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Kirsty Marie Allen (0 KP) rated The Haunting of Hill House in TV
Jan 5, 2019
Amazing Whirlwind Ride From Start to End
Contains spoilers, click to show
This is one of the most honestly thrill seeking adaptations I have seen for a long time. I am a big lover of original novel based stories and when these stories are made into on screen adaptations, it is easy for things to go terribly wrong and the story to become lost within flashy CGI ect. This is one of the best TV shows I have watched for a long time, to be honest I binged watch it within 3 days. The crew and cast of 'The Haunting of Hill House' created a modern day masterpiece whilst staying true to the original paper back.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Independence Day: Resurgence (2016) in Movies
Jul 5, 2019
The cheese won me over!
Ok fine it's not the greatest film ever and is not going to win any awards; however, I would put this up there with any popcorn film over the last few years for sure.
The bus scene is hilarious and the script is hokey at times, but if you don't take it too seriously I think it's just fine.
Others had mentioned the CGI being sub par, but it didn't bother me as annoying or stand out as being bad.
Unfortunately, the film did not do well at the US box office, so probably done for good unless rebooted by Disney now that thy own everything.
Maybe Deadpool or the X-Men will show up with Aliens and Planet of the Apes and there will be an all out world challenge! (Doubtful I suppose...)
The bus scene is hilarious and the script is hokey at times, but if you don't take it too seriously I think it's just fine.
Others had mentioned the CGI being sub par, but it didn't bother me as annoying or stand out as being bad.
Unfortunately, the film did not do well at the US box office, so probably done for good unless rebooted by Disney now that thy own everything.
Maybe Deadpool or the X-Men will show up with Aliens and Planet of the Apes and there will be an all out world challenge! (Doubtful I suppose...)
Nickg24 (492 KP) rated The Irishman (2019) in Movies
Dec 2, 2019
Robert De Niro (1 more)
Al Pacino
So after months of hype does this all star blockbuster live up to the hype...well yes it does.
It's been many years since we have had a great gangster epic and the master of those films finally brings one that will be enjoyed for many years to come.Unlike his other epics this film focuses more on the relationship between the main protagonist frank sheeran and his boss jimmy Joffa.The violence is not as extreme as you would find in goodfellas or casino.
The only tiny criticism I have was the de-aging process used on some of the actors,the faces seemed a little animated and fake.
De Niro was incredible and has to be a strong favourite for the best actor oscar,pacino and pesci were brilliant as well and could get a supporting actor oscar nomination.
It's been many years since we have had a great gangster epic and the master of those films finally brings one that will be enjoyed for many years to come.Unlike his other epics this film focuses more on the relationship between the main protagonist frank sheeran and his boss jimmy Joffa.The violence is not as extreme as you would find in goodfellas or casino.
The only tiny criticism I have was the de-aging process used on some of the actors,the faces seemed a little animated and fake.
De Niro was incredible and has to be a strong favourite for the best actor oscar,pacino and pesci were brilliant as well and could get a supporting actor oscar nomination.
Acting: A Modern History of Filmmaking
Claudia Springer and Julie Levinson
Book
Screen acting is generally considered in terms of the on-screen performance, which is actually the...
Peter G. (247 KP) rated Angel Heart (1987) in Movies
Jul 11, 2019
Dark and brooding occult movie that reveals its hand pretty early on and throughout its runtime, but you may miss this due to being totally engrossed by the fine performances especially from Mickey Rourke who turns in what I believe is a career best as the detective who decends into madness whilst investigating a case.
It's quite an effective thriller/detective story dripping with genuine dread and its share of disturbing and intricate scenes that will still spook you, even in today's era of CGI trickery.
Rourke really surprises here and you wonder what really happened to his star over the years as he showed real promise as an emerging new talent at the time and showed some glimpses of this greatness in 'The Wrestler' much later on in his career.
Robert De Niro plays only a small but extremely memorable and effective role that will chill you to the bone.
It's quite an effective thriller/detective story dripping with genuine dread and its share of disturbing and intricate scenes that will still spook you, even in today's era of CGI trickery.
Rourke really surprises here and you wonder what really happened to his star over the years as he showed real promise as an emerging new talent at the time and showed some glimpses of this greatness in 'The Wrestler' much later on in his career.
Robert De Niro plays only a small but extremely memorable and effective role that will chill you to the bone.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Final Destination 3 (2006) in Movies
Aug 28, 2019 (Updated Oct 25, 2019)
This series started with a fairly nice idea for a new horror franchise, but by the third entry, only remnants of any substance remain, and it's as off the makers are trying to pull people on with increasingly ridiculous death scenes.
The opening premonition feels pretty hollow when compared to the impressive and mostly practical set piece of the second movie. Here we get a lot of cheap CGI instead.
As the film waddles along, none of the characters are even slightly likable (except Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who is always a plus)
The plot by now has no surprises to offer so the only appeal here is purely aimed at horror fans and gore hounds, with some (to it's credit) pretty inventive kills thrown in.
I could only reccomend FD3 if you have some time to kill and want to watch some mindless horror nonsense 👍
The opening premonition feels pretty hollow when compared to the impressive and mostly practical set piece of the second movie. Here we get a lot of cheap CGI instead.
As the film waddles along, none of the characters are even slightly likable (except Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who is always a plus)
The plot by now has no surprises to offer so the only appeal here is purely aimed at horror fans and gore hounds, with some (to it's credit) pretty inventive kills thrown in.
I could only reccomend FD3 if you have some time to kill and want to watch some mindless horror nonsense 👍
David McK (3557 KP) rated Lady and the Tramp (2019) in Movies
May 16, 2020
The latest (I think, and at the time of writing) in Disney's reimagining of their classic films (see also: Dumbo, Aladdin, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, etc …) , with this one being a mix of live action and CGI and also - to the best of my knowledge - not actually even released in cinemas, but instead being a Disney+ exclusive even before the worldwide Coronavirus pandemic.
Sticking pretty faithfully to the same beats as the animated original - spoiled Cocker Spaniel, Street Dog, the famous Spaghettis scene (which I can't watch now without thinking of the version with Santa's Little Helper in The Simpsons) - this nonetheless does slightly change parts of the story, with the most noticeable (to me) being the Siamese Cats, who here have a completely new song but are still responsible for Lady ending up on the streets (see, I told you: all Cats are evil!).
Sticking pretty faithfully to the same beats as the animated original - spoiled Cocker Spaniel, Street Dog, the famous Spaghettis scene (which I can't watch now without thinking of the version with Santa's Little Helper in The Simpsons) - this nonetheless does slightly change parts of the story, with the most noticeable (to me) being the Siamese Cats, who here have a completely new song but are still responsible for Lady ending up on the streets (see, I told you: all Cats are evil!).
Sarah (7800 KP) rated The Losers (2010) in Movies
Jun 14, 2020
Enjoyably fun
Let's be honest, The Losers is never going to win any awards. However if you're looking for something entertaining and fun to pass 90 minutes, you can't really go wrong with this.
It's got a great cast, who doesn't love Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Idris Elba and Chris Evans? The rest of the cast too are very good and well rounded, and Jason Patric is an absolute riot as the over the top villain. Seriously he's hilarious. The plot is straight forward and the CGI is a little sketchy at times, but it's difficult to care as this film is just so much fun. Considering this is an action film, I laughed more at this than I've done in some outright comedies. If you're looking for something that's bags of fun and doesnt take itself too seriously, this is the film for you.
It's got a great cast, who doesn't love Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Idris Elba and Chris Evans? The rest of the cast too are very good and well rounded, and Jason Patric is an absolute riot as the over the top villain. Seriously he's hilarious. The plot is straight forward and the CGI is a little sketchy at times, but it's difficult to care as this film is just so much fun. Considering this is an action film, I laughed more at this than I've done in some outright comedies. If you're looking for something that's bags of fun and doesnt take itself too seriously, this is the film for you.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Lake Placid (1999) in Movies
Mar 9, 2022
Lake Placid has a lot going for it. Great creature effects, snappy pacing, and Betty White being an absolute savage, more so than the giant fuck-off crocodile that is eating everyone.
The whole cast is great actually. Bridget Fonda and Bill Pullman are likable enough leads, even if they're generically molded to specifically fit this kind of film. Oliver Platt and Brendon Gleeson are incredibly entertaining supports and definitely make the movie more fun that it would be otherwise.
The legendary Stan Winston's effects work is top tier, and honestly, the flashes of CGI haven't aged too badly when all is said and done.
Lake Placid is certainly a product of its time, but it's a relic worth remembering. A unabashed, on-the-nose, 90s creature feature that did the double monster fake out before The Meg made it cool, and it's kind of glorious in its own special way.
The whole cast is great actually. Bridget Fonda and Bill Pullman are likable enough leads, even if they're generically molded to specifically fit this kind of film. Oliver Platt and Brendon Gleeson are incredibly entertaining supports and definitely make the movie more fun that it would be otherwise.
The legendary Stan Winston's effects work is top tier, and honestly, the flashes of CGI haven't aged too badly when all is said and done.
Lake Placid is certainly a product of its time, but it's a relic worth remembering. A unabashed, on-the-nose, 90s creature feature that did the double monster fake out before The Meg made it cool, and it's kind of glorious in its own special way.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated The Umbrella Academy in TV
Mar 7, 2019 (Updated Mar 7, 2019)
Characters (1 more)
SFX
One For A Rainy Day
A few years ago when I heard the guy from My Chemical Romance had wrote a graphic novel, it peaked my interest, but after reading up on some reviews of the book, it just sounded like a rip-off of other properties like Watchmen and X-Men and to be honest I wasn't a huge fan of the obscure character designs and bizarre artwork. I never got around to reading it after this as I was kind of put off by the accusations of unoriginality and the weird art.
Then late last year, I read that there was a Netflix adaption of the show being released and my curiosity was once again peaked. After reading some of the early glowing reviews from critics, I knew that I had found my next binge.
This show is fantastic, which for the most part is owed to it's well written and well acted characters. The members of the Umbrella Academy and their various odd relationships with one another, as well as the outsiders that have interaction with them throughout the show, make the character dynamics of this show as a whole pretty unique and exciting. The cast are all brilliant, with Robert Sheehan's Klaus being the clear stand-out. He gets all of the best lines and nails the American accent that he speaks with in the show.
It is cool to get an insight into the world that the show-runners have crafted, which is as odd as it is charming. It is similar to our own world, with a few pretty drastic changes that change the dynamic of the universe in a oddly interesting way. There were points while watching the show that I was reminded of other superhero stories like Watchmen and X-Men, but instead of Umbrella Academy blatantly ripping off these other stories, it instead takes some of the best parts from its respective influences and adapts them to suit the narrative that is unfolding. It comes off as more of a wink and a nod than just a lazy copy/paste job.
I also feel like the amazing CGI work on Pogo the chimp, - who is highly intelligent and serves as the family's butler, - deserves a shout-out. It is quite possibly the best CGI that I have ever seen in a TV show and is almost on the same level as the CGI on Caesar in the Planet Of The Apes movies.
Overall, The Umbrella Academy is a stellar example of what happens when a show embraces it's influences and presents them in a coherent way in collaboration with the original story that the show itself is telling. It is not the greatest superhero story ever filmed, but it is an extremely entertaining and satisfying ride that the show takes you on over its 10 episodes and it is well worth your time.
Then late last year, I read that there was a Netflix adaption of the show being released and my curiosity was once again peaked. After reading some of the early glowing reviews from critics, I knew that I had found my next binge.
This show is fantastic, which for the most part is owed to it's well written and well acted characters. The members of the Umbrella Academy and their various odd relationships with one another, as well as the outsiders that have interaction with them throughout the show, make the character dynamics of this show as a whole pretty unique and exciting. The cast are all brilliant, with Robert Sheehan's Klaus being the clear stand-out. He gets all of the best lines and nails the American accent that he speaks with in the show.
It is cool to get an insight into the world that the show-runners have crafted, which is as odd as it is charming. It is similar to our own world, with a few pretty drastic changes that change the dynamic of the universe in a oddly interesting way. There were points while watching the show that I was reminded of other superhero stories like Watchmen and X-Men, but instead of Umbrella Academy blatantly ripping off these other stories, it instead takes some of the best parts from its respective influences and adapts them to suit the narrative that is unfolding. It comes off as more of a wink and a nod than just a lazy copy/paste job.
I also feel like the amazing CGI work on Pogo the chimp, - who is highly intelligent and serves as the family's butler, - deserves a shout-out. It is quite possibly the best CGI that I have ever seen in a TV show and is almost on the same level as the CGI on Caesar in the Planet Of The Apes movies.
Overall, The Umbrella Academy is a stellar example of what happens when a show embraces it's influences and presents them in a coherent way in collaboration with the original story that the show itself is telling. It is not the greatest superhero story ever filmed, but it is an extremely entertaining and satisfying ride that the show takes you on over its 10 episodes and it is well worth your time.