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Franki (3 KP) rated A Simple Favor (2018) in Movies
Oct 7, 2018
Anna Kendrick (2 more)
Blake Lively
Comedy
Loved it!
My sister took me to the cinema to see this after we had been waiting for it to be released.. we finally got to see it!
It was brilliant! I had seen the trailer and thought it would be a good film but didn't realise quite how good it would be! It's really funny in places too!
Loved it.
It was brilliant! I had seen the trailer and thought it would be a good film but didn't realise quite how good it would be! It's really funny in places too!
Loved it.
Dork_knight74 (881 KP) rated The Shallows (2016) in Movies
Dec 25, 2018
Intense
This horror/thriller flick was great. The acting (Blake Lively) was excellent and the cinematography was very well done. Some seriously beautiful visuals. This shark attack story played out well with many intense moments throughout to keep you on the edge of your seat. I found myself cheering for her to make it to that next moment. The effects were done very well and the ending was unexpected but welcome. REALLY worth a watch!
Dork_knight74 (881 KP) rated A Simple Favor (2018) in Movies
Jan 19, 2019
Not bad
This one came up on a list of if thrillers to watch so I checked it out. It actually surprised me. The description doesn't do it justice. Started out a little slow but it took some turns and twists that weren't expected. Great story all around with very good performance by Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick(both good actresses). The cinematography was well done, too. If you're into mystery/thrillers with a touch of comedy thrown in, you'll enjoy this movie. Worth a watch!
Barry Newman (204 KP) rated The Rhythm Section (2019) in Movies
May 22, 2020 (Updated May 22, 2020)
I don't quite get all the hatred for this film. It's not brilliant by any means and is a bit draggy at times but I was still entertained enough to want to see how it ended. Blake Lively looking as unglamorous and as a far away from 'Gossip Girl' as can possibly be puts in a very good performance in the lead role and I liked her relationship with Jude Law. Overall it's not bad but I probably wouldn't be in a hurry to watch it again.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated A Simple Favor (2018) in Movies
Sep 26, 2018
Confused and dull
Having read other Smashbombers reviews, I did at least go into this film knowing it wasn't an out an out thriller, but that still didn't prepare me for what followed.
This film really can't decide what it is; dark comedy, thriller? It seems to seesaw between the two for the entire 2 hour run time, with very little success in either genre. There are a few funny-ish (I smiled a bit) parts but most of the humour is a little bit cheesy or niche. The thriller side too is very predictable, and most of the twists you can see coming a mile off - this almost feels like a second rate comedy rip off of Gone Girl. And then the final act just goes completely bonkers and ridiculous.
Anna Kendrick plays the same character she always does, and I've finally had enough as shes starting to grate on me. Some of the supporting actors like Andrew Rannells aren't given anywhere near enough screen time (loved him in Girls). The only one to come out of this film unscathed is Blake Lively. She's very charismatic and surprisingly endearing, despite her characters reputation and actions. I have to admit, I have a bit of a girl crush on her - id love to be able to dress like that at work!
For the most part, this film was pretty dull and predictable, and was only entertaining whenever Lively is on screen, which wasn't nearly often enough.
This film really can't decide what it is; dark comedy, thriller? It seems to seesaw between the two for the entire 2 hour run time, with very little success in either genre. There are a few funny-ish (I smiled a bit) parts but most of the humour is a little bit cheesy or niche. The thriller side too is very predictable, and most of the twists you can see coming a mile off - this almost feels like a second rate comedy rip off of Gone Girl. And then the final act just goes completely bonkers and ridiculous.
Anna Kendrick plays the same character she always does, and I've finally had enough as shes starting to grate on me. Some of the supporting actors like Andrew Rannells aren't given anywhere near enough screen time (loved him in Girls). The only one to come out of this film unscathed is Blake Lively. She's very charismatic and surprisingly endearing, despite her characters reputation and actions. I have to admit, I have a bit of a girl crush on her - id love to be able to dress like that at work!
For the most part, this film was pretty dull and predictable, and was only entertaining whenever Lively is on screen, which wasn't nearly often enough.
Amy (29 KP) rated A Simple Favor (2018) in Movies
Jan 26, 2019
Don't waste your time watching
I used my child free evening to watch this crap. I was so so so disappointed. I'd seen the trailers, I was so into it. Until approx 17 mins in when I guessed most of the bloody fil.lm. It was so predictable and laughable. Not haha that's so funny but haha oh god why did I waste my money on this. The story line is so rubbish I can't even express it. I don't know who came up with this crap but I'll be making sure I don't watch any more crap
Bird (1700 KP) rated The Shallows (2016) in Movies
May 7, 2017
It does grip you (when you are eventually introduced to the shark) (3 more)
Blake Lively does well to pull off the role as the movie's almost exclusive focus
Some beautifully shot scenes
You genrerally share the fear. It's a simple premise - stuck in the ocean with a big shark!
The first part of the movie exists to develop Lively's character but takes far too long (5 more)
Endless, unnecessary shots of Lively's 'rear end' cheapens the movie in its early stages
You get a LOT of blood from from a leg wound
Nothing new here - feels like an amalgamation of a few other better known movies
Some plot holes
That electronic music!
Jaws meets Castaway
Laura lou (304 KP) rated A Simple Favor (2018) in Movies
Dec 16, 2018
unique plot (2 more)
great acting
twists and turns
I went into this movie blind, having never seen the trailer or read the plot, and i thoroughly enjoyed it! Anna Kendrik and Blake Lively come together to make a great pairing, both being great actors and filling their characters with personality that grips the viewers attention from the beginning.
The movie contains many twists and turns, most of them surprising but some of them a little predictable (which is why i only gave it a rating of 9). Unlike some movies with a similar theme to this, such as Gone Girl, i found that the plot pulled you in from the beginning, rather than taking a while to get going.
Overall i thought this was a great movie with a unique plot line, deep and interesting characters, and great acting.
The movie contains many twists and turns, most of them surprising but some of them a little predictable (which is why i only gave it a rating of 9). Unlike some movies with a similar theme to this, such as Gone Girl, i found that the plot pulled you in from the beginning, rather than taking a while to get going.
Overall i thought this was a great movie with a unique plot line, deep and interesting characters, and great acting.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated The Shallows (2016) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
The Deathly Shallows, part 1
Every shark movie is inevitably compared (unfavourably) against Spielberg’s classic 1975 tourist-muncher. And “The Shallows” is no exception. But while not a 5-Fad classic, this flick comes pretty close by being hugely enjoyable and having a lot going for it.
Waxing lyrically. The shapely Blake Liveley.
Waxing lyrically. The shapely Blake Liveley.
Blake Lively (“The Age of Adeline“) plays surfer and trainee doctor Nancy, still grieving the recent death from cancer of her mother and travelling to a remote Mexican surf beach where she has photos of her mother surfing while pregnant with her. While surfing alone, Nancy is attacked a couple of hundred yards from the shore by a Great White and severely injured. She has the choice of refuge of either a low rock or another less palatable floating object. Choosing the rock (at low tide) she is faced with the dilemma of both surviving her injuries and then being rescued before the high tide takes the rock and leaves her to the mercy of the ever circling big-fish.
We're going to need a bigger rock.
We’re going to need a bigger rock.
A big summer blockbuster this is not, with a total cast of eleven (not including a guest appearance of Steven Seagull (as himself)). But the small cast doesn’t make it less gripping, and gripping it most certainly is, with tension building progressively (emphasised periodically by an on-screen clock) with the countdown to high tide.
Blake Lively is an underrated actress and really delivers the goods here. And bearing in mind the problems that Spielberg had with his mechanical shark Bruce (named after Spielberg’s lawyer) the appearance of the shark is limited to where actually needed, with Lively having to fill in the blanks with reaction shots. As your imagination is still far better than any special effects, this is hugely effective for certain sequences.
Pure horror: here Dad had gone down to the video rental and come back with 'Dirty Grandpa'.
Pure horror: her Dad had gone down to the video rental and come back with ‘Dirty Grandpa’.
The film draws similarities to another interesting entry in the “Jaws” genre – “Open Water 2: Adrift” from 2006. In that film there was the same incessant threat of shark attack combined with the audience frustration that safety (in that case, the deck of their yacht, if only they had let a ladder down) being so near. Here the 200 yards to the shore is shoutable to but still 190 yards too far.
The cinematography (by Flavio Martínez Labiano) is also just beautifully done with some stunning surf and underwater shots that not only highlight Ms Lively’s lithely (sic) figure and her Californian surfing skills, but also the beauty of the ‘Mexican coast’ (actually Lord Howe Island in New South Wales, Australia).
“The Shallows” was written by Anthony Jaswinski and directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (the director of “Non-Stop“, aka Taken 3.5). It comes with a truly impressive BvS quotient of just 5.9%!
So with all of this going for it, you would think that my rating is heading towards at least a 4.5. But all films like this require a satisfying denouement, and unfortunately this is where this one comes off the rails. It is just plain silly and, together with an unnecessary and irritating epilogue scene, diminishes what was on track to be one of the best films of the summer. So here’s the “One Mann’s Movies” solution:
Using Final Cut X, Adobe Premier or your favourite video editing suite, cut out the scene from 115:00 to 116:00 from “Jaws”;
Photoshop Blake Lively’s face onto Roy Scheider’s body.
Insert the finished clip into “The Shallows” at about 82 minutes in.
Enjoy a 5-Fad classic!
This limitation aside, it’s still worth your while hunting it out at a cinema near you, since the fantastic cinematography is best suited to a big screen.
Waxing lyrically. The shapely Blake Liveley.
Waxing lyrically. The shapely Blake Liveley.
Blake Lively (“The Age of Adeline“) plays surfer and trainee doctor Nancy, still grieving the recent death from cancer of her mother and travelling to a remote Mexican surf beach where she has photos of her mother surfing while pregnant with her. While surfing alone, Nancy is attacked a couple of hundred yards from the shore by a Great White and severely injured. She has the choice of refuge of either a low rock or another less palatable floating object. Choosing the rock (at low tide) she is faced with the dilemma of both surviving her injuries and then being rescued before the high tide takes the rock and leaves her to the mercy of the ever circling big-fish.
We're going to need a bigger rock.
We’re going to need a bigger rock.
A big summer blockbuster this is not, with a total cast of eleven (not including a guest appearance of Steven Seagull (as himself)). But the small cast doesn’t make it less gripping, and gripping it most certainly is, with tension building progressively (emphasised periodically by an on-screen clock) with the countdown to high tide.
Blake Lively is an underrated actress and really delivers the goods here. And bearing in mind the problems that Spielberg had with his mechanical shark Bruce (named after Spielberg’s lawyer) the appearance of the shark is limited to where actually needed, with Lively having to fill in the blanks with reaction shots. As your imagination is still far better than any special effects, this is hugely effective for certain sequences.
Pure horror: here Dad had gone down to the video rental and come back with 'Dirty Grandpa'.
Pure horror: her Dad had gone down to the video rental and come back with ‘Dirty Grandpa’.
The film draws similarities to another interesting entry in the “Jaws” genre – “Open Water 2: Adrift” from 2006. In that film there was the same incessant threat of shark attack combined with the audience frustration that safety (in that case, the deck of their yacht, if only they had let a ladder down) being so near. Here the 200 yards to the shore is shoutable to but still 190 yards too far.
The cinematography (by Flavio Martínez Labiano) is also just beautifully done with some stunning surf and underwater shots that not only highlight Ms Lively’s lithely (sic) figure and her Californian surfing skills, but also the beauty of the ‘Mexican coast’ (actually Lord Howe Island in New South Wales, Australia).
“The Shallows” was written by Anthony Jaswinski and directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (the director of “Non-Stop“, aka Taken 3.5). It comes with a truly impressive BvS quotient of just 5.9%!
So with all of this going for it, you would think that my rating is heading towards at least a 4.5. But all films like this require a satisfying denouement, and unfortunately this is where this one comes off the rails. It is just plain silly and, together with an unnecessary and irritating epilogue scene, diminishes what was on track to be one of the best films of the summer. So here’s the “One Mann’s Movies” solution:
Using Final Cut X, Adobe Premier or your favourite video editing suite, cut out the scene from 115:00 to 116:00 from “Jaws”;
Photoshop Blake Lively’s face onto Roy Scheider’s body.
Insert the finished clip into “The Shallows” at about 82 minutes in.
Enjoy a 5-Fad classic!
This limitation aside, it’s still worth your while hunting it out at a cinema near you, since the fantastic cinematography is best suited to a big screen.
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated The Rhythm Section (2019) in Movies
Sep 21, 2020
A weird, gross, seedy, nonsensical piece of tough-as-nails fluff that I found to be immensely enjoyable. In terms of both its looks and its writing, it plays a whole lot less like Reed Morano's heartbreaking portrait of grief in 𝘔𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 and a *lot* more like Ang Lee taking a stab at 𝘗𝘦𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘵. The main critique (besides the fact that this movie is illiterate pace-wise and makes not a drop of sense - both perfectly valid) seems to be that this didn't take the route of generic actioner, to which I reply with a resounding... lmfao k. Visually fetching, and that score *slaps* - not to mention the action is swift and brutal, that car chase is an all-fucking-timer. Amounts to a globetrotting asskicker where Blake Lively sleeps and stumbles around gorgeous locations while beating the shit out of and verbally chastising every man she comes across, we love to see it. Like a delectably oafish hybrid of 𝘏𝘢𝘺𝘸𝘪𝘳𝘦 and 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯, which you can sign me right the hell up for.