Search
Search results
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Dog Days (2018) in Movies
May 15, 2021
Cheesy but Solid
Dog Days revolves around a number of moving parts stories that shows the strength of relationships between people and man’s best friend.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 5
Typically with stories like these that have a number of different characters sharing screen time, it really can be a challenge to get the film off to a hot start as you introduce everyone. Ten minutes in, I wasn’t completely sold on the film, but it was enough for me to say, “What the hell? I’ll give it a shot.” Not bad, but not great.
Characters: 8
Again, moving parts stories introduce a lot of characters and it’s hard to try and get people to care about everyone. While I wasn’t invested in everyone all of the time, there were plenty of moments where I cared about the character’s outcome. There were certain characters I cared about a lot more than others like the coffee shop girl and the shelter owner.
Cinematography/Visuals: 7
Conflict: 6
This is a family film, very much meant to be light-hearted. While Disney has somehow found a way of perfecting having conflict while keeping things light, Dog Days suffered a bit more in that respect. Maybe it’s the fact that you know everything is going to work itself out in the end. Then again, you kind of know that for most movies, but it’s that drive of conflict that really makes things seem dire and leave you wondering for a bit. Not the case with Dog Days.
Entertainment Value: 10
Not going to lie, this movie really had me invested from beginning to end. It’s funny, endearing, and you get to see a bunch of cute dogs. Not going to win any academy awards, but it’s a fun movie I would recommend for any family. I didn’t leave the theater thinking I had wasted my time. It was more of a, “Wow, that was surprisingly fun.”
Memorability: 9
Pace: 10
The 113-minute runtime definitely doesn’t feel like it. Sometimes having a number of storylines can confuse the audience, but I managed to follow along at an easy pace. There are no bumps, it’s pretty smooth sailing from beginning to end.
Plot: 5
Resolution: 9
Overall: 79
I can think of countless family movies that would be a better use of your two hours than Dog Days. However, for what it is, the movie does the trick. It’s undeniably cute and pretty darn entertaining. Even better if you’re a dog lover. For all of it’s cheesiness, it’s pretty solid overall.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 5
Typically with stories like these that have a number of different characters sharing screen time, it really can be a challenge to get the film off to a hot start as you introduce everyone. Ten minutes in, I wasn’t completely sold on the film, but it was enough for me to say, “What the hell? I’ll give it a shot.” Not bad, but not great.
Characters: 8
Again, moving parts stories introduce a lot of characters and it’s hard to try and get people to care about everyone. While I wasn’t invested in everyone all of the time, there were plenty of moments where I cared about the character’s outcome. There were certain characters I cared about a lot more than others like the coffee shop girl and the shelter owner.
Cinematography/Visuals: 7
Conflict: 6
This is a family film, very much meant to be light-hearted. While Disney has somehow found a way of perfecting having conflict while keeping things light, Dog Days suffered a bit more in that respect. Maybe it’s the fact that you know everything is going to work itself out in the end. Then again, you kind of know that for most movies, but it’s that drive of conflict that really makes things seem dire and leave you wondering for a bit. Not the case with Dog Days.
Entertainment Value: 10
Not going to lie, this movie really had me invested from beginning to end. It’s funny, endearing, and you get to see a bunch of cute dogs. Not going to win any academy awards, but it’s a fun movie I would recommend for any family. I didn’t leave the theater thinking I had wasted my time. It was more of a, “Wow, that was surprisingly fun.”
Memorability: 9
Pace: 10
The 113-minute runtime definitely doesn’t feel like it. Sometimes having a number of storylines can confuse the audience, but I managed to follow along at an easy pace. There are no bumps, it’s pretty smooth sailing from beginning to end.
Plot: 5
Resolution: 9
Overall: 79
I can think of countless family movies that would be a better use of your two hours than Dog Days. However, for what it is, the movie does the trick. It’s undeniably cute and pretty darn entertaining. Even better if you’re a dog lover. For all of it’s cheesiness, it’s pretty solid overall.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Doctor Strange (2016) in Movies
Feb 3, 2021
On the surface, you could argue that Doctor Strange isn't all that different from Iron Man in terms of structure. Rich, white dude with a goatee lives out his life, arrogantly full of himself until a life altering incident forces him to fight to survive, setting him on a path of betterment and redemption. Whilst this is unarguably true, the fact is that this movie is so much more than retreading familiar ground. Gone are the times where superhero movies play it safe. Guardians of the Galaxy may have knocked down the doors, but Doctor Strange takes the cosmic concept, and runs full speed with it. Marvel Studios have got to the point where they can make a movie about the Dark Dimension, the Mirror Dimension, the Sorcerer Supreme, Dormammu, the multiverse, and audiences will still lap it up, and I'm here for it.
Sinister director Scott Derrickson proves to be a smart choice, as he provides us a story that's humourous, full of heart, brimming with new lore, and is visually mind bending. The aesthetic if this movie is what sets it apart from its kin. Sure it doesn't stray too far from the Marvel formula, but it does something different. Many have compared it to Inception, which isn't an unfair note, and it makes for some wonderful looking set pieces.
Benedict Cumberbatch is picture perfect as Stephen Strange himself and is joined by a stellar supporting cast. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tilda Swinton, Mads Mikkelsen, Benedict Wong, and Rachel McAdams are all great in their respective roles. Mikkelsen gives us a compelling villain in Kaecilius, jaded by an order he's followed for years and turning tail to pursue what he thinks is right (not to dissimilar to Thanos in that respect). We're also introduced briefly to Dormammu, which is certainly exciting to any fans of the comics. With the Infinity Saga all wrapped up, this could prove to be seed planting for a future big bad.
Doctor Strange could have easily just been another run of the mill origin story (which some believe it is, and that's ok!) but for me, it's so much more. It manages to build on Marvel lore, whilst teasing future story lines by flirting with the Multiverse and the Dark Dimension, all while never losing focus on its very human story. It's a fantastic first outing for one of Marvel's more out there characters and one of my favourites of the whole franchise.
Sinister director Scott Derrickson proves to be a smart choice, as he provides us a story that's humourous, full of heart, brimming with new lore, and is visually mind bending. The aesthetic if this movie is what sets it apart from its kin. Sure it doesn't stray too far from the Marvel formula, but it does something different. Many have compared it to Inception, which isn't an unfair note, and it makes for some wonderful looking set pieces.
Benedict Cumberbatch is picture perfect as Stephen Strange himself and is joined by a stellar supporting cast. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tilda Swinton, Mads Mikkelsen, Benedict Wong, and Rachel McAdams are all great in their respective roles. Mikkelsen gives us a compelling villain in Kaecilius, jaded by an order he's followed for years and turning tail to pursue what he thinks is right (not to dissimilar to Thanos in that respect). We're also introduced briefly to Dormammu, which is certainly exciting to any fans of the comics. With the Infinity Saga all wrapped up, this could prove to be seed planting for a future big bad.
Doctor Strange could have easily just been another run of the mill origin story (which some believe it is, and that's ok!) but for me, it's so much more. It manages to build on Marvel lore, whilst teasing future story lines by flirting with the Multiverse and the Dark Dimension, all while never losing focus on its very human story. It's a fantastic first outing for one of Marvel's more out there characters and one of my favourites of the whole franchise.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
And so to the latest incarnation in Spider-man Homecoming. After seeing Tom Holland in Civil War, well, let's just say that I was not convinced. Then the adverts where he's making the home movie of everything... yeah that began to grate a bit.
There's no origin story with this one, or with his appearance in Civil War. I'm not sure how I feel about no Uncle Ben, or that they're regressing Aunt May every time she appears. But I do love Marisa Tomei, and she does get a fantastic last line.
Somewhere before this film went into production I reckon someone thought "We need something that's not quite a bad a Spider-man, but not quite as serious as The Amazing Spider-man." Someone else was walking by and overheard. "You should zhush it up with the Avengers treatment."... and so Homecoming was born.
The effects are of course way better than 2002, and everything is pretty bright and shiny since it was properly Marvelised. As much as I initially didn't like Tom Holland, I have to admit that he makes a good film. My only major issue is that it seems more concerned about bringing him into the Marvel Universe than leaving him out there developing his own film.
For a nerd, Peter has got game. We're on the third incarnation of films this side of 2000, and we're on the third (and potential fourth) love interest. I like that they're jumping that around a little, it does help make each lot feel slightly different, but it does get confusing... and obviously you can keep an eye out for other love interests who make appearances.
It seems unfair to compare all three films (which is a bit tricky as that was partly the idea of this whole post) because each of them have their own bit of the movie spectrum. The daft, the heart-wrenching and the blockbuster, all have their place in the collection. Gun against my head I'd probably still pick Andrew Garfield as my favourite, but Holland is right there too.
That being said, I still don't like Spider-man as a superhero...
*ducks under the table to avoid the barrage of abuse*
He's too chaotic, he's just too young (in this one) to really understand the full implications of what he's doing. I personally don't understand why he would be worthy of movie fame over other characters. It has been pointed out to me that as he's just a "regular Joe", that people can identify with him more over the other options of Gods or mutants... but hell... I'm mutant and proud!
There's no origin story with this one, or with his appearance in Civil War. I'm not sure how I feel about no Uncle Ben, or that they're regressing Aunt May every time she appears. But I do love Marisa Tomei, and she does get a fantastic last line.
Somewhere before this film went into production I reckon someone thought "We need something that's not quite a bad a Spider-man, but not quite as serious as The Amazing Spider-man." Someone else was walking by and overheard. "You should zhush it up with the Avengers treatment."... and so Homecoming was born.
The effects are of course way better than 2002, and everything is pretty bright and shiny since it was properly Marvelised. As much as I initially didn't like Tom Holland, I have to admit that he makes a good film. My only major issue is that it seems more concerned about bringing him into the Marvel Universe than leaving him out there developing his own film.
For a nerd, Peter has got game. We're on the third incarnation of films this side of 2000, and we're on the third (and potential fourth) love interest. I like that they're jumping that around a little, it does help make each lot feel slightly different, but it does get confusing... and obviously you can keep an eye out for other love interests who make appearances.
It seems unfair to compare all three films (which is a bit tricky as that was partly the idea of this whole post) because each of them have their own bit of the movie spectrum. The daft, the heart-wrenching and the blockbuster, all have their place in the collection. Gun against my head I'd probably still pick Andrew Garfield as my favourite, but Holland is right there too.
That being said, I still don't like Spider-man as a superhero...
*ducks under the table to avoid the barrage of abuse*
He's too chaotic, he's just too young (in this one) to really understand the full implications of what he's doing. I personally don't understand why he would be worthy of movie fame over other characters. It has been pointed out to me that as he's just a "regular Joe", that people can identify with him more over the other options of Gods or mutants... but hell... I'm mutant and proud!
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated The Kitchen (2019) in Movies
May 17, 2020
Thinly written and directed
A rainy weekend is the perfect time to catch up with films that I meant to see in the Cineplex, but just didn't get around to it. So it was with some excitement that I flipped on the "Women Run The Mafia" movie THE KITCHEN from 2019.
I should have watched 21 BRIDGES.
Based on the DC/VERTIGO graphic novel, THE KITCHEN is set in the late 1970's in NYC and offers up the "what if" scenario of 3 women that take over the Mafia. A pretty interesting premise that could have been the GODFATHER or GOODFELLA's of the day (or...at least...another WIDOWS from 2018), but instead THE KITCHEN falls flat like the all female GHOSTBUSTERS from a few year's ago.
A star of that Ghostbuster's film, Melissa McCarthy leads the cast as Kathy Brennan, the wife of a mobster who was sent to jail and becomes the leader of the group. McCarthy has shown that she has the "chops" as an actress to tackle this role, but she never really gets there. There is no real depth or emotional stakes to her character throughout the course of the film. The screenplay (and McCarthy's performance) does pick up at the end, but by then, it is too little, too late. Also not fairing well is comedienne Tiffany Hadish as Ruby O'Carroll - an African-American female trying to dominate in a predominately white male world. Again...this character had potential, but the writing and, quite frankly, Hadish's performance just didn't quite succeed.
What did succeed is the always excellent Elisabeth Moss as the 3rd part of this triumvirate. Her "mousy, abused housewife turned stone cold killer" was interesting to watch - especially when paired with Domhnall Gleeson's assassin about 1/2 way through the movie. I wanted to watch a movie with these 2 criminals on the run.
I've mentioned the weak writing as part the issue here, so I'll have to mention first time Veteran Writer and first-time Director Andrea Berloff as the main culprit here. She wrote STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON so she has it in her, but here, the screenplay and characterizations are "thin". Perhaps, a good Director could have made something out of this, but she also made her Directing debut with this film, so it just didn't work well enough.
This isn't a bad film, it just isn't a very good - or very interesting - one.
Letter Grade B- (for the Moss/Gleeson portion of this film)
6 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
I should have watched 21 BRIDGES.
Based on the DC/VERTIGO graphic novel, THE KITCHEN is set in the late 1970's in NYC and offers up the "what if" scenario of 3 women that take over the Mafia. A pretty interesting premise that could have been the GODFATHER or GOODFELLA's of the day (or...at least...another WIDOWS from 2018), but instead THE KITCHEN falls flat like the all female GHOSTBUSTERS from a few year's ago.
A star of that Ghostbuster's film, Melissa McCarthy leads the cast as Kathy Brennan, the wife of a mobster who was sent to jail and becomes the leader of the group. McCarthy has shown that she has the "chops" as an actress to tackle this role, but she never really gets there. There is no real depth or emotional stakes to her character throughout the course of the film. The screenplay (and McCarthy's performance) does pick up at the end, but by then, it is too little, too late. Also not fairing well is comedienne Tiffany Hadish as Ruby O'Carroll - an African-American female trying to dominate in a predominately white male world. Again...this character had potential, but the writing and, quite frankly, Hadish's performance just didn't quite succeed.
What did succeed is the always excellent Elisabeth Moss as the 3rd part of this triumvirate. Her "mousy, abused housewife turned stone cold killer" was interesting to watch - especially when paired with Domhnall Gleeson's assassin about 1/2 way through the movie. I wanted to watch a movie with these 2 criminals on the run.
I've mentioned the weak writing as part the issue here, so I'll have to mention first time Veteran Writer and first-time Director Andrea Berloff as the main culprit here. She wrote STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON so she has it in her, but here, the screenplay and characterizations are "thin". Perhaps, a good Director could have made something out of this, but she also made her Directing debut with this film, so it just didn't work well enough.
This isn't a bad film, it just isn't a very good - or very interesting - one.
Letter Grade B- (for the Moss/Gleeson portion of this film)
6 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) in Movies
May 14, 2019
insignificant
#antmanandthewasp feels like a step backwards for our tiny #hero, this time instead of feeling bigger & better what we are left with is a film which is simply just ok. I loved #antman it was a refreshing & unique entry to the already overcrowded & overdone #superhero gene. Now we have the inevitable #sequel & im sad to say that i really didnt care for it i at all. Not only does it lack genuine excitement but the entire #film feels draw out & underwhelming too. Ant man 2 really bored me & for a superhero film thats not good. Action is sparse with everything noticeably feeling strangely lower budget this time. The cgi is bad, locations are drab & visually dull, set pieces are incredibly forgettable & fights lack excitement/thrill. This would all be fine if the film held my attention elsewhere but the plot & story are just as bad here. There's no sense of urgency at all & the stakes just dont seem very high, this isnt helped by some really out of place/silly characters & a conatant lack of seriousness throughout. I get that the film needs to be fun but when the #humour is this cringe & its getting in the way/effecting the scenes that need to have an #emotional punch then im sorry but it just makes me just lose empathy for all the characters. This also means theres no tension at all & the films so wrapped up in constantly explaining to us whats going on/happening that it ends up making you realise your watching a movie instead of being immersed in its law. Acting is a mixed bag #michaeldouglas & #michellefifer are clearly trying here but almost everyone else looks like they are going through the motions to get paid. Over all Ant man 2 is one big piece of exposition & filler that i cant recommend going to see. Its dull, forgettable, over simplistic & so stuffed full of unnecesary padding that its lost what made the first one so fun. A film that we just really didnt need where even the #stanlee #cameo feels overlong. #odeonlimitless #odeon #ant #silly #funny #mcu #marvel #disney #friyay #filmbuff #filmcritic #paulrudd #wasp #insect #comic #comicon #filmreview #hope #film
Scott Tostik (389 KP) rated Dead Shack (2017) in Movies
Jan 29, 2020
Storyline... Dialogue... Hilarious (1 more)
The kids killed it... No pun intended
Lmfao.... What a great little flick
So I'm going through TubiTv yesterday and i come across this little dynamo.
Side note. Tubi has over 1000 horror movies on it... So this was after careful deliber... Oh who the fuck am I kidding... I closed my eyes, flicked thee mouse wheel... And this is what I landed on... So much to my surprise... It was actually good for once.
The story starts out with 3 kids and a pair of parents... Even though one parent is a mich younger mail order asian bride... She's still a parent... Sort of... Ish... Anywhore... They are headed out for a week long getaway to a cabin in the woods( yeah... I went there)...
With out spoiling it... The film gets going in the first 15 minutes... Which is what you want in a good horror film.
I have yet to figure put what exactly the antagonist creatures in this film are though... Undead... Sorta dead... Not dead and just crazy... But in all honesty... Who the fuck cares.
The kids talk like kids do... Using swear words out of context... Blaming their folks... Bringing up pop culture references... It was honestly one of the best teenage speak films i have seen in a long time... With the exception of IT Chapter 1... Those kids were on fucking point.
The best part of the movie... And this made me laugh my proverbial ass off... Was the kids are confronting the big bad near the climax of the film... Big bad asks"What are you going to do about it?".
14 year old responds with,"We're gonna tell on you,".
His two friends just stop what they are doing and give him the best WTF look I have seen since my daughter gave me one when she was 5... And I missed a chair when going to sit down... I was sober... *hangs head in shame*
If you want to have a genuine good time... And like a few laughs mixed in with your blood soaked insanity... Then this is a flick for you...
I mean fuck, what do you have to lose?? Besides 1hr and 44 minutes of your life...
Side note. Tubi has over 1000 horror movies on it... So this was after careful deliber... Oh who the fuck am I kidding... I closed my eyes, flicked thee mouse wheel... And this is what I landed on... So much to my surprise... It was actually good for once.
The story starts out with 3 kids and a pair of parents... Even though one parent is a mich younger mail order asian bride... She's still a parent... Sort of... Ish... Anywhore... They are headed out for a week long getaway to a cabin in the woods( yeah... I went there)...
With out spoiling it... The film gets going in the first 15 minutes... Which is what you want in a good horror film.
I have yet to figure put what exactly the antagonist creatures in this film are though... Undead... Sorta dead... Not dead and just crazy... But in all honesty... Who the fuck cares.
The kids talk like kids do... Using swear words out of context... Blaming their folks... Bringing up pop culture references... It was honestly one of the best teenage speak films i have seen in a long time... With the exception of IT Chapter 1... Those kids were on fucking point.
The best part of the movie... And this made me laugh my proverbial ass off... Was the kids are confronting the big bad near the climax of the film... Big bad asks"What are you going to do about it?".
14 year old responds with,"We're gonna tell on you,".
His two friends just stop what they are doing and give him the best WTF look I have seen since my daughter gave me one when she was 5... And I missed a chair when going to sit down... I was sober... *hangs head in shame*
If you want to have a genuine good time... And like a few laughs mixed in with your blood soaked insanity... Then this is a flick for you...
I mean fuck, what do you have to lose?? Besides 1hr and 44 minutes of your life...
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Primal (2019) in Movies
Aug 22, 2020
When will I learn? Do not watch big star films you've never heard of before I see them on DVD.
A big game hunter ends up transporting his catch on a ship with a team of military personnel that are transporting an assassin back to the US under the radar. All it takes is one wrong step for the ship to be filled with danger as everyone is being stalked by killers, both animal and human.
I nearly lobbed this DVD out my window after the first scene with the CGI kitty cat, it was truly abysmal. Thankfully at some point I stopped noticing fairly quickly.
Kevin Durand plays our assassin-in-transit and he's always a pretty good bet for a bad guy. Even in this he has a great presence. Next we have Famke Janssen, I couldn't honestly tell you how long it's been since I saw her in something. This wasn't a great character though, and apart from one or two scenes I had forgotten she was even in this film when I scrolled through the cast list. It's not entirely to do with the acting, which did feel a little lacklustre, the character didn't have a lot of punch and wasn't what you know she's capable of.
There's no denying that this is below my usual Cage favourites. It's pretty low on the Cage Rage ranking, but it's still a Nicolas Cage film and as with shark films that means there's an automatic pass. It would have to do something horrendous for me to outright hate it.
There's logic of some description in Primal but it's still a distinctly average film. I can forgive the bad CGI, but a poor script and average production quality across the board mean I'm regretting paying actual money for it. The idea for the story feels like someone used a story generator to get different plot points, even so, there was potential in it but I was rather sad it wasn't a better experience.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/08/primal-movie-review.html
A big game hunter ends up transporting his catch on a ship with a team of military personnel that are transporting an assassin back to the US under the radar. All it takes is one wrong step for the ship to be filled with danger as everyone is being stalked by killers, both animal and human.
I nearly lobbed this DVD out my window after the first scene with the CGI kitty cat, it was truly abysmal. Thankfully at some point I stopped noticing fairly quickly.
Kevin Durand plays our assassin-in-transit and he's always a pretty good bet for a bad guy. Even in this he has a great presence. Next we have Famke Janssen, I couldn't honestly tell you how long it's been since I saw her in something. This wasn't a great character though, and apart from one or two scenes I had forgotten she was even in this film when I scrolled through the cast list. It's not entirely to do with the acting, which did feel a little lacklustre, the character didn't have a lot of punch and wasn't what you know she's capable of.
There's no denying that this is below my usual Cage favourites. It's pretty low on the Cage Rage ranking, but it's still a Nicolas Cage film and as with shark films that means there's an automatic pass. It would have to do something horrendous for me to outright hate it.
There's logic of some description in Primal but it's still a distinctly average film. I can forgive the bad CGI, but a poor script and average production quality across the board mean I'm regretting paying actual money for it. The idea for the story feels like someone used a story generator to get different plot points, even so, there was potential in it but I was rather sad it wasn't a better experience.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/08/primal-movie-review.html
Steve Fearon (84 KP) rated Lake Placid (1999) in Movies
Sep 5, 2018
The Toothless Croc Adventure that bit off more than it could chew
If you are big horror fan, like I am, then you will no doubt have seen and loved Jaws at some point.
The spectacular fear of something huge and unseen in the water, a perfectly evolved marine predator capable of tremendous power and speed, with a jaw size capable of cutting you in half.
Jaws hit on a very primal fear, that there is an unreasoning, prehistoric simplicity to the shark, that reminds us that until the last few thousand years, we were just another form of food for many creatures on this planet, and that we could be again, in the right circumstances.
It is this fear that also informs our love of Zombie movies, our disgust at cannibals and keeps us watching endless episodes of dirty, tired-looking people arguing in 'The Walking Dead'.
Where Jaws created a whole genre of horror in 'Killer Shark' movies, their reptilian counterparts have had to make do with a somewhat less successful series of outings, with Alligator, Croc etc
They just haven't quite hit our imagination in the same way, whether that be because of their comical waddle on land, or having watched an excited Australian man jumping all over them on TV (RIP Steve Irwin)...
Regardless, Lake Placid is the one that most remember from recent history, and having listened to a 'Horrow Show' Podcast on the film recently, I mentioned to my better half I wouldn't mind seeing it again, to see if it is as bad as it sounded.
Well last night, said better half suggested we watch it and boy oh boy...
So first off, Brendan Gleeson was by far the best thing about this movie, his one liners and grumpy demeanor were, for long periods, the best thing about this movie, shortly followed by the hilarious Betty White.
Stan Winstone, legendary physical creature effects maestro turns in some great stuff, and when they are dealing withe the physical creature, it is very effective but all too often they resort to CGI, which is passable but still tends to take you out of the moment..
Oliver Platt's casting as a crocodile expert playboy is amusing at first, then confusing and eventually just...well not laughable exactly as it isnt very funny, but strange certainly.
The movie languishes for long periods, focusing on the incredibly inert chemistry between leading lady Fonda, and wooden cardboard cut out Pullman, giving you poorly written rom com scripts where we signed up to see a giant Croc eat people.
Long story short, this movie is light on tension and action, heavy on clumsy exposition and strange casting choices, and it a poor relation to Jaws, which is more worthy of your time.
The spectacular fear of something huge and unseen in the water, a perfectly evolved marine predator capable of tremendous power and speed, with a jaw size capable of cutting you in half.
Jaws hit on a very primal fear, that there is an unreasoning, prehistoric simplicity to the shark, that reminds us that until the last few thousand years, we were just another form of food for many creatures on this planet, and that we could be again, in the right circumstances.
It is this fear that also informs our love of Zombie movies, our disgust at cannibals and keeps us watching endless episodes of dirty, tired-looking people arguing in 'The Walking Dead'.
Where Jaws created a whole genre of horror in 'Killer Shark' movies, their reptilian counterparts have had to make do with a somewhat less successful series of outings, with Alligator, Croc etc
They just haven't quite hit our imagination in the same way, whether that be because of their comical waddle on land, or having watched an excited Australian man jumping all over them on TV (RIP Steve Irwin)...
Regardless, Lake Placid is the one that most remember from recent history, and having listened to a 'Horrow Show' Podcast on the film recently, I mentioned to my better half I wouldn't mind seeing it again, to see if it is as bad as it sounded.
Well last night, said better half suggested we watch it and boy oh boy...
So first off, Brendan Gleeson was by far the best thing about this movie, his one liners and grumpy demeanor were, for long periods, the best thing about this movie, shortly followed by the hilarious Betty White.
Stan Winstone, legendary physical creature effects maestro turns in some great stuff, and when they are dealing withe the physical creature, it is very effective but all too often they resort to CGI, which is passable but still tends to take you out of the moment..
Oliver Platt's casting as a crocodile expert playboy is amusing at first, then confusing and eventually just...well not laughable exactly as it isnt very funny, but strange certainly.
The movie languishes for long periods, focusing on the incredibly inert chemistry between leading lady Fonda, and wooden cardboard cut out Pullman, giving you poorly written rom com scripts where we signed up to see a giant Croc eat people.
Long story short, this movie is light on tension and action, heavy on clumsy exposition and strange casting choices, and it a poor relation to Jaws, which is more worthy of your time.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Brightburn (2019) in Movies
Jan 9, 2020
Contains spoilers, click to show
Brightburn is a mostly solid 'superhero' horror that sets out what it means to do. The narrative plays out a bit like an issue of Marvel's What If? - in this case, what if an alien baby crashed to earth, much like Superman, but grew up to be a danger to mankind.
One of the main issues I had with Brightburn rears it head pretty early on - it doesn't spend a huge amount of time establishing 12 year old Brandon (Jackson A. Dunn) before hurtling straight into his turn to evil. It's not the biggest deal I guess, the movie does enough to set up the main bulk of the plot, but I can't help but feel that the execution would have been more effective if the set up had been a bit more drawn out.
We're also introduced to Brandon's parents, the people who found him when he was a baby and raised him as their own, Tori and Kyle, played by Elizabeth Banks and David Denman. Both actors are great throughout, but their characters are a bit iffy. There's a lot silliness going on - Tori takes an abnormally long time to accept that Brandon in dangerous, even when loved ones are being murdered around her - she purposefully keeps information from Kyle about Brandon nearly stumbling across the spaceship he arrived in, even though that should really be something shared considering how Brandon is an alien and all that - at one point, Kyle tries to get one over on Brandon by shooting him in the head when he's not looking, despite clearly stating earlier on in the movie that Brandon has never even bled throughout his whole life...
It sounds like nitpicking, but it's just silliness that is very obviously included to easily advance the plot, and it's a little distracting.
The special effects used are mostly good, but they are purposely done quickly to avoid much room for scrutiny, however, there are some really great shots throughout Brightburn, especially in the third act. Brandon's costume design is suitably creepy, his mask looks almost Mothman-esque, and his glowing red eyes make him a genuinely sinister looking villain.
The violence in Brightburn really packs a punch as well... It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it's creative, and brutal. The movie leans a little into jump scare territory, but just about toes the line, and provides a decent enough unsettling atmosphere to justify it.
On a final note, it always refreshing when a Hollywood film like this has the balls to end in the way it does. The movie sets up Brandon for defeat and failure, and it just doesn't happen. The bad guys win and that's that. The ending credits feature news reports showing Brandon in the following weeks wreaking havoc all over the place, and it sets up a sequel which I don't think will happen due to box office reasons. Which is a shame, because even though Brightburn has its flaws, it still kept me involved.
Worth checking out for superhero and horror fans alike.
One of the main issues I had with Brightburn rears it head pretty early on - it doesn't spend a huge amount of time establishing 12 year old Brandon (Jackson A. Dunn) before hurtling straight into his turn to evil. It's not the biggest deal I guess, the movie does enough to set up the main bulk of the plot, but I can't help but feel that the execution would have been more effective if the set up had been a bit more drawn out.
We're also introduced to Brandon's parents, the people who found him when he was a baby and raised him as their own, Tori and Kyle, played by Elizabeth Banks and David Denman. Both actors are great throughout, but their characters are a bit iffy. There's a lot silliness going on - Tori takes an abnormally long time to accept that Brandon in dangerous, even when loved ones are being murdered around her - she purposefully keeps information from Kyle about Brandon nearly stumbling across the spaceship he arrived in, even though that should really be something shared considering how Brandon is an alien and all that - at one point, Kyle tries to get one over on Brandon by shooting him in the head when he's not looking, despite clearly stating earlier on in the movie that Brandon has never even bled throughout his whole life...
It sounds like nitpicking, but it's just silliness that is very obviously included to easily advance the plot, and it's a little distracting.
The special effects used are mostly good, but they are purposely done quickly to avoid much room for scrutiny, however, there are some really great shots throughout Brightburn, especially in the third act. Brandon's costume design is suitably creepy, his mask looks almost Mothman-esque, and his glowing red eyes make him a genuinely sinister looking villain.
The violence in Brightburn really packs a punch as well... It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it's creative, and brutal. The movie leans a little into jump scare territory, but just about toes the line, and provides a decent enough unsettling atmosphere to justify it.
On a final note, it always refreshing when a Hollywood film like this has the balls to end in the way it does. The movie sets up Brandon for defeat and failure, and it just doesn't happen. The bad guys win and that's that. The ending credits feature news reports showing Brandon in the following weeks wreaking havoc all over the place, and it sets up a sequel which I don't think will happen due to box office reasons. Which is a shame, because even though Brightburn has its flaws, it still kept me involved.
Worth checking out for superhero and horror fans alike.
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Little Monsters (2019) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020 (Updated Oct 26, 2020)
A New Zombie Movie That Proves Zombie Films "Still Have Fresh Brains To Savor"
Contains spoilers, click to show
This movie was pretty good. I enjoyed it quite a bit and even though it had somethings that were predictable and cliché, it really was unique in its own way. It really had me invested in the main character Dave from the beginning because of his situation. After his break up his living on the couch at his sisters and getting in trouble for cussing and being a bad role model for his nephew. He gets in trouble for letting his nephew play violent video games and for taking him out late at night to use him as a prop when his plans to propose to his ex-g/f that goes horribly wrong. That scene was hilarious as his surprise proposal leads to him and his nephew catching his ex having sex with another man and the naked man beating him up. It's kind of slow moving plot wise with all this setup but you get invested in the characters and they mean more to you and you better understand their motivations. Dave winds up taking his nephew to school and when he sees his attractive teacher Miss Coraline played by Lupita Nyong'o he's more than happy to volunteer to chaperone on a field trip when another parent drops out. At the field trip on the farm is when your officially introduced to Josh Gad's character Teddy McGiggle who is filming his children's show there. Teddy winds up being nothing like he pretends to be and shows his true colors when the trouble starts up. The zombies from a U.S. testing facility break free and head straight to the farm attacking anyone and everyone they see. I thought they did a good job on the zombies and make-up/special effects since most scenes happen during the day. There wasn't as much action or blood as I wanted but there were always scenes that built the tension and made sure danger was always present. The character development from Dave was really good and made him one of my favorite characters but Miss Caroline was a real badass. She demonstrated that she would do anything to protect those kids and let Teddy McGiggle know that she would take care of him too if he didn't cooperate. As i mentioned some of it was predictable like there being a facility where there were zombies, and the zombies breaking out, the military not being able to do anything to contain it at first, and it spreading so quickly. But it was unique in bringing the kids into the situation and how Miss Coraline made it into a game so the kids wouldn't be scared, how she got them to focus on her so they didn't look at the zombies alot, and how the zombies started singing along towards the end. Like I said above pretty good movie, I give it 7/10 and my "Must See Seal Of Approval". If you haven't seen this movie you need to check it out.