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Lee (2222 KP) rated A Monster Calls (2016) in Movies
Jul 26, 2017
A Monster Calls is based on an idea by writer and activist Siobhan Dowd, who sadly died from cancer in 2007 before she could develop her story to print. Her ideas were developed into a book by Patrick Ness in 2011 and illustrated by Jim Kay where it went on to receive a number of childrens literary awards.
The story is set in a very dreary looking England and features a boy called Conor struggling to cope with his mother’s terminal cancer. His father is divorced from his mother and is living in the States with his new family. He’s bullied at school and he’s troubled by nightmares. And then he starts being visited at night by a monster who tells him 3 stories. It’s a bleak tale about the harshness of life, and I was kind of worried about how my 11 year old daughter might take to it when she said she wanted to see it with me.
J.A.Bayona, director of The Orphanage, handles the subject matter well, showing us how a child’s fantasy can make sense of the world and their feelings. The stories told by the monster occur over a number of days and are beautifully depicted in watercolour animation. Each one providing its own lesson to be learned in life. Liam Neeson is the monster, the large yew tree that Conor can see from his bedroom window, giving his best Aslan voice. Felicity Jones is the mother, gradually dying as each cancer drug fails. Sigourney Weaver is the grandmother who Conor reluctantly goes to stay with while his mother is receiving treatment.
The monster itself, the great yew tree, is a real triumph. Beautifully rendered and realistically interacting with its surroundings. When you consider the films meagre budget of 43 million dollars, it’s breathtaking what they’ve managed to achieve.
As expected, the movie really packs a punch with barely any humour or lightheartedness. There are times it’s a little too slow and gloomy, but it’s hard hitting thought provoking and intense. I don’t mind admitting that both me and my daughter found ourselves in tears towards the end too. Along with most of the cinema!
The story is set in a very dreary looking England and features a boy called Conor struggling to cope with his mother’s terminal cancer. His father is divorced from his mother and is living in the States with his new family. He’s bullied at school and he’s troubled by nightmares. And then he starts being visited at night by a monster who tells him 3 stories. It’s a bleak tale about the harshness of life, and I was kind of worried about how my 11 year old daughter might take to it when she said she wanted to see it with me.
J.A.Bayona, director of The Orphanage, handles the subject matter well, showing us how a child’s fantasy can make sense of the world and their feelings. The stories told by the monster occur over a number of days and are beautifully depicted in watercolour animation. Each one providing its own lesson to be learned in life. Liam Neeson is the monster, the large yew tree that Conor can see from his bedroom window, giving his best Aslan voice. Felicity Jones is the mother, gradually dying as each cancer drug fails. Sigourney Weaver is the grandmother who Conor reluctantly goes to stay with while his mother is receiving treatment.
The monster itself, the great yew tree, is a real triumph. Beautifully rendered and realistically interacting with its surroundings. When you consider the films meagre budget of 43 million dollars, it’s breathtaking what they’ve managed to achieve.
As expected, the movie really packs a punch with barely any humour or lightheartedness. There are times it’s a little too slow and gloomy, but it’s hard hitting thought provoking and intense. I don’t mind admitting that both me and my daughter found ourselves in tears towards the end too. Along with most of the cinema!
TacoDave (3496 KP) rated Wonder Park (2019) in Movies
Mar 18, 2019
Kind of inoffensive? (1 more)
Animation is fine
The plot (2 more)
The concept
The execution
Horrible Park
Contains spoilers, click to show
I have five kids. So I've seen a ton of kids' movies. Some are good, some are bad, and some are meh. "Wonder Park" falls completely and stubbornly into the bottom range of Meh. It's not so bad that you hate yourself for watching it, but it isn't even interesting enough to hold your attention for the 80-minute runtime.
"Wonder Park" is about an imaginary amusement park called Wonderland (they never explain the discrepancy in name versus the name of the movie) invented by a young girl. She talks about the park, she draws pictures of it, she makes models of it, and she creates new rides with the help of her mom.
Unfortunately, in a real downer of a plotline, her mom gets sick with an unnamed illness and has to go away to see specialists somewhere. This makes the girl depressed, which makes her stop using her imagination, which makes her stop caring about Wonderland.
Then, in a situation that makes no sense, she hops off of a bus on the way to Math Camp, takes off on her own through the woods, and stumbles onto a real-life version of Wonderland run by real talking animals. Except there's a problem: Wonderland is being destroyed by a big black cloud and a sea of stuffed monkeys.
The girl eventually realizes (duh!) that the black cloud is basically her sadness, and to save the park she has to learn to use her imagination again. So she does. Then she leaves the park, goes back home, and her mom is magically better from the illness and everyone presumably lives happily ever after.
It's a neat concept (kid creates amusement park!) with bad execution, a terrible story, and too much depression for a kids' movie. Plus it wraps up too neatly. And it isn't funny. And I literally almost fell asleep watching it.
If you have to see a family movie, you can do a lot better than this one. I wouldn't even recommend renting it from Redbox. It is that bland and inoffensive.
"Wonder Park" is about an imaginary amusement park called Wonderland (they never explain the discrepancy in name versus the name of the movie) invented by a young girl. She talks about the park, she draws pictures of it, she makes models of it, and she creates new rides with the help of her mom.
Unfortunately, in a real downer of a plotline, her mom gets sick with an unnamed illness and has to go away to see specialists somewhere. This makes the girl depressed, which makes her stop using her imagination, which makes her stop caring about Wonderland.
Then, in a situation that makes no sense, she hops off of a bus on the way to Math Camp, takes off on her own through the woods, and stumbles onto a real-life version of Wonderland run by real talking animals. Except there's a problem: Wonderland is being destroyed by a big black cloud and a sea of stuffed monkeys.
The girl eventually realizes (duh!) that the black cloud is basically her sadness, and to save the park she has to learn to use her imagination again. So she does. Then she leaves the park, goes back home, and her mom is magically better from the illness and everyone presumably lives happily ever after.
It's a neat concept (kid creates amusement park!) with bad execution, a terrible story, and too much depression for a kids' movie. Plus it wraps up too neatly. And it isn't funny. And I literally almost fell asleep watching it.
If you have to see a family movie, you can do a lot better than this one. I wouldn't even recommend renting it from Redbox. It is that bland and inoffensive.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Alita: Battle Angel (2019) in Movies
May 13, 2019
Fighting fit
#alitabattleangel may just be the most #intense & visually splendid mature cgi fest I've seen in a long long time. Having not seen #anime that inspired this #movie i had no idea what i was walking into with this one. Upon leaving it i not only felt extremely satisfied but also like i had experienced something #breathtaking & full to the brim with #passion. To start I can't stress enough just how god damn #beautiful this #film is, cgi is staggering as well as jaw dropping. From the intricate inner machinery wires, dust particles & realistic lighting to the tiny blemishes on skin Alita simply knocks it out the park. Its locations are vast, immersive, claustrophobic, lived in, #depressing & full to the brim with story telling/world building so much so that they could each tell a story themselves. #Animation is slick, fluid & #natural with #human & cgi interaction weighty & almost flawlessly done. Story wise its extremely empowering as we watch #Alita grow from & innocent child like #girl into a tuff driven #woman. Seeing Alita emit such wonderful human emotions such as #love, excitement & #happiness is not only #heartwarming but also #magical. Starting so warm & ending so bleak we see Alitas innocence almost ripped away from her as she is forced to #mature fast letting her primal instincts & bad human traits (such as jealousy/#anger) take control tarnishing her other wise loving/careing inner self. Its tense, adrenaline inducing stuff & this mixed with well constructed action & your token damn right nasty at times #robertrodriguez death scenes its not always the happiest of films either. #Deep themes are explored but theres alot of them too so only surfaces are scratched. My favourite being how #society/entertainment glorifies/condones violence & uses it as a tool to control us all. Negatives - if anything #Battleangel is far to short, i feel i needed another hour of content in there somewhere especially the final act which felt rushed. If we dont get a sequel or 3 i will be very disappointed as this is a fantastic world i simply must know more about it. A must see for sure. #edskrein is an absolute joy to watch too. #odeon #odeonlimitless #robot #thursdaythoughts
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) in Movies
May 13, 2019
Out of this world
#spidermanintothespiderverse isn't just an incredible film its also hands down THE best #Spiderman film period & a film fans of the #webhead simply must see. Wow what an intense, #nostalgic & visually breath taking movie, its downright #gorgeous with a dazzling & explosive colour pallet, great dimensional pop, slick smooth unique #animation & some of the most absolutely insane/creative camera angles ive seen all year. This film had my eyes constantly opening wider, searching around the screen trying to take in the immense/painstaking detail literally crammed into every scene. So much attention to detail & #love for years of spiderman material has gone into the making of this film that its honestly just a complete joy to behold. Story wise its a complete breath of fresh air too with constantly shocking plot twists a new spin on origins & extremely informative catch up scenes. Characters are all extremely likable & really well fleshed out & human that have to deal with some really tuff adult problems that i was not expecting to delve into in an #animated #film. Themes are vast here & my favourite explored how none of our #hero's really want the burden or responsibility of doing this as a job but understanding its their purpose/#destiny keeps them dedicated to it. There's also alot on commitment, loss, #courage, inner #demons, fate & #fear which again was awesome to see. Score & soundtrack wise it also shines with all the music intensifying & complimenting not only the tension but the obscure telltale visual style too. Speaking of tension its top notch too, there were scenes that had me sweating & sat on the edge of my seat in suspense & action so energetic, fluid & busy i felt goosebumps on my arms. While also absolutely #laugh out loud #hillarious the film can also be emotionally heavy at times too & i was surprised at just how often the film quickly got dark with either a surprising character death or deep philosophical dialog. Do yourself a favour see this in cinemas & in 3d we need #sony to realise this is the high quality spiderman we want more of. Simply stunning. #marvel #spidergwen #stanlee #mcu #comic #spiderpig #milesmorales #odeon #filmbuff #superhero
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Toy Story (1995) in Movies
Jan 22, 2018
Classic
Toy Story's magic amazingly manages to hold decades after its 1995 release. Woody (Tom Hanks), a toy cowboy, is used to being king of the roost in owner Andy's home. When a shiny new toy shows up by the name of Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Buzz and Woody have to figure out a way to coexist in Andy's room.
While the movie largely revolves around the big characters of Buzz and Woody, Toy Story would be nothing without the rest of its fun and lovable crew. My personal favorite was Rex (Wallace Shawn) a T-Rex scared of disappointing any and everyone. His numerous moments of distress keep the comedy level ramped up. He is the antithesis of a film that stresses living in the now as he is always worried about what's going to happen next.
It's an adventure that takes you all over the place while breaking animation barriers in the process. You'll explore an exciting world through the eyes of tiny toys where everything is much bigger. From racing through Pizza Planet and escaping "The Claw" (Ohhhhhhh) to harrowing escapes from attack dogs and evil neighbor kids, you're never bored from one moment to the next. Seriously, what's not to like?
There are so many classic scenes, it's hard to keep track. One scene in particular saw Woody trying to communicate with the other toys from neighbor Sid's window. He's trying to prove that Buzz is still alive but only has Buzz's arm. All hell breaks loose when the other toys realize the truth. The scene is less than two minutes, but easily one of the most memorable.
I saw this film for the first time when I was eleven and the message was lost on me then. Years later, it's staring me dead in the face: It's about not trying to be something you aren't but rather focusing on being the best YOU you can be. It's a magical film that takes us back to a time before video games were everything. The first of one of the best trilogies ever done, I give it a solid 98.
While the movie largely revolves around the big characters of Buzz and Woody, Toy Story would be nothing without the rest of its fun and lovable crew. My personal favorite was Rex (Wallace Shawn) a T-Rex scared of disappointing any and everyone. His numerous moments of distress keep the comedy level ramped up. He is the antithesis of a film that stresses living in the now as he is always worried about what's going to happen next.
It's an adventure that takes you all over the place while breaking animation barriers in the process. You'll explore an exciting world through the eyes of tiny toys where everything is much bigger. From racing through Pizza Planet and escaping "The Claw" (Ohhhhhhh) to harrowing escapes from attack dogs and evil neighbor kids, you're never bored from one moment to the next. Seriously, what's not to like?
There are so many classic scenes, it's hard to keep track. One scene in particular saw Woody trying to communicate with the other toys from neighbor Sid's window. He's trying to prove that Buzz is still alive but only has Buzz's arm. All hell breaks loose when the other toys realize the truth. The scene is less than two minutes, but easily one of the most memorable.
I saw this film for the first time when I was eleven and the message was lost on me then. Years later, it's staring me dead in the face: It's about not trying to be something you aren't but rather focusing on being the best YOU you can be. It's a magical film that takes us back to a time before video games were everything. The first of one of the best trilogies ever done, I give it a solid 98.
Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Jason X (2001) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019 (Updated Jun 21, 2019)
In the not too distant future, Jason Voorhees has been contained. He's been prepared for cryogenic stasis, that is until the military shows up and has other plans for him. After Jason slaughters the military personnel, Rowan(the head of the cryogenic stasis unit) manages to get Jason into a tank for suspended animation preparation. After a slight mishap, she winds up being frozen as well. Now, nearly 450 years in the future, a professor and his team of young students discover Rowan and Jason. They bring the two back to their ship and only have plans to thaw out Rowan, but underestimate how devastating Jason really is. Now with Jason running loose on Grendel(the ship), will anyone be able to survive long enough to make it back home?
This movie is beyond ridiculous. I'll say that up front right now. It is cheese through and through. There's no doubt about that. I'd be lying if I wasn't entertained by it to some degree though. This film boasts the biggest body count of any Friday the 13th film with a staggering 28 kills. And even though Jason suddenly has hair, for whatever miraculous reason, I actually don't mind how he looks up until he becomes some weird hybrid of Lord Zedd and Super Shredder...I mean Uber-Jason.
Some of the kills are really awesome though. They revisit the sleeping bag kill from part seven in this one and it's pretty entertaining. The real kill that steals the show is Adrienne's kill. When Jason first wakes up from cryogenic stasis, he takes Adrienne's face, shoves it into a sink filled with liquid nitrogen, pulls it out, and then smashes it on a nearby table. It's truly the highlight of the film. Jason is in space. That's pretty much the gist of the storyline. Uber-Jason is a joke. Other than looking different, he doesn't do much of anything the normal Jason wouldn't do. With a weak storyline, bad acting, and a rather lame script, Jason X is really only worth watching if you're a die hard Friday the 13th fan. Even then, you're better off watching one of the earlier sequels that you'll know you enjoy.
This movie is beyond ridiculous. I'll say that up front right now. It is cheese through and through. There's no doubt about that. I'd be lying if I wasn't entertained by it to some degree though. This film boasts the biggest body count of any Friday the 13th film with a staggering 28 kills. And even though Jason suddenly has hair, for whatever miraculous reason, I actually don't mind how he looks up until he becomes some weird hybrid of Lord Zedd and Super Shredder...I mean Uber-Jason.
Some of the kills are really awesome though. They revisit the sleeping bag kill from part seven in this one and it's pretty entertaining. The real kill that steals the show is Adrienne's kill. When Jason first wakes up from cryogenic stasis, he takes Adrienne's face, shoves it into a sink filled with liquid nitrogen, pulls it out, and then smashes it on a nearby table. It's truly the highlight of the film. Jason is in space. That's pretty much the gist of the storyline. Uber-Jason is a joke. Other than looking different, he doesn't do much of anything the normal Jason wouldn't do. With a weak storyline, bad acting, and a rather lame script, Jason X is really only worth watching if you're a die hard Friday the 13th fan. Even then, you're better off watching one of the earlier sequels that you'll know you enjoy.
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