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The Substance (2024)
No one will Ever forget this movie
Came upon this one as it was listed as a 'watch' on my list. Well, nothing could have prepared me for the crazy way it was dipicted. It has a guy richie feel about it having many of the styles he employed particuarly in some of his earlier famous stuff like 'Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrells, but this film has it dialed up to 10. It's like Guy Richie on Crack.
It's defintely intruguing though I don't think it worked particularly well with this screenplay, it does make the movie iconic. I think if it had been scaled back it would have brought a rich flavour to the movie rather than drowning it in a flavour so strong that's all that stands out.
The movie itself has an interesting premise. There are some issues with it but for the most part its certainly thoughtfull enought to make an intersting plot and again this works quite well till things become a little ridiculous toward the latter stages of the movie. I get the impression that this was done deliberately and preciesly for the response it gets. It sort of puts the movie into a rhealm of 'crazy' where it can't be taken too seriously but again, I think this is by design.
The cast does a great job with the meterial. I didn't even realise Demi Moore until the credits rolled, and she really is great with her role. Dennis Quaid does well as Jim Carely (for the most part) but there aren't a lot roles of note outside the main cast to mention. Margaret Qually is miscast here in my opinion. She simply isn't good looking enough to carry off the role she's playing convincingly. Normally this wouldn't be an issue, but here since her very existence is dependant on her being the pinnacle of what Moore's character is supposed to reprisent... she falls drastically short, particularly when you consider that Moore is sixty and looking this good.
I certainly like the first part of the movie, the concept is an interesting one and as I said, thought things are a little wild it certainly holds your attention. I did find my interest wanning a little by half way, and truthfully only really watched to the end to see how things would tie up since by half way the more familiar tale of two halves has levelled the plot to something much more familiar. The movie is a little long and does drag in places, but its not too bad.
Overall I've given it 5/10 becuase... Just because of the entertainment value. Most all reviews I've read are correct about whats on offer here, but all that said, I just didn't really enjoy it enough to give it more than a passing grade.
However I would absoultely recommend you watch it for yourself because I think this is one of those Love it/hate it type movies and the only way to know its to give it a go.
Slingshot (2024)
If this movier were a car, it would be a Prius
Casey Afleck is one of my favourite actors so even though I didnt think much of the synopsis, I decided to watch this one anyway. As a sci-fi junkie I have high standards, and this move really didn't live up to any of them.
The acting is actuallly first rate. All the cast do a superb job with the meterial, but the meterial is threadbare and too small for the garment the production is trying to make.
Waking up and finding yourself on a space ship with lawrence Fishbourne is a frightening enough prospect in itself. Its like beaming down on a planet as a noobie with the regular members of a star trek away team. Its like being the black guy in a horror movie. Things obviously don't bode well and it doesn't take long before things start sliding down hill... who knew.
Worse for our protagonist, is the fact that he's woken from hibernation... serveral times. You don't need to be Einstein to guess the 'is it real or is it a dream" trope comes into play. Good grief! This has angle is more played out than lambo doors. I'm really tired of it, and this movie doesn't just employ it, it bashes you over the head with it, revives you then gives you a nother thorough pasting.
The movie doesn't really go anywhere because of this, and even though it is intresting to a point, the experience gets old pretty quickly.
I didn't actually make it to the end unfortunately as it simply wasns't worth the investment in time. I think 2/3 of the way through was as much punisment as I could stand.
As a rule, I never give a moive I can't make to the end more than 4/10 since it has to get at least 5 to be worth watching to completion. I think most people will give this a meh, some will like it, but I doubt even enthusiasticc viewers wouldn't see past a 7 because it's simply not that good... or even any good.
I give this one 4/10. I.
The Gentlemen (2024)
Descends into stupidity
This starts off brilliantlhy. Ten minutes into the first episode I was hooked. It was simply fantastic and I couldn't wait to binge the whole series. Episode two was equally enthralling and I dared hope for a minute that I had been gifted with entertainment manna from the heavens through the creations of Guy Ritchie. Sadly it didn't last.
Episode 3 is a clear depature from the tight writing and intricate story telling that blessed us in the first two episodes and by Ep4 I realised the fun ride was over. What followed was such a far cry from the intriguing, fun, exciting production that was presented at the begining, I had to wonder if I was watching the same series.
I'm not going to go into detail its not really warranted save to say the produciton quality is maintained throughout, but what has changed, significantly, is the quality of the writing and the story thats presented.
Such a shame.
Overall a 6/10.
Gangs of London (2020)
Like some things hate some things
I'm really late in reviewing this one because I avoided watching it till season 2 had finished. I wanted to have a good amount of material to go on as unlike a movie, with a series, they really can vary from season to season, even episode to episode, so to get a well rounded opinion, you really have to have a reasonable amount of material to reflect on.
I liked season-2 a lot more than season-1. I think season-1 really pulled it's punches when it game to graphic displays of violence and I don't like being sensored that way. I'm an adult and know what I like and can deal with. If your going to have a show with graphic levels of violence then do. Slipping to fuzzy, long or concealed shots when someone is getting their head blown off is cheating and witholding. Season-2 sorted this out thank god, because now it has all the realism and graphic detail the show needs and deserves and should have had in Season-1.
I also like that season-2 (hearto referred to as S2) deals with Gangs and not just the Wallaces as a single point of "somewhat boring" focus the way season-1 did. There was too much of the wallaces in S1 and it was the boring side of them, or the thin edge of the wedge when it came to how they developed, and grew into their current identities etc. S1 was just... domestic stuff, which wasn't that interesteing.
S1 had an excessive use of flashbacks and cut scenes which were a real distraction from the viewing experience, weird and obtusive audio was also used with heavy sound effects portraying much of the mood. I really don't like the way this is handled, it really makes an intrusive veiwing experience primarily because it is overused. There is a lot less of it in S2, but it remaines none the less.
The long fight scenes *god help us! And the long drawn out sequences just before action or significant events... Jesus Christ, there is a lot to hate here, is it a first year student making these cuts? They need to get a proper stunt coreographer in since all the fight scens are a like a waltz, 1-2-3, 1-2-3 and it seems everyone has regenerative powers like Deadpool or Wolverine because this takes the physical damage rivals can handle before going down to the next level! Hit with a hammer or anvil? Its just scratch, carry on fighting. Bugs Bunny would be proud. Those of us who play Call of Duty (COD) will appreciate the bullet sponge effect that is going on here. Trust me, if this is how many bullets it takes to mow down a person no one would be dead on any battlefield on earth. There is a 1000:1 bullet hit rate at play here, its ridiculous.
Another problem with the show is the lengthy foreshadowing, creepy music slows, build-up sequences before a signifcant event, Its like watching paint dry. It ends up being annoying rather than suspense filled anticipation.
Also! Does anyone die in this? I've seen more people come back to life than in 'Dawn of the Dead'. This is really lazy writing. Please for god sake stop bringing people back. Just come up with plausible reasons for generating suspense, moving perspective and introducing twists. One guy jumped off a buiding and splatted fifteen stories, I'm just waiting for them to find a way back for him.
Ok all this said its still a good production for the most part. There is some time, money and good creativity at work, and it shows. Especially in S2 there is a clever integration of diverse and seperate moving parts of the story which works really well to bring the title Gangs of London" nicely into play with meaningful depth, continuity and clarity, much (but not quite) like 'Game of Thrones' did.
The characters are well developed complex groups and individuals with well constructed cultural, stuctural and family dynamics as well as idiosyncracies that are easy to appreciate, and this really gives a great feeling of breadth to the program especially S2.
The direction is Ok, its great here and there and poor here and there. There is definitely a lack of consistency quite possibly its been directed by multiple people, I couldn't say since I haven't checked.
The acting is equally inconsistent. There are some very good and some mediocre to lacking talents on show here, and all I can say is my god, I wish they'd spent a little more money on the cast, becasue some of these actors are just not up to it. Michelle Fairley as Marian Wallace does a pretty good job. Narges Rashidi as Lale, is very good. Waleed Zuaiter playing his name sake from planet of the apes - Koba is pretty epic in his portrayal. Joe Cole - Sean, is definitely miscast. Even at the end of S2 when I was completely familiar with him in the role, he never sat well with me for the character. The same is true for Sope Dirisu - Eliot who by S2 end is still 'playing' a character rather than 'being' that character. This is particularly problematic since his role has really had some considerable character development, more so than any other, and is inability to deliver this convincingly has been disguised behind voice-over stills, slow mo flashbacks, and clever editing.
I may be somewhat hard on the cast here becuase the script and direction (as I've mentioned) isn't always up to scratch. I think Orli Shuka - Luan, Asif Raa Mir - Asif, and Brian Varnel - Billy (possibly a few others) do well with what they are alloted, but just miss the mark slightly with the material, but there are occasional glimpses of talent, so I don't want to be too critical. The main issue is the gulf betwee abilities which makes the discrepancy noticable.
Seriously, I could pick this thing apart all day with 'War and Peace' review, but... meh, I think I've already done enough damage and should take a seat.
I will say though, that in the interests of fairness and the posibility of something that is genuinely enjoyable despite my gripes, that you ignore everything I've said above and watch it anyway, because it is well worth watching... Even though I'm only giving it 6/10
Ignore me and watch for yourself.
Brassic (2019)
Funny Frustrating and repetitive
I liked this from the very first episode I watched. I didn't pick at it or analyse it, I just watched and enjoyed it. This was a totally new style of comedy production, and it is good old English course, crass, uncouth humour, unashamed, unfiltered and unapologetic.
The cast are a far fetched declassed bunch of misfits functioning outside the restraints of society without much regard for law, order and the property of others, while having a curiously tight bond of loyalty to each other and their style of life. One of the oddities is that they are largely tolerated by the community of sorts and indeed the comunity seems to have a similar code of conduct and ethics, if only to a somewhat lesser degree.
The characters are fully fleshed well thought out individuals, though believability is somewhat pushed to the limit. They are played by a competent cast of actors who really do an excellent job rendering the individuals they play.
Eseentially they are a gang of what 'they' term 'Professional Thieves' but in reality they are buch of losers who are no better at theiving than a sheep shearer on his first day, and the series revolves around their weekly exploits. Each episode there is some new hair-brained scheme they either want to get involed in or some fantstic score worth a few hundred quid they try and lift. Its pretty paint by numbers from this perspective and very 'Scooby Doo' in the way things play out with almost no variation on procedure and outcome, but there are some very interesting sub-plots that run through the series which actually I found more intriguing that the weekly escapades to nick someones car, boat, horse, painting, or coin collection.
There is a natural cohesion amoungst the cast that really seems to bring some moments home, and I have had plenty of laugh out loud moments, despite the humour mostly being calamatous situational circumstance. There are some classic verbal echanges, jokes, and character quirks that help make the show more robust. And it does do well from these angles.
One of the problems I had is that it got very 'samey' after season one. I could preempt amost every situation and outcome within 5 minutes of watching because the same formulaic production process that has worn threadbare.
Another problem I had was that the characters are still as stupid and incompetent as they were in S01 Ep01. They've learned nothing and even for a comedy this doesn't really fly. There are only so many times you can mess up a burglary, get caught in a stolen car, or get cornered by the local fuzz for the exact same reason before it gets old. Hence the frustration. Its hard to accept this type of failing when it's offered up every single week, even a comedy series has to veture past this limitation.
I do get some laughs here and there but the magic the show had has gone and I'm watching series four more on momentum than anything else. I don't necessarily think there is a problem with the characters per se, its the writers that are the issue. They just recycle the same situational humour week in and out without reaching for new ways to bring depth into the plot or look past the the static character profiles they've created.
I'm not sure I can make it past season 4 since I think the show has already offered up its best, and watching new episodes is like watching re-runs. I've just seen ads on TV for a new series six, but unless they've got new writers on board I seriously doubt that much will change. Truthfully I liked this show but I think I should have stopped at series two.
I also don't think this humour is for everyone. Some will really hate it and not understand the highly ranked reviews, I really get that. If you have a more discerning palette for humour, I don't think you will like this... and I mean at all! But if you have a broad horizon of tastes for comedic entertainment, or just like plain low brow humour, you'll probably love it.
For my earlier expeirence with the show I'd rate it 8. But for my later rating for what was on offer I think it's a 4. I'm going to round them up to a 6/10 and reccomend you watch it and judge for yourself.
Omni Loop (2024)
Laborious
It's quite a long movie for the content that is on offer. I found myself lagging after 45 minutes and never really regained the level of interest that I experienced at the start of the movie, and indeed, my interest wanned considerably after that.
Its not really a science fiction movie at all, more of a drama initially burgeoned with a science fiction narrative. The goundhog day theme is excercised fairly well and even though I rolled my eyes a little when this came into play in fairness its done well and doesn't give you that sense of fermented nostalgia that normally detracts from a screenplay.
I think the movie is half an hour too long, and the script and story needs to be condensed into something that doesn't cause your attention to stray and your patience to wear a little thin. Although Mary Louise Parker is pretty good, I found Ayo Edebir's style of delivery painful to experience. Her hesitant, stumbling, deliberately inarticulate manner of portraying natural interactioon is overplayed and irritating. I found the exact same issue with her portrayal of Sydney in 'The Bear' so this certainly seems to be a characteristic of he acting style rather than one of direction. There are no stand out performances here, the meterial is handled competently but never really ventures far above mediocre.
The 8-bit styled score thats overlayed throughout sections of this movie will give you flashbacks of you early Atari and Sega game systems and repeatinig piano sequences are a little threadbare in some places. It becomes noticeable at times, but its just another one of the poor factors at play which don't bode well for an viewing experience.
All this said, the main issue I found is the movie just drags and is without the excitement or key development events that are really needed to keep it interesting. A bunch of stuff happens but nothing signficant or essential that couldn't be omited without detriment. Its also worth mentioning that there is no big payoff or resoution in the ending, which isn't what you'd normally expect in with this type of repeating history endevour.
So, all that said, it's not a bad movie its just a bit... meh. It was interesting enough for me to watch to the end, (primarily because I wanted to see what eventually happened) but not good enough for me to be anything more than moderately interested after the first 20 minutes. It certainly works way better as a drama than a sci fi, but I think a bit of focus would probably have gone some way to making it a better production.
Truthfully there just isn't any payoff in watching this, it's a drama but without the emotional depth to bring it to the fore, its has a sience fiction theme, but witout any substance or investment in the science to peak the interest, and in all honesty you're better off giving it a miss.
5/10 from me.
Dual (2022)
Two robots fighting for supremacy
I swear this is the weirdest Movie I have seen all year. Came upon it by accident, thought 'what the heck', and give it a watch. I wasn't prepared for what followed at all.
It has one of the most ridiculous premises I've ever encountered, but one executed curiously well, and because its done in an interestingly obtuse manner, I found myself very forgiving with the some of the issues that would normally have irked me to the point of distraction. Here they were merely oddities I acknowledged and dismissed.
It's directed in as pecurliar manner as I have ever encounted. The way Karen Gillan has depicted her character(s) is nothing short of miind boggling, and had it not been done in this manner I don't think the movie would have worked at all. The level of stoicism on display would normally warrant some sort of psychological investigation, but here it's employed to disarm the viewer and it done remarkably well. She's a distraction, an enigma that throws the movie into a twilight-esque zone that breaks the movie from the mould of normality into a space that allows it to exist without the rigid boundries of expectation which would otherwise frame and restrict it.
So, is it a good movie? Yes and no. It's certainly not boring despite the air of stagnation that surfaces occasionally, and there is enough intrigue to keep the attention trained on the unfolding events. There are a few 'tree' and 'sky' shots which should have ben shortened if not cut, but it somehow doesn't seem fair to overly criticise this one since it really does offer somthing off the beaten path, and I mean that in a good way.
I'm not going to nit-pic because I'm not sure if any of the issues I'd normally raise would make a blind bit of difference here. Whats on offer is not a cinematic masterpiece, but a alternative to regular production, and I appreciate that.
Aside from Gillen the cast is mostly mediocre. Aaron Paul does well with his role, June Hyde who also plays another robot (don't ask) is... interesting, but most everyone else including Beulah Koale who plays the boyfriend Peter, give sub par performances and are really outshone by the main cast.
I didn't write this immediately, but took some time to mull it over since it took me so significantly by surprise, and I'm still not sure how to rate it. It's already been two years since it's launch so its hardly a significant addition to the already extensive listo of people giving their opinions. Still It is a unforgettable movie which even though I would go as far to say I enjoyed, I did find particulrly interesting.
I'm giving it a 6/10 primarily because I think from a comprehensive perspective there are some shortcomings, but that said, I definitely reccomend watching it.
Uglies (2024)
The most ill thought out plot I've even encountered
The reviewers 'tearing this plot a new one' are completely correct. There are simply too many points to comment on that the plot fails to address, we'd be here all day, but suffice to say It has about as much logic as a North Korean internet connection. Its annoying, meaningless, and blatantly ridiculous... but oddly I still found the movie somewhat enjoyable. I surprised myself by watching it to the end, an accomplishment which cannot be understated given whats on offer.
Joey King could no more pass for fifteen than my Granny could gain access to an under eighteen's disco, which begs the obvious question, why not just use twenty as the age of conversion. That said, she does deliver; her performance is prtetty remarkable, and even though the plot is preposterous, the script for what,s on offer is pretty decent.
The cast generally does well with the meterial and the movie is visually appealing with decent special effects to boot. Given this is geared to young adults I'm not going thrash it to bits, but I will say that if this is the intellectual standard we think that our younger generation are operating at, then the species as a whole is doomed.
If this had a decent story, if they had bothered to develop past what they'd brainstormed over lunch and written on the napkin then we may have had something decent. Sadly this is whats on offer.
Its someting to watch if your multitasking and don't want to give your full attention to the screen. Leave it on if your making dinner or doing the ironing and you'll be just fine, otherwise just give it a miss. For young adults it could be viable, I can't say with complete certainty since my brain has long since matured past the stage where glitter, guts, and a pair of nice legs were all it took to keep me happy.
Truthfully there is stuff to like here, but its still average at BEST.
A very generous 5/10 from me.
Bad Monkey (2024)
Sadly dissapointing
I really like Vince Vaughn, so when like many big screen actors he ventured into a TV series project I was immediately excited. I wanted to wait for at leat half a dozen episodes to do a more comprehensive review on whats offer, but I found that this one sadly dissapointing.
The premise for the plot is interesting if a little weird. It lacks focus and after episode one I was totally confused but persisted. It does gain both momentum and clarity as things progress but I did find things dragging somewhat. I've not read Carl Hiaasen pieces so I can't speak to the adaptation, but I did like that what we have here is something very different. It is not a paint my numbers series and the produces/director have gone some length to give this a unique experience.
Aside from the Carribean contingent which seems to be a 'mashup' of any number of very distinct & different cultrues (and unfortunately, accents) the cast does very good job with the meterial. You can really see a void in the knowlege of the people are writing the parts for these characters since whats presented a caricatures of all the roles with little more than two dimensional depth. Money spent on a consultant would have been well spent
I don't think the narration over the proceedings really works. I found it totally unecessary and somewhat distracting. The script is a little lacking as well. Its humorous in places but I found it a bit artificial.
To be fair lots of things were done well here but there were still a fair few things which should have been addressed. The story is a bit it's wayward. It didn't come together well and tracking all the characters and how they fit into the plot was a pain. The biggest issue by far was that it just isn't interesting enough to hold the attention.
4/10 from me...
The Bear (2022)
Just couldn't dig it
A friend who knows my viewing tastes recommeded this so I took a shot. Rarely have I been so thoroughly dissapointed in something with so much promise.
Right from episode one I knew it would be problematic because the interactions between the characters was so exaggerated, the characters relationships are poorly defined, and at the same time the dialogue was very poorly structured.
I think this is an issue with the direction more than anything else, though there are certainly issues with the plot. The sense of familiarity between the characters has been overplayed and this really gives the feeling as though the watcher is missing something... like perhaps an episode or two were inadvertantly skipped by mistake and significant events or character milestones were somehow missed.
The conversations are loud hostile and confusing whilst the situations presented are frantic and chaotic for no apparent reason. I just don't understand why this excess of anger and hostility in verbal interchanges has been deemed as an almost essential means of communication for the series. Most of the non hostile conversations are infused with murmurs grunts and non descript expressions of uncertainty that are difficult to read and fail to convey any meaninful exchange. This happend throughout and even with chracters who had just met and wern't familiar with each other.
I'll elaborate in case I've not been clear. When you know someone well, its rare you will speak in complete sentences, much of your speech becomes shortend and nuanced. Eg. "Hi honey/fred how was your day, how are you feeling" could become "Hi hon, sup, all good?" This is taken to an extreme in this series, where its become annoying and distracting.
The vernaculary problems aside there are additional issues with the manner things seem to develop. We understand it's a problematic situation in the restaurant etc, but Jesus Christ why does everything have to be dialed up so high? This is mayham on crack every episode, and the situation doesn't really develop much past this... which would be fine if there was some story to hang this dysfunction on. Sadly there just isn't. This mayhem, this dysfunction 'IS' both the story and the excitement on offer. It's a one dimensional canvas with little depth and nothing substatial.
It completely failed to grip me and I had no interest invested in it whatsoever even after half a dozen episides the needle of engagment barely moved. This isn't to say some things haven't been done well. There is a noticable attempt to give characters depth and intrigue, but it falls flat on the overall storry which is hazy and unsubstatial..
I think the concept is a good one, but it simply doesn't deliver. It is too lacking in depth to gain any real traction in my estimation, and I found it shallow and uninteresting. I'm only surprised by the overall score which is so high becuse I found it barely watchable.
Anyway my two cents. 4/10 from me, I don't recommend it.
Ain't Them Bodies Saints (2013)
Both very good and very boring
I've just watched this is 2024 having never seen or heard of his one before, but since I like Ben Foster, this one came up on my hit list.
Much of what is wrong and right with the movie has already been said, and most of the revies listing it both highly and lowly are correct. The problem is really the movie is both good and bad. Mara is fantastic as the lead, Foster and Afleck bring up the rear nicely with the whole cast doing a thorough job. The cinematography is great and there are some great moments which are not lost on a project which has some severe shortcomings.
I can't count how many times I had to crank up the volume because of the mumbled lines primarily from Afleck and Foster, but doing so ruins the score and during normal moments makes the sound too loud. When you watch a movie in your own language and you find yourself looking fo subtitles, it's an issue.
There backstory to the life that leads to Aflecks incarceration is non-existent and leaves a palpable void in a movie which trust me, has plenty of opportunity to entertain this missing aspect by shelving some of the dragged out, meaningless scenes that should have ended up on the cutting room floor. The movie really drags after the fist twenty minutes and there are a lot of scenes with little dialogue or exposition that add nothing ot the production. True, mood is established well, but it's excessive and detracts significantly from an otherwise intriguin story.
The plot is simple, the script is good for whats on offer, but there needs to be so much more to bring it to the fore. It's really just "A guy goes to prison, escapes and tries to reunite with his sweetheart and child type story" but sadly much of this plays out as an undertone to this situation rather than the main event. Things just seem to meander along like sunday stroll in the park.
If you have mixed feellings about my review, then I've done well to explain just how you'll feel about this movie. I can't say watch it or don't. You may love it or hate it as I did, because the simple fact is there is a lot to both like and dislike here. Ultimately the problem is with the production which simply falls short on delivering a comprehensive experience.. 4/10 from me.
The Killer (2024)
Fell asleep for 20 minutes and missed nothing.
Let me beging by saying I love John Woo, Omar Sy, and Nathalie emmanuel, but this movie doesn't go anywhere, do anything, or offer up anything in the way of real entertainment aside from the good action sequences that stitch the diolgue sections together. In fact were it not for these three actors the movie would be immeasurably worse. I'll try to be conciese here.
The plot is simply ridiculous. Who decided to make a movie on a story so preposterous? Just imagine how good this movie might have been if the person creating and detailing the plot had an imagination, a lick of common sense, or a brain to create a proper conept. I'll not go into detail but suffice to say the story isn't worthy of any of the talent enlisted in the movie, nor does it conjure up the slightest modicum of interest, intrigue or investment in emotion.
The actors do a good job with the meterial... such as it is, but nothing can rescue this plot from the underhand vice of creativity that is lacking. Sam worthington is a very capable actor; I like him, and in spite of his relegation to mostly lower profile movie categories in the past few years, his talent nevertheless persists. Here he's cast as an Irishman, and I'm not even sure if he's supposed to be Northern or Southern but not only is his accent is terrible, but the requirement to have him play an Irish national at all is mind boggling. It has no relevance to the proceedings and only makes sense if confusing the audience with what he's actually saying is by design. In his first scene I wondered if he was speaking turkish, I kid you not! I could not understand a word he was saying.
Woo does a good job with the action sequences and to be fair, as an action flick and in dipicting excitement and intensity in general, especially the relevant places, it does well. The shots are great, the actors do well with the sequences, and movie comes alive considerably, but there isn't anything pinning this together except a stupid story that lulls atrociously outside these spaces where Woo's influence isn't primarily on display. "Between the panels" It's just rubbish.
Shame really as I had high hopes for this one. Yes they should have had a better plot, writers etc, but this is where we are and unfortunately as I've said, as an entertainment piece there is little on offer.
There are some good points though, Emmanuel is delectable in much of the attire she dons and indeed there are some nice shots in the movie which can be appreciated outside of the project as a whole, hence my 5/10
Still, that said, watching it is a not much more than a waste of time.
The Union (2024)
Escalating foolishness paraded as entertainment
Good God this is rubbish. I can't understand how they can have so many A list actors featured in a film so appalling.
Ok the film has good production quality, location, the cast is obviously quite acomplished and they pretty much do what has been asked of them, the promblem is the the screenplay, it's just a load of rubbish. It's stupid plot with all the cliches and trapes of a Pink Panther Movie in fancy dress as James bond. The script isn't bad but the story and direction is just rubbish. I was bored, dissapointed and frustrated after thirty minutes, and only made it to the end because I'd over-eaten and was too full and lazy to get up of the sofa.
I'm not writing anything lengthy because the film doest warrant anything more than a brief review. Forget this one.
A generous 4/10.
The Instigators (2024)
Entertaining
There isn't too much to say about this one, so I won't go on too much. I think theres a lot to like and not much that you won't, though in fairness its certainly no blockbuster. Most of the good bits are given away in the trailer and said trailer unfortunately paints a picture of a movie far funnier than it actually is, but then trailers do tend to exaggerate don't they.
The film is more humerous than funny. I did get a couple of laugh out loud moments, but only a couple. Most were moments that made me chuckle and appreciate the humour but not really laugh. There is good chemistry between the accomplished cast which works very well, and though I'd not say there were any stellar performances, the whole cast handled their roles competently. I think there really needed to be more for the cast to work with to give this one the 'Umph' it needed to raise the bar. Its ok but, for film that promises so much with such an accomplised cast, it needed a lot more.
Its a heist film of course, and it is very much like 'Tower Heist' which also features Casey Affleck as well as Ben Stiller, Eddy Murphy, Matthew Broderick, and Alan Alder.
The instigators takes a similarly light-hearted approach to the genre though, the back story is s little more sinsiter with Damon and Afflecks backstory being somewhat more grim. Still, this movie doesn't deliver or fulfill in the way Tower Heist does, and I think that may be because Affleck is really the only character with lines good enough to deliver the humerous aspect with any merit. The stoicism of Damons character does parry well with Affleck's but something is missing to completely deliver the experience I think they production is going for. I think the script probably needed a re-write, possibly with a fresh set of eyes to enhance the ideas on offer.
The screen play is decent, nothing too complicated, and for the most part it works quite well. The meat of this movie is really coming from the characters and just falls a little short, even outside the humour.
I will also say that I think the direction may have been a contributing factor to how this one played out negatively. The minimalist manner that seems to underscore much of the lines lacks the emphasis that was often needed... but thats just my opinion.
Ok I said I wasn't going to go on and I've already done so more than intended. In a nutshell the film underdelivers, but is still a decent watch... which kinda goes to show what could have been, which is even more unfortunate.
6/10 from me.
Spaceman (2024)
hmmm mostly rubbish really
As has been pointed out by many or the reviewers, this one doesn't do what it says on the tin and in fact the description on the tin isn't even close to what is actually inside.
Even though Sandler does a good job with the role, I don't think this one particularly suited him. Althought he's really come into his own in recent years, revealling that he has for more depth and ability than just as a comedy actor, this move doesn't really require the abilities of anyone particularly skillfull in the delivery of the role. It's not really about space or even science fiction. It's more of an extended psychiartric session where the venue, the office being subject to refurbishment, has been switched to a craft in outerspace, and where the counselor has donned an elaborate spider suit.
As you can imagine, what unfolds for the most part is a series of discussions between patient and professional about the choices that have been made, the wisdom, emotion and consequences behind these decisions, and some sort of resolution for the individual on the couch.
For the most part its a snore fest and though the exchange itself isn't without intrigue, it isn't enough to hang a movie on, even when the venue is switch to an interstellar one. The plot simply doesn't posses or induce the depth interest that would warrant such a level of existential debate. Possibly if there were more facets to the story, then maybe. Were this woven into the plot in a more relevant and interesting or meaningful way, then perhaps. But as is? Absolutely not.
The movie isn't terrible, or even bad per se, its just... well boring, uneventful, and pretty dire. Ten minutes on the phone with Frasier Crane is what this astronaut needs, not a feature length movie with novel location and a psychiatrist dressed as a spider for novelty.
Defintely not worth the watch.
MaXXXine (2024)
A stylised mess of a movie
Christ where to begin.
The performances from the cast were pretty spectacular. Its not often I rate a movie so badly when the deliveries from the cast are so comprehensively good. Mia Goth is of course excellent, but she isn't the only standout character here. With such a great performances rendered it only goes to show how things can go so badly wrong when attention to all the important aspects of a movie is not given.
Direction cinematography are all very good, the script for is pretty good for what's on offer but the screenplay is attrocious. I mean this story, the plot, is a mess. It's stylised nonsense that seems to have been made for people who think vinyl and Madonna and Rubix Cubes are still cool in the modern era. Fortunately things falls out of shape pretty early on, so after ten or fifteen minutes in, you know what you're in for, which is some conselation since it never gets any better. My advise is if you don't like it having sat this long, and I don't think many will, then bail out.
It's a house of cards story without a foundation, frame or any semblance or real structure to hold it together. Its almost as though they made a patchwork of plot possibilities, sticky taped them together and hoped the cast and production quality would be strong enough to bind them together, which of course they can't. It falls apart in the worst way possible with a poor rendition of thriller horror and intrigue with overtones of sexual allure thrown in for good measure. At no point was I ever invested in this movie and given the performances I was quite suprised by the lack of tension and emotion that the movie was able to illicit. It's a mess quite simply.
Ok enough said, give it a miss, its rubbish.
M3GAN (2022)
Pretty annoying... on account of all the characters being morons.
The film is ok, the premise is a good one if not anything close to original. For the most part it's been done quite well. The screenplay is well structured, paced, and thought out. Though not exactly horror, it comes fairly close with a grusome twisted narrative that threatens from the start but fully emerges about half way in.
The movie is let down fairly comprehensively by the script and the acting. The best performance comes from Lori Dungey who plays Gemma's problematic neighbour, and she is the only really believable character in the whole production. The remaining cast are a poor substitue for competence with abilities ranging from attrocious - Ronnie Chieng who plays David, to acceptable with Jen Van Epps who plays Tess. It's unfortuate that the main cast were so inept as this really hampers the believability of the plot. The hammy deliveries are just too grueling to get past. I suspect the direction has a hand to play with this given there is such a comprehensive failing with the performances, but... meh, whatever the reason, the problems exist.
Ok the good is that in spite of the shortcomings the movie is still pretty watchable if not exactly enjoyable, which sort of outlines the potential it had. Given the target audiece (teens I suspect) with an entertainment palette unlikely to be quite so demanding, it should be ok. Though not exactly horror, it is a thriller with enough of a dark edge to fullfill the requirement it sets out with.
For me it was just ok. 5/10.
Snow White and the Seven Samurai (2024)
Action movie for the mentally challenged
I kid you not with the heading for my review. It has been a while since I have encountered a movie so comprehensively bad that in almost no aspect of the creative process could they have done it any worse. I actually think this is a deliberate attempt to make a bad movie, with all the cliche's, shortcomings and well established nuances executed to perfection.
There is absolutely no point in examining any paritcular aspect of the movie; script, direction etc at all, because suffice to say, its on a level so convincingly bad that finding a baseline for comparison would be almost impossible. This film is the baseline for bad.. and yet, it isn't without charm in some weird and wonderful way, which is why I firmly belive this was a deliberate attempt to produce a piece almost as a mockery or monument (take your pick) to bad film making... and if you don't believe me just remember Eric Roberts has a 'cameo' so that should be all the convincing you need.
Anyway if your prepared to go in for the wild ride and have some fun, this could be the movie for you. I'm deadly serious with the score. It's a piece of movie magic no one should miss.
Hightly recommend.
A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)
Misleading
I'm not going to rehash many of the already valid critcisms of this movie; more just give my opinion on why its not worth watching.
The main reason is its been done in the first and second releases and not only is there absolutely nothing new on offer here, but the premise of it being "day one" is completely misleading.
"Day One" suggests a general discription of the events that unfold from a global perspective and by 'global' I don't mean they can't come from an individual, but they should at least address a more comprehensive aspect of the events with respect to humanity and it's existence as a whole as they unfold. Goverment, Military, infrastructure, national and international, social and domestic... take your pick. None of that is done here, instead what we have is the same narrative employed from a personal perspective that was done in the first two movies and its... well pretty boring really, even though it wasn't necessarily done badly. In fact had I not seen the first two movies I'd say as a stand alone installement, this one was pretty good, but given the existing renditions, its redundant.
This is particularly troublesome given the fact that the second movie was already a thinly veiled reproduction of the first, even ignoring the fact of the discovery in the first movie that the creatures had a vulnerability that could be exploited. Its fairly clear there are some financial induced incentives at play in making and remaking what is essentially the same story.
My recommendation is simply to pick any one of the trio and watch because you'll get not just a pretty good idea of what the story is about, but 90% of what the other two have on offer. Personally i'd go with the fist one and forget the others.
Can't really recommend this one since as I've said, there is nothing new on offer here.
Alice (2022)
Frustrating
I'd never even heard of this film, so you can imagine int 2024 after 40 mins when Alice escapes the plantation, runs onto a freeway and nearly gets run over by a truck! WTF! I wouldn't have been more surprised if you'd hit me over the head with a brick.
Unfortunately this is pretty much where the movie begins to take a nose dive. The movie is really too short to flesh out the story that has been employed and the screenplay suffers from the lack of developement that endures as a result.
The bigger problems is the what I tend to call the "movie narrative" that is generally employed to prevent the normal revelation of information that usually occurs in real life throug discussion and dialogue. This is usually done to prolong an established feeling of mystery and suspense, or to prevent an otherwise obviuos and premature conclusion to series of unforlding events
In this case it just led to my frustration since it leads to atypical human behaviour which is difficult to accept given the circumstances at play. For example, the truck driver on finding a confused woman in the middle of a highway, who clearly displays behaviour which is out of place, never questions her or displays any curiousity about her circumstances whatsover, even before he concludes she may be suffering from amesia. Instead what follows is a moronic echange of events and coversation as the characters dance around the elephant in the room. In fact, the way things unfold is a little ridicuous as this whole fiasco seems to unfold in some sort of microcosm as Alice finds her way through self discovery and media research.
I didn't really enjoy the second half of the movie even though the cast was quite exceptional in dealing with the script and circumstances detailed... such as they are presented. There were no real surprises on how the movie unfolded once the intent of the screenplay became clear, and at best I'd say it was an average experience. It's a shame really because I was quite enjoying the movie till the big reveletion, as I said previously.
I can't really recommend this one since as an overall entertainment piece it doesnt really deliver, Its not bad, it just falls significantly short of whats initially on offer.
Supacell (2024)
Good but not without issues
Overall I really liked this one, it's very engaging and the story line is a pretty good one. It looks at the super hero genre from an entirely different and much more realistic perspective, much the way "The Boys" from Amazon did.
Though this is decidedly different from "The Boys" in many aspects, it does bare one similarity in that most of the super powered individuals have very few redeeming character qualities.
Though its quite well written, with well fleshed out characters that develop nicely throughout the six episode series, I did at times find it dragging in places with too much emphasis on aspects of the story or at least, aspects of the characters personal lives that caused the show to lose some momentum. For example, the time alloted the character Michael's of girlfriend is just ridiculous filler that is mind numbingly boring. It should have been brutally slashed in favour of more conducive and relevant threads.
The direction is OK but somewhat inconsistent. Certainly lacking in places, whilst at other times quite reasonable. Special effects though not Hollywood standard are quite impressive and really give a good sci-fi feel to the proceedings.
I found some of the writing a little stilted in at times, and the actors just didn't seem to be able to deliver the characters convincingly enough. On that point there is a noticable difference in ability of the cast here. Some are clearly competent with the roles they play very well, while others are just not up to the task, and this gives a particularly unevent sense of immersion with the events as they unfold. Aelayo Adeday, Nadine Mills, Josh Tedeku and Eric Kofi Abrefa bring their characters to life, while the rest of the cast are a variation betwee competent and barely passable.
I think one of the main issues is the lack of scope for the characters have as they become aware of their capabilites and the possibilites. They seem trapped in a microcosm of existentence that feels a narrow and restrictive, and this is quite problemataic. I get that most people think within the breadth of experiences, but here its a big problm. I'll elaborate for clarity. If for example you gain pyrotechnic super powers and the only thing you think to use them for is to light your weekend BBQ or the occasional cigarette then you have some very serious shortcominmgs for prospective advancement. This series pretty much does this with every character with none of them being able to see past the mundane existence of their daily grind. It's a bit of a let down.
I understand that tackling super powers from a much bigger perspective as some of the larger procuctions do is expensive and urealistic, but even spiderman was qujite successfully "The Friendly Neighbourd Spiderman" long before Marvel came along and supersized him, and Additonaly, which goes to my earlier point; Spidey's desire to do wider good was always hampered by his small scale operation and quite realisitcally, his lack of money and access to technology. Many of the stories actually revolved around this struggle. Ok appologies, I didn't intend to do to do a tit-for-tat Spiderman comparison, especially since this is a new series and I may very well be jumping the gun with whats intended in a later series, but I'm just trying to highlight that it is a noticable issue with the series as it stands.
Ok so that's pretty much it. Again I will point out that in spite of the shortcomings I mentioned, it is still a very enjoyable well produced series and deserves the generous 7/10 I'm awarding. I'm giving it some lattitude given its new with some kinks needing to be worked out, but it's defintely worth watching. Lets hope theres another series.
The Old Way (2023)
Meh
Its ok I guess, but left me feeling somewhat underwhelmed by the end and even though I saw it coming, it was nevertheless a letdown given what was on offer in the first twenty minutes was a promising western with a long held favorite actor of mine, Nick Cage.
Don't get me wrong, Cage is good. Truth be told, though I've found some of his later works questionable, it's never been because of his performances. Here he delivers a fairly convincing performance of and old west gunslinger turned homesteader. He suffers from Urbach-Wiethe's disease or some similarly restrictive disorder that prevents him from feeling fear, though since his daughter also appears to have the conditioin, it at least suggests some hereditary issue. At any rate so our tale begins and unfortunately this initiates some of the movies issues. The first being characterisation, or at least that and consistency.
His daughter doesn't bat an eyelid when her mother dies, but when her father Colton Briggs goes down from a GSW to the chest she becomes a blubbering mess. This is a particularly difficult pill to swallow particularly when her peformance thus far has her on par with Wednesday from the adams family as far as stoicism is concerned.
Its a similar situation with the Character Jimmy McCallister played by Noah Le Gros. What is this guy a stand up comic? At no point during the movie does he ever appear serious or even anything other than light-hearted or jovial. Yet this whole drama is a quest to avenge his fathers death and take down Colton Briggs his fathers killer! A man who he saw put a bullet in his fathers forehead! Oh please. At the end when he finally achieves his goal, he's shouting "I did it! I did it!" Like some high school kid whos just made the fist team. Ridiculous.
Not sure who it to blame but I'm going for the director. The screen play is OK but on the whole it really needs another dimension to bring it to the fore, as it has a distinctly paint by numbers feel to it.. The script really isn't hard core enough and has all the characters acting like second stringers for the real production happening over at Studio A.
Its not that the performances are bad. Quite the contrary, given what they have to work with most do a pretty damn good job. Clint Howard is fantastica, as is Ryan Kiera Armstrong who plays Briggs' daughter. The rest are fairly well portrayed, but as I said, the script is poor and doesn't really have the edge this movie needed.
Look, its ok, but its so far from Oscar territory a dot on the horizon could be closer.
Cage goes doeThere were some big problems with the characterisation
the girl
the antagonist.
What You Wish For (2023)
Not bad but falls a little short
I came across this one by accident whilst searching Nick Stahl, and was both presently surprised to find myself enjoying it, whilst somewhat frustrated at the obvious shortcomings and oversights.
It's a solid premise, but aspects of the delivery are overly simplified and too exaggerated for a cringe free viewing. For example the Australian girls return to the venue, the police detectives insistance on questioning, our protagonists inability to string a sentence together under pressure. Was this our cooks first rodeo or not? There are just too many particulars that were stupid, inconsistent, or contradictory but were necessary for the story to work, and this is a classic characteristic of lazy writing and/or a rushed production.
That said, the movie isn't without it's charm (and unsettling content) and though it does deliver... more or less, it should have been a more comprehensive production.
Anyway, once again I'm not going to pick this one to bits as its not really one of those movies that warrants such close scrutiny. It is what it is. I'd say watch it casually and you'll be fine, its ok for a less immersive movie experience as long as your prepared to be a little forgiving.
I think 6/10 is a fair score,
Atlas (2024)
Really Enjoyed it, J-Lo rocks it
I had no expectations about this having barely heard anything of its existence and never seen the trailers, but as an AI fan immediately set an evening aside to watch on Neflix.
I really liked it. It does what it says on the tin and doesn't really attempt to be anything other than what it promises without apology. Its a decent story, that has been thrashed out fairly well, and given what it offer I think it more than delivers.
To be fair its a well worn theme spun with new thread, but what isn't these days. Its all in the delivery and this delivers without question. Lots of action, explosions, a bit of intrigue and a half decent tales woven into an action movie about the looming pitfalls for humanity given our arrogance regarding technological development... sound familiar?
As yet another of the 'humanity doomed due to AI' renditions, it ranks amoung the top tier in being engaing and entertaining.
Its has a better script than I'd expect for somethig this hackneyed, and even though some of the exchanges she has with hte AI while suited in the combat chassis are nothing short of ridiculous, that is more an issue with the narrative (screenplay) that the script per se. Anyway there is good direction and great CGI, the cast is very capable and J-Lo is on point in the leading role.
J-Lo plays an an agitated, highly driven woman with an axe to grind against the institutions handling AI being somewhat of an SME in the field whose mother was instrumental in Ai research and neural interface. That, and later 'combat soldier'. She certainly delivers. She gives an excellently well developed performance of a character driven account of the person she's representing, and for the most part this is not a well liked character at all. Too many 'novice' reviewers misinterpret characters they don't like as bad actors, which is obviously a misrepresentation of whats on offer and doesn't help others decide if a movie is worth watching or not. Its just generally misleading and somewhat disengenuous.
Anyway once again I'm not going to pic this one to bits save to say that its worth watching. I think, the average veiwer with find it entertaining but sci-fi enthusiasts will like it considerably more. I've just watched Gozilla x Kong, and like that too, but this is better... though not as good as Gozilla-1.0 (thats Godzilla one point zero, and not Gozilla minus one as the Western world seems to have interpreted the title)
Monkey Man (2024)
Taken by surprise with oddly titled move I thoroughly enjoyed.
Well! I just finished watching this and was completely taken by surprise by something I didn't think I would enjoy at all.
I'd never heard of this movie, not seen trailers and had no preconceptions about it. It unfolded into one of my favourite films of 2024. Having watched Gozilla 1.0 yesterday I think I'm on a roll.
Dev Patal really does a great job with his debut direction and as a action star I was blown away by his ability. There has been some great work on the fight choreography, but physically he's quite dynamic and the on-screen presence he's displayed in the past really comes to the fore.
The screenplay doesn't really offer anything new, but it does deliver it with a slice of fresh lemon, an unfamiliar and intriguing backdrop, and in a powerfully effective manner. That is not to say there are not some issues with the how things are potrayed. I found his personal journey and that of the political and corporate exploitation the movie portrays lacking cohesion, particually in the first and second parts of the movie. There really needed some tightening up here as it makes the story somewhat irratic and even a little difficult to digest. I found myself replaying parts in my head whiles things unfolded as my brain searched for anchors of consistency to hold the story-line together, and this is never a good thing. There needed to be a more substatial bond between the various aspects of the story to bind the theme together more effectively.
Additionally though Patels Character has a mamoth awakening and progression through the timeline, the other characters much less so. Certainly there was ample opportunity to have more substance and development with at least a few of the lesser roles, but sadly this didn't materialise. What we have is a very one dimensional film in relation to the players on the chessboard. Having said this, it wasn't so much of a distraction that it interfered with my enjoyment of the movie, but in reflection and in writing this. It does stand out as quite a significant shortcoming.
The movie is a little long and I if I had to guess I'd wager some of what wasn't cut, was done in favour of some of what should have been cut, which may very well be why the lack of character development is noticable.
All that said the movie was still very enjoyable and is certainly one I'll watch again, which is always a good sign. I can imagine there will be some John Wick comparisons and this is a tribute to how well the movie does some of the fight scenes, but there is a lot more going on here.
Great acting and directional debut from Dev Patal, and in fact the whole cast gives a solid delivery. I think Patel will learn from this one and up-game with coming endevours, but a word in his ear on the notes I've made would have gone a long way to making this an epic production instead of just a really good one.
Still I'm giving it 8/10 because that is how much I enjoyed it when I watched it.