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LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated X-Men Origins - Wolverine (2009) in Movies
Jul 10, 2019
A low point for the X-Men franchise
X-Men Origins: Wolverine is an awful awful film, for many reasons.
Firstly - no one really seems to be too enthusiastic about what they're doing. Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, and Danny Huston do the best with the piss-poor script, but everyone else just seems to be going through the motions.
Secondly - the characters. This movie contains not one, but two fan favourite X-Men characters, making their big screen debut, just to be thrown under the bus. Gambit for starters, is a shadow of the character he is in the comic - Taylor Kitsch just being himself, whilst getting one very brief action scene that hardly shows off his powers.
The other character is of course Deadpool - Ryan Reynolds is entertaining enough throughout the opening scene - but when we're introduced to the proper Deadpool near the climax of the film... Words truly fail me, it's just embarrassing.
Thirdly - what the hell on Earth is going on with the CGI in this movie? This is the fourth X-Men film and the effects are worse than ever. Wolverines claws look like a child had just drawn over the film.
It's just terrible from start to finish. The fact that the following X-Men Origins: Magneto got cancelled almost immediately after this was released is a example of just how much of a misstep this film was.
There are a few positives though - the opening montage of Logan fighting in different wars throughout history was pretty cool, Liev Schreiber is a welcome addition as Sabretooth after Tyler Mane in the original X-Men movie, and the best thing about this film? The adaption of Deadpool was so abysmal that Ryan Reynolds took it upon himself to eventually get a proper Deadpool movie rolling.
Final thought - please don't let Will.I.Am near anymore movie sets, thanks.
Firstly - no one really seems to be too enthusiastic about what they're doing. Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, and Danny Huston do the best with the piss-poor script, but everyone else just seems to be going through the motions.
Secondly - the characters. This movie contains not one, but two fan favourite X-Men characters, making their big screen debut, just to be thrown under the bus. Gambit for starters, is a shadow of the character he is in the comic - Taylor Kitsch just being himself, whilst getting one very brief action scene that hardly shows off his powers.
The other character is of course Deadpool - Ryan Reynolds is entertaining enough throughout the opening scene - but when we're introduced to the proper Deadpool near the climax of the film... Words truly fail me, it's just embarrassing.
Thirdly - what the hell on Earth is going on with the CGI in this movie? This is the fourth X-Men film and the effects are worse than ever. Wolverines claws look like a child had just drawn over the film.
It's just terrible from start to finish. The fact that the following X-Men Origins: Magneto got cancelled almost immediately after this was released is a example of just how much of a misstep this film was.
There are a few positives though - the opening montage of Logan fighting in different wars throughout history was pretty cool, Liev Schreiber is a welcome addition as Sabretooth after Tyler Mane in the original X-Men movie, and the best thing about this film? The adaption of Deadpool was so abysmal that Ryan Reynolds took it upon himself to eventually get a proper Deadpool movie rolling.
Final thought - please don't let Will.I.Am near anymore movie sets, thanks.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Doom: Annihilation (2019) in Movies
Feb 7, 2020
Doom Annihilation is not a good film, no sir, but it's honestly not as terrible as I expected it to be.
The main problem stems from the low budget - a low budget doesn't always mean a bad end product, but when that end product is a sci-fi horror based on a hyper violent video game, there are going to be issues.
The whole film has a plastic cheap look to it. It works to a certain degree - it does have a kind of Starship Troopers-esque aesthetic (a good thing), but the cheap looking weapons and re used sets are a glaring eyesore.
The monsters a very generic for the most part, but I do respect that the bulk of them are practical. The CGI that is used is mostly awful, with a few exceptions - the occasional exterior shots of the base are passable, and the ending sequence doesn't look too bad - but otherwise, it's used infrequently, and for good reason.
The actors involved all do the best with what they're given - lead Amy Manson is likable enough - but the poor character writing provides us with a group of cliché ridden Marines and scientists that feel like cannon fodder.
The only concrete connection to the Doom game series that I noticed was the character of Dr Betruger, but that's it. The fact that Bethesda and id Software stayed well away from this, and that the production team were not allowed to use anything from the 2016 Doom reboot onwards, shows that maybe this shouldn't have been a thing.
As a schlocky B-movie sci-fi horror, it's not completely terrible, but I can't help but feel it shouldn't have the Doom brand attached to it, and even a cheeky Wolfenstein reference won't change my mind on that.
The main problem stems from the low budget - a low budget doesn't always mean a bad end product, but when that end product is a sci-fi horror based on a hyper violent video game, there are going to be issues.
The whole film has a plastic cheap look to it. It works to a certain degree - it does have a kind of Starship Troopers-esque aesthetic (a good thing), but the cheap looking weapons and re used sets are a glaring eyesore.
The monsters a very generic for the most part, but I do respect that the bulk of them are practical. The CGI that is used is mostly awful, with a few exceptions - the occasional exterior shots of the base are passable, and the ending sequence doesn't look too bad - but otherwise, it's used infrequently, and for good reason.
The actors involved all do the best with what they're given - lead Amy Manson is likable enough - but the poor character writing provides us with a group of cliché ridden Marines and scientists that feel like cannon fodder.
The only concrete connection to the Doom game series that I noticed was the character of Dr Betruger, but that's it. The fact that Bethesda and id Software stayed well away from this, and that the production team were not allowed to use anything from the 2016 Doom reboot onwards, shows that maybe this shouldn't have been a thing.
As a schlocky B-movie sci-fi horror, it's not completely terrible, but I can't help but feel it shouldn't have the Doom brand attached to it, and even a cheeky Wolfenstein reference won't change my mind on that.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Rambo: Last Blood (2019) in Movies
Mar 25, 2020
Honestly, I'm not a massive fan of the Rambo franchise. I don't hate them...the first movie is enjoyable enough, but anything else I can give or take.
Rambo: Last Blood, the fifth and (apparently) last chapter in this "saga" is no different.
The plot takes a fair while to really kick into gear. The set up heavily focuses on sex trafficking. It's not a pleasant subject by any means, and to Last Blood's credit, it doesn't glamourise this horrible avenue of humanity, much like the previous film doesn't glamourise war in Burma. It's gritty and horrible, and the film pulls no punches in what's it's willing to put on camera.
John Rambo is old, and still haunted by everything he's seen over the years, a plot point that the movie likes to beat us over the head with, and when his adopted daughter is abducted into the aforementioned sex trafficking nastiness, it's up to Rambo to get her back.
Sylvester Stallone looks damn tired at this point. He's still weirdly stacked, and it's still hard work trying to understand what the hell he is saying, but that's all part of the fun, I guess?
The second half is where it becomes 'business as usual'. A load of dudes come to fuck up Rambo, and gratuitous violence takes places. The ensuing carnage relishes in how over the top it is, and is undeniably fun to watch. It's difficult at times to look past the sub par CGI gore, but there's still enough moments to make you wince. Carrying the torch of Rambo 4 then...
Rambo: Last Blood is absolute nonsense, and I say that with enthusiastic certainty, but if you're willing to switch off abit, then there's enough to enjoy for a one off watch.
Rambo: Last Blood, the fifth and (apparently) last chapter in this "saga" is no different.
The plot takes a fair while to really kick into gear. The set up heavily focuses on sex trafficking. It's not a pleasant subject by any means, and to Last Blood's credit, it doesn't glamourise this horrible avenue of humanity, much like the previous film doesn't glamourise war in Burma. It's gritty and horrible, and the film pulls no punches in what's it's willing to put on camera.
John Rambo is old, and still haunted by everything he's seen over the years, a plot point that the movie likes to beat us over the head with, and when his adopted daughter is abducted into the aforementioned sex trafficking nastiness, it's up to Rambo to get her back.
Sylvester Stallone looks damn tired at this point. He's still weirdly stacked, and it's still hard work trying to understand what the hell he is saying, but that's all part of the fun, I guess?
The second half is where it becomes 'business as usual'. A load of dudes come to fuck up Rambo, and gratuitous violence takes places. The ensuing carnage relishes in how over the top it is, and is undeniably fun to watch. It's difficult at times to look past the sub par CGI gore, but there's still enough moments to make you wince. Carrying the torch of Rambo 4 then...
Rambo: Last Blood is absolute nonsense, and I say that with enthusiastic certainty, but if you're willing to switch off abit, then there's enough to enjoy for a one off watch.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Campaign (2012) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
When a pug owning, sweater-wearing simpleton, Marty Huggins (Zach Galifianakis), unexpectedly becomes the congressional candidate of choice for two wealthy businessmen, he finds himself in a wild race against the walking political stereotype incumbent, Cam Brady (Will Ferrell).
Galifianakis fans will be excited to see the star playing a new role; the slightly sweet bumpkin, Marty, is a far cry from Galifianakis’ breakout character in “The Hangover”. And his co-star, Will Ferrell once again steps out of the shadow of Frank the Tank to remind the public just how funny he can be. And the film is well rounded with the noteworthy side characters, from the unstoppably serious campaign manager played by Dylan McDermott to the sharply focused politician’s wife played by Katherine LaNasa
Offering viewers an unending stream of chuckles, “The Campaign” is not gut-bustingly-hilarious. Instead the film is a stream of small jokes about the American political system, focusing on the lying and issue-skirting that the politics are famed for. Dotted with the occasional crazed political strategy and creative mud-slinging, “The Campaign” avoids trying too hard through simple comedy.
However, the film is not without fault. The movie is slow at times and there are a number of unnecessarily forced scenes, such as the already rumor-riddled CGI baby punch. Moreover, the disappointing portrayal of Cam’s advisor, Mitch, by the usually hilarious Jason Sudeikis, added no value to the picture.
Even with these small flubs, the film succeeds due to the comedic partnership of Galifianakis and Ferrell. The duo knows no bounds when it comes to delivering ridiculous funny lines.
A pleasant way to kick-off the political season, “The Campaign” manages to avoid all-too-common political comedy errors by focusing on the funny facets of the political process and avoiding the actual issues.
Galifianakis fans will be excited to see the star playing a new role; the slightly sweet bumpkin, Marty, is a far cry from Galifianakis’ breakout character in “The Hangover”. And his co-star, Will Ferrell once again steps out of the shadow of Frank the Tank to remind the public just how funny he can be. And the film is well rounded with the noteworthy side characters, from the unstoppably serious campaign manager played by Dylan McDermott to the sharply focused politician’s wife played by Katherine LaNasa
Offering viewers an unending stream of chuckles, “The Campaign” is not gut-bustingly-hilarious. Instead the film is a stream of small jokes about the American political system, focusing on the lying and issue-skirting that the politics are famed for. Dotted with the occasional crazed political strategy and creative mud-slinging, “The Campaign” avoids trying too hard through simple comedy.
However, the film is not without fault. The movie is slow at times and there are a number of unnecessarily forced scenes, such as the already rumor-riddled CGI baby punch. Moreover, the disappointing portrayal of Cam’s advisor, Mitch, by the usually hilarious Jason Sudeikis, added no value to the picture.
Even with these small flubs, the film succeeds due to the comedic partnership of Galifianakis and Ferrell. The duo knows no bounds when it comes to delivering ridiculous funny lines.
A pleasant way to kick-off the political season, “The Campaign” manages to avoid all-too-common political comedy errors by focusing on the funny facets of the political process and avoiding the actual issues.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Crawl (2019) in Movies
Feb 16, 2020
Crawl is silly. Like a lot of these types of horrors, it's really silly.
In short, hurricane season hits Florida, and when Haley sets of to find her father, they both end up stuck in the crawlspace under his house, trapped in by large alligators, and rapidly rising flood water.
It's straightforward, no messing around, and gets right to the characters being in peril. For the most part, it's a neat little thriller, that actually has the odd moment in tension, paired with decent performances from Kaya Scodelario and Barry Pepper.
The relationship between their two characters carry the film pretty well, and the actors resolve to stay muddy and soaked throughout is admirable.
The CGI effects are pretty terrible. Nowhere near Sharknado levels of embarrassing, but the small budget of Crawl really shows it's ugly head when it comes to the alligators. When they're in water, it doesn't look so awful, but out of water, they look ripped from a PlayStation 3 cutscenes. This includes the first time we see one, which significantly reduces the impact it could have had, especially after it comes immediately after a pretty good jump scare.
In terms of horror, Crawl isn't scary. As mentioned above, it's more a jump scare type of deal, but they're actually quite effective, and just about reigned in enough to not overdo it. The scariest thing about the movie is mother nature, with all too real stormy conditions on display.
Crawl is mostly enjoyable, buts it's not as fun as The Meg for example (5/10) and not quite as good as The Shallows (6/10) so it sits nicely somewhere in between. Worth a watch if you enjoy a silly monster horror now and again.
In short, hurricane season hits Florida, and when Haley sets of to find her father, they both end up stuck in the crawlspace under his house, trapped in by large alligators, and rapidly rising flood water.
It's straightforward, no messing around, and gets right to the characters being in peril. For the most part, it's a neat little thriller, that actually has the odd moment in tension, paired with decent performances from Kaya Scodelario and Barry Pepper.
The relationship between their two characters carry the film pretty well, and the actors resolve to stay muddy and soaked throughout is admirable.
The CGI effects are pretty terrible. Nowhere near Sharknado levels of embarrassing, but the small budget of Crawl really shows it's ugly head when it comes to the alligators. When they're in water, it doesn't look so awful, but out of water, they look ripped from a PlayStation 3 cutscenes. This includes the first time we see one, which significantly reduces the impact it could have had, especially after it comes immediately after a pretty good jump scare.
In terms of horror, Crawl isn't scary. As mentioned above, it's more a jump scare type of deal, but they're actually quite effective, and just about reigned in enough to not overdo it. The scariest thing about the movie is mother nature, with all too real stormy conditions on display.
Crawl is mostly enjoyable, buts it's not as fun as The Meg for example (5/10) and not quite as good as The Shallows (6/10) so it sits nicely somewhere in between. Worth a watch if you enjoy a silly monster horror now and again.
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Rim of the World (2019) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020
Really Good Summer Sci-Fi Movie
Rim Of The World is a sci-fi adventure movie directed by McG from a screenplay by Zach Stentz. It was produced by Wonderland Sound and Vision and Circle of Confusion and distributed by Netflix. The film stars Jack Gore, Miya Cech, Benjamin Flores, Jr., and Alessio Scalzotto.
Alex, a smarter than average 13-year old, is forced to go to the same summer camp that his mother went to when she was a girl. The summer camp is called Rim of the World and while there he meets three other teenagers, Darius the joker, Gabriel the tough guy, and Zhen Zhen the tomboy. They all stick together when suddenly aliens begin to attack the area. A space pod crash lands and an astronaut inside entrusts Alex with the key to stopping the alien invasion. They must now travel 40 miles away on their own through dangerous obstacles but as they do they will begin to bond and become friends.
First off this movie is a perfect summer flick for watching with friends who like sci-fi. It seemed to have a lot of comparisons and similarities to The Goonies, which I believe was the inspiration for it. I liked how each character had very distinct personalities. Alex the main character, has the greatest character growth out of the group but they all change along the journey. The special effects and CGI could have been way better and at times were down right laughable. But the actors performances and the scenes where they are better really sell the film. This movie is definitely not to be taken seriously but still has moments of drama that take it up a notch. I had a fun time watching it. I give it a 7/10.
Alex, a smarter than average 13-year old, is forced to go to the same summer camp that his mother went to when she was a girl. The summer camp is called Rim of the World and while there he meets three other teenagers, Darius the joker, Gabriel the tough guy, and Zhen Zhen the tomboy. They all stick together when suddenly aliens begin to attack the area. A space pod crash lands and an astronaut inside entrusts Alex with the key to stopping the alien invasion. They must now travel 40 miles away on their own through dangerous obstacles but as they do they will begin to bond and become friends.
First off this movie is a perfect summer flick for watching with friends who like sci-fi. It seemed to have a lot of comparisons and similarities to The Goonies, which I believe was the inspiration for it. I liked how each character had very distinct personalities. Alex the main character, has the greatest character growth out of the group but they all change along the journey. The special effects and CGI could have been way better and at times were down right laughable. But the actors performances and the scenes where they are better really sell the film. This movie is definitely not to be taken seriously but still has moments of drama that take it up a notch. I had a fun time watching it. I give it a 7/10.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Project Power (2020) in Movies
Sep 10, 2020
If you're looking for a straight down the middle-of-the-road action flick, then you're in the right place.
Project Power has a decent concept - a new street drug that gives the user a random superpower for 5 minutes is running rampant in New Orleans. Police officer Frank (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is working hard to shut the whole thing down, whilst Art (Jamie Foxx) has a more personal vendetta against the manufacturers of the drug, and will stop at nothing to get to those at the top.
Now, Jamie Foxx is a damn fine actor, and here is no exception. He carries the film along side Dominique Fishback (a teenage dealer who sort of becomes his sidekick). The two of them share some great chemistry, and gave the film a bit of heart.
The usually reliable Gordon-Levitt however seems so uninterested in what he's doing. Honestly looks and sounds like he just doesn't give a fuck, which is a shame - he's usually a highlight for me!
The CGI in this movie is weird - sometimes it looks pretty decent, other times it looks horrible.
The majority of the final action sequence - good. The big scary bearded guy knocking down thick steel doors - bad.
The woman who turns icy - fairly good. The guy who turns into a big angry monster thing - really really bad, like the first Harry Potter troll bad.
Some of the action is entertaining, but it's nothing we haven't seen before from the up and down X-Men franchise.
Project Power isn't a bad film - it's watchable for the most part, it's just a little underwhelming, and I have no doubt I'll have forgotten it in a few days.
Project Power has a decent concept - a new street drug that gives the user a random superpower for 5 minutes is running rampant in New Orleans. Police officer Frank (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is working hard to shut the whole thing down, whilst Art (Jamie Foxx) has a more personal vendetta against the manufacturers of the drug, and will stop at nothing to get to those at the top.
Now, Jamie Foxx is a damn fine actor, and here is no exception. He carries the film along side Dominique Fishback (a teenage dealer who sort of becomes his sidekick). The two of them share some great chemistry, and gave the film a bit of heart.
The usually reliable Gordon-Levitt however seems so uninterested in what he's doing. Honestly looks and sounds like he just doesn't give a fuck, which is a shame - he's usually a highlight for me!
The CGI in this movie is weird - sometimes it looks pretty decent, other times it looks horrible.
The majority of the final action sequence - good. The big scary bearded guy knocking down thick steel doors - bad.
The woman who turns icy - fairly good. The guy who turns into a big angry monster thing - really really bad, like the first Harry Potter troll bad.
Some of the action is entertaining, but it's nothing we haven't seen before from the up and down X-Men franchise.
Project Power isn't a bad film - it's watchable for the most part, it's just a little underwhelming, and I have no doubt I'll have forgotten it in a few days.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Underwater (2020) in Movies
Sep 11, 2020
Fair play, Underwater doesn't fuck around - 2 minutes in and all hell starts breaking loose and shit hits the fan pretty relentlessly until the credits roll. It's clear that director William Eubank wants your attention from the beginning - unfortunately it doesn't quite stay like this throughout...
I actually enjoyed Underwater for the most part, it's just that somewhere in the middle, it really starts to drag a bit, and I'm not even quite sure why - there's always something going on but it just lost me a bit.
Fortunately, the up and down middle act is book-ended by a very strong and tense first act, and one hell of a final third - no spoilers here but holy fuck!!!
The ending 'reveal' honestly elevates Underwater to loftier heights.
It also benefits from a good cast. Kristen Stewart has really grown on me in recent years and she's a fantastic lead in this. Always a pleasure to have Jessica Henwick and John Gallagher Jr. onscreen as well.
As per usual, I couldn't really get on with T.J. Miller - there's just something about that dude that always feels a bit too try hard - people liked him in Deadpool and now he's just typecast as the comic relief - Underwater doesn't really need comic relief.
There are some genuinely tense moments here and there, and the Aliens vibes are prominent - it's of course a few tiers under Aliens, but the bottom of the sea feels just as empty and otherworldly as space, and the creature designs are suitably eerie. The low light levels cover up a lot of CGI, so it never looks too fake either, with the exception of a couple of dodgy gore effects.
Underwater is a decent enough sci-fi-horror thriller that suffer a bit from pacing issues, but a good watch for those of you who like movie monsters.
I actually enjoyed Underwater for the most part, it's just that somewhere in the middle, it really starts to drag a bit, and I'm not even quite sure why - there's always something going on but it just lost me a bit.
Fortunately, the up and down middle act is book-ended by a very strong and tense first act, and one hell of a final third - no spoilers here but holy fuck!!!
The ending 'reveal' honestly elevates Underwater to loftier heights.
It also benefits from a good cast. Kristen Stewart has really grown on me in recent years and she's a fantastic lead in this. Always a pleasure to have Jessica Henwick and John Gallagher Jr. onscreen as well.
As per usual, I couldn't really get on with T.J. Miller - there's just something about that dude that always feels a bit too try hard - people liked him in Deadpool and now he's just typecast as the comic relief - Underwater doesn't really need comic relief.
There are some genuinely tense moments here and there, and the Aliens vibes are prominent - it's of course a few tiers under Aliens, but the bottom of the sea feels just as empty and otherworldly as space, and the creature designs are suitably eerie. The low light levels cover up a lot of CGI, so it never looks too fake either, with the exception of a couple of dodgy gore effects.
Underwater is a decent enough sci-fi-horror thriller that suffer a bit from pacing issues, but a good watch for those of you who like movie monsters.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated The Avengers (2012) in Movies
Sep 17, 2020
The first Avengers movie is a real treat - it was at the time of the release and it is now. In 2012, the culmination of the first handful of MCU movies was just glorious, seeing all these heroes together for the first time. Now in 2020, we've become accustomed to that, spoilt by the more recent Infinity War and Endgame, it's easy to forget just how special Avengers is in it's comparative humbleness, especially for people who grew up reading these stories in comic books.
The main bulk of the cast, comprised of Robert Downey Jr, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo (in his first appearance as Bruce Banner/Hulk), Samuel L. Jackson, and Jeremy Renner all bounce off of each other so naturally. The balance of dramatic moments and back and forth humour on display laid the blueprint for many MCU films to come, most notably Guardians of the Galaxy.
Tom Hiddleston steps up his game from the first Thor film and gives us an instantly iconic villain in Loki, one that has only been rivalled since by Thanos in terms of character development and story.
The set pieces are fantastic as well, most memorably, the Hulk and Thor battle on the Helicarrier, and of course the huge and ridiculous final show down in Manhattan, and the CGI still looks great 8 years down the line. A big event movie such as this was only made possible by introducing the individual characters slowly over a number of years, and it's proof that patience pays off. A formula that Marvel Studios have since mastered.
I know that none of these films are The Shawshank Redemption or Citizen Kane, but fuck me, films like Avengers Assemble (it's UK title) are so stupidly entertaining, and everything a kid who grew up reading comics could possibly want.
The main bulk of the cast, comprised of Robert Downey Jr, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo (in his first appearance as Bruce Banner/Hulk), Samuel L. Jackson, and Jeremy Renner all bounce off of each other so naturally. The balance of dramatic moments and back and forth humour on display laid the blueprint for many MCU films to come, most notably Guardians of the Galaxy.
Tom Hiddleston steps up his game from the first Thor film and gives us an instantly iconic villain in Loki, one that has only been rivalled since by Thanos in terms of character development and story.
The set pieces are fantastic as well, most memorably, the Hulk and Thor battle on the Helicarrier, and of course the huge and ridiculous final show down in Manhattan, and the CGI still looks great 8 years down the line. A big event movie such as this was only made possible by introducing the individual characters slowly over a number of years, and it's proof that patience pays off. A formula that Marvel Studios have since mastered.
I know that none of these films are The Shawshank Redemption or Citizen Kane, but fuck me, films like Avengers Assemble (it's UK title) are so stupidly entertaining, and everything a kid who grew up reading comics could possibly want.