it's dreadful in almost every way, but still provides entertainment with a few laughs, surprising cameos and shameless nods to far superior films. 4