Smashbomb

Search

Search results

All (4523)

Content

Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Darkest Hour (2017) in Movies

Mar 12, 2018 (Updated Mar 12, 2018)

Darkest Hour (2017)

2017 | Drama, History, War

8.1

(57 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

Emotional, dark and guttural

While @Dunkirk (2017) was a cinematic feat, the Darkest Hour was the substance that lacked in Christopher Nolan's work.

Following the month that led to the event in which the entire British army were stranded on the French beach, we see how politics played out and a decision to fight until death was taken. Gary Oldman is a master as Winston Churchill, the raw emotion he brings to the character is spectacular and I found myself becoming increasingly teary as the film went on.

For fans of the @The King's Speech (2010), it has a similar sentiment to it, not only because both characters are involved in each of the films, but each seem to have deep connection to one another. Oldman deserved the Oscar for this.

Kudos

David McK (3576 KP) rated Life, the Universe and Everything in Books

Jan 28, 2019

The third of the Hitch-Hikers Guide books, which starts with Ford Prefect and Arthur Dent still stuck on a prehistoric Earth.

It's not long, however, before they are back in 'our' time, roped into an attempt to save the Universe for destruction by an army of robots made by an alien race. Of course, they fail spectacularly in all their attempts to stop the robots gathering the items they need to release their masters, who were imprisoned inside a 'Slo-Time envelope' following a long and protracted war aeons ago.

To be honest, I found this book to be rather surreal. Despite a few good moments, it was never really laugh-out-loud funny, ending in a blatant attempt for a sequel (which, to be fair, I probably will read at some stage).

Kudos

David McK (3576 KP) rated Hellboy (2019) in Movies

Jan 18, 2020

Hellboy (2019)

2019 | Action, Adventure, Fantasy

5.7

(87 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

Hmmm … roughly 15 years after the Guillermo del Torro directed 'Hellboy' and 11 years after 'Hellboy 2: The Golden Army' (both starring Ron Perlman as Big Red), we have - essentially - a reboot of sorts, this time with David Harbour (whoever he is. From Stranger Things - I've yet to watch that - apparently) taking on the lead role, with support from Ian McShane and - this time - with Milla Jovovich taking on the role of the 'big bad' Nimue.

Yes, that Nimue, from Arthurian folklore.

Which should tell you pretty much all you need to know: a mish-mash hodge-podge of sorts, with some leaden dialogue and a migraine-inducing thumping soundtrack, that borrows more liberally from the source comic than I remember the previous films doing, while also being a fair bit bloodier!

Kudos

Awix (3310 KP) rated The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943) in Movies

Apr 26, 2020

Classic drama from Powell and Pressburger. The life of a British army officer throughout the first part of the 20th century is explored, particularly his friendship with his German counterpart and the women he loves (all played by Deborah Kerr).

Typically inventive and imaginative stuff from the Archers, with bold and witty transitions across time and space, moving depictions of romance and friendship, and an understanding that you can deal with serious topics while remaining playful and creative. Terrific performances and direction: acknowledged as an influence by Scorsese and (less predictably) Tarantino. Churchill tried to have the production of the film halted, feeling it was unpatriotic, but as well as being one of the greatest British movies of all time, it is also one of the finest films about what it means to be British.