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Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Gifted (2017) in Movies
Jan 13, 2019
Good Stuff
After the death of his sister, Frank (Chris Evans) opts to take in his extremely intelligent niece Mary (McKenna Grace) and raise her like he thought his sister would have wanted. His hope is to protect her from growing up too fast, particularly from ending up in the clutches of his mom Evelyn (Lindsay Duncan) who would prefer to hole Mary up in a private institution.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
When I look at characters and how they impact a movie, it’s not just about how intriguing they are, but also about how real they are. I love characters that are flawed and you get that with Frank. He’s just trying to do the right thing by his sister and his niece while still trying to live his own life as well. There are oftentimes where he’s wondering if he’s making the right decision and you’re wondering right along with him. I really appreciate the relationship between him and Mary as it wasn’t all rainbows and lollipops. They’ve clearly had some disagreements, but they love each other through it.
The supporting characters helped to hold the movie up as well. Bonnie (Jenny Slate) was probably my personal favorite as the warm caring teacher who genuinely wants the best for Mary. Both encouraging and sweet, she is another character whose story you get to unpack more and more as the movie progresses.
Cinematography/Visuals: 7
Great imagery and shots of a sleepy town in coastal Florida. There isn’t much to blow you away in the way of cinematography, but I appreciate the consistency at the very least. They keep the scenery fresh throughout which was good enough for me.
Conflict: 8
Genre: 7
Memorability: 8
Pace: 10
Plot: 10
Resolution: 8
Overall: 88
I’ve seen Gifted quite a few times, whether all the way through or in bits and pieces. Everytime I watch it, I find someting different to appreciate it. Solid surprise of a movie.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
When I look at characters and how they impact a movie, it’s not just about how intriguing they are, but also about how real they are. I love characters that are flawed and you get that with Frank. He’s just trying to do the right thing by his sister and his niece while still trying to live his own life as well. There are oftentimes where he’s wondering if he’s making the right decision and you’re wondering right along with him. I really appreciate the relationship between him and Mary as it wasn’t all rainbows and lollipops. They’ve clearly had some disagreements, but they love each other through it.
The supporting characters helped to hold the movie up as well. Bonnie (Jenny Slate) was probably my personal favorite as the warm caring teacher who genuinely wants the best for Mary. Both encouraging and sweet, she is another character whose story you get to unpack more and more as the movie progresses.
Cinematography/Visuals: 7
Great imagery and shots of a sleepy town in coastal Florida. There isn’t much to blow you away in the way of cinematography, but I appreciate the consistency at the very least. They keep the scenery fresh throughout which was good enough for me.
Conflict: 8
Genre: 7
Memorability: 8
Pace: 10
Plot: 10
Resolution: 8
Overall: 88
I’ve seen Gifted quite a few times, whether all the way through or in bits and pieces. Everytime I watch it, I find someting different to appreciate it. Solid surprise of a movie.
Midge (525 KP) rated The Perfect Husband in Books
Dec 12, 2018
Plenty of romance (2 more)
Well written
Very dark and pyschologically suspenseful
Fantastic And Addictive!
When Shelly's marriage ends in divorce, she's left completely devastated and feeling like she's never going to find love again. Then she meets Eric after joining an online dating agency, and he's handsome, caring, and everything she has ever wanted. From romantic dates to expensive gifts, it's as if she's in a dream.
But just when Shelly thinks she's finally found her perfect match, she begins to realize that all is not as it seems. As the cracks start to develop, perhaps Eric isn't everything she thought he was. Will her dream become a nightmare?
Shelly is very much in love and is blissfully unaware of and ignores all the warning signs that Eric is unwittingly giving out.
"He was making me feel things I'd never felt before. And there, at that moment, blanketed by his warm kisses and tender love, I felt like I was in heaven and I knew I would never be the same."
Her best friend, Jackie and her work colleagues are also equally charmed by him.
"He's incredible, .....I can certainly see why you're falling in love with him. He's so generous......."
Then the warning triggers come, that all is not right with Eric.
"You should download a GPS tracker app on your cell phone so I can keep tabs on you."
"You're joking, right?"
"Not really........"
After Shelly and Eric marry, outgoing, attractive, confident Shelly is frequently accused of flirtatious behaviour with other men and is forced into sex acts and acting out her husband's fantasies. She becomes a shadow of herself, whilst keeping up the pretence of a perfect marriage.
This novel is a fantastic and addictive read and I was very impressed with the author's writing style. Although there is plenty of romance, it is also a very dark, psychologically suspenseful novel and certainly not all hearts and flowers.
But just when Shelly thinks she's finally found her perfect match, she begins to realize that all is not as it seems. As the cracks start to develop, perhaps Eric isn't everything she thought he was. Will her dream become a nightmare?
Shelly is very much in love and is blissfully unaware of and ignores all the warning signs that Eric is unwittingly giving out.
"He was making me feel things I'd never felt before. And there, at that moment, blanketed by his warm kisses and tender love, I felt like I was in heaven and I knew I would never be the same."
Her best friend, Jackie and her work colleagues are also equally charmed by him.
"He's incredible, .....I can certainly see why you're falling in love with him. He's so generous......."
Then the warning triggers come, that all is not right with Eric.
"You should download a GPS tracker app on your cell phone so I can keep tabs on you."
"You're joking, right?"
"Not really........"
After Shelly and Eric marry, outgoing, attractive, confident Shelly is frequently accused of flirtatious behaviour with other men and is forced into sex acts and acting out her husband's fantasies. She becomes a shadow of herself, whilst keeping up the pretence of a perfect marriage.
This novel is a fantastic and addictive read and I was very impressed with the author's writing style. Although there is plenty of romance, it is also a very dark, psychologically suspenseful novel and certainly not all hearts and flowers.
Merissa (12841 KP) rated Digging Deep (Digging Deep #1) in Books
Aug 14, 2019
Digging Deep (Digging Deep #1) by Jay Hogan
Digging Deep is the first book in the series of the same name, and it goes off with an exceptional bang!!! Due to my work history, I have a good amount of knowledge to do with Crohn's Disease, and how they may end up with ostomy bags in particular. However, this story made it all so much more real! No more dry text books for me. I was able to relate on a much more personal level, seeing the impact it had on both Drake and Caleb respectively.
Both of these characters stole my heart. From the sassy yet oh-so-prickly midwife, to the caring and considerate ex-man-whore who wants to try this "romance shit" with the guy who's gotten under his skin. There was only one issue that was never fully answered to my satisfaction (😉), and that was Leanne. Why was she 'off', as Caleb put it? I understand how the review because of the child would affect her, but that was sorted, and she was still not right? I'm not sure if I missed anything or not, but this is just a minor point, which has absolutely nothing to do with my total enjoyment of this book.
Excellently written, with enough detail for you to sympathise with the main characters without it taking over the whole story. I don't think there were any editing or grammatical errors in this book, but to be honest, I was too engrossed with the story. I was intrigued by the blurb, and simply fascinated by the story itself. Absolutely recommended by me, and I really can't wait to continue with the series!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Both of these characters stole my heart. From the sassy yet oh-so-prickly midwife, to the caring and considerate ex-man-whore who wants to try this "romance shit" with the guy who's gotten under his skin. There was only one issue that was never fully answered to my satisfaction (😉), and that was Leanne. Why was she 'off', as Caleb put it? I understand how the review because of the child would affect her, but that was sorted, and she was still not right? I'm not sure if I missed anything or not, but this is just a minor point, which has absolutely nothing to do with my total enjoyment of this book.
Excellently written, with enough detail for you to sympathise with the main characters without it taking over the whole story. I don't think there were any editing or grammatical errors in this book, but to be honest, I was too engrossed with the story. I was intrigued by the blurb, and simply fascinated by the story itself. Absolutely recommended by me, and I really can't wait to continue with the series!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
An enjoyable Victorian mystery
Julia McAllister is a female photographer in 1895 who works for herself - which is a struggle in England at this time, as she would have had no legal rights. She pretends to her clients that she is working for a male photographer, but in reality he left her the business when he died. So, in order to make ends meet she finds work taking ‘French Style’ photos. These were risqué pornographic photos. Julia makes sure her models are comfortable with what they’re doing and that they’re well paid. She feels responsible for these young women.
When three of them are found murdered, and Julia is visited by an Inspector Collingwood asking questions because her stamp is on the back of the photos found with these women, Julia is devastated. Devastated that she is in the frame, and devastated that she has lost women who she considers to be friends. So Julia sets out to find the killer herself, because she has secrets that she doesn’t want anyone finding out.
This book is pretty jam packed with dead bodies, if I’m honest. The dead models and two unconnected men. Julia is involved with finding the perpetrators of these deaths too. So if you don’t like dead bodies, you’re going to struggle with this one! Although it’s not graphic in any way. It’s not a salacious book - the photos aren’t really described in any great detail: the making of them is just a part of the story.
I liked Julia. She is a caring character who looks after her models, her neighbours, and she even gives a home to a street urchin. I found the photography descriptions (taking photos and developing them) really interesting, and I thought the setting was really well described: the sights and sounds of a busy urban Victorian England especially. This is a very enjoyable book, and one for those who enjoy an easy reading mystery.
Many thanks to Sapere Books for sending me my copy to read and honestly review.
When three of them are found murdered, and Julia is visited by an Inspector Collingwood asking questions because her stamp is on the back of the photos found with these women, Julia is devastated. Devastated that she is in the frame, and devastated that she has lost women who she considers to be friends. So Julia sets out to find the killer herself, because she has secrets that she doesn’t want anyone finding out.
This book is pretty jam packed with dead bodies, if I’m honest. The dead models and two unconnected men. Julia is involved with finding the perpetrators of these deaths too. So if you don’t like dead bodies, you’re going to struggle with this one! Although it’s not graphic in any way. It’s not a salacious book - the photos aren’t really described in any great detail: the making of them is just a part of the story.
I liked Julia. She is a caring character who looks after her models, her neighbours, and she even gives a home to a street urchin. I found the photography descriptions (taking photos and developing them) really interesting, and I thought the setting was really well described: the sights and sounds of a busy urban Victorian England especially. This is a very enjoyable book, and one for those who enjoy an easy reading mystery.
Many thanks to Sapere Books for sending me my copy to read and honestly review.
Midge (525 KP) rated The Billionaire's Sham Girlfriend in Books
Dec 17, 2018
Sweet and wonderful (2 more)
Full of sexy chemistry
Very likeable main characters
A Delightful, Sexy Must Read!
I absolutely adored this wonderful, sweet little romance from the very beginning.
Gregor Beaumont likes racing fast cars and seducing fast women. His late grandfather wanted to make sure Gregor and his two playboy brothers settle down and he had the brilliant idea of buying up a huge share of the brothers’ engine company and using that as an incentive for each brother to find Mrs Right. Settle down or lose the company to a competitor. Gregor has other ideas. He wants a charming but desperate girl to pretend to be his girlfriend. No problem, unless things start to get complicated.
Enter Kara Alerby. Gregor comes into her theatre wanting to hire her to act the part of his adoring girlfriend and offering lots of money that would really help her realise her dream of creating a school for gifted children. She can resist his smiles, his charisma, his beautiful blue eyes and his kiss-me mouth if it means she’ll get her school. She only needs to remember that it’s all a pretence.
When Gregor's love of racing puts his life in jeopardy, Kara isn’t ready to watch another person die in front of her as her father did. Gregor isn’t about to stop doing the one thing that makes life worth living. The two are on a collision course, one that could break them apart forever if they don’t change directions.
Although Gregor has a very public, playboy image, I loved the sexy chemistry between Kara and him whenever they were together and they were both very likeable characters. Kara is bright, ambitious and caring and very much knows her own mind. Gregor is gorgeous, mischievous and soulful. The story was sweet and captivating to the end and loads of fun to read if a little too short.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone.
Thank you to NetGalley, Relay Publishing and the author for a copy of this book.
Gregor Beaumont likes racing fast cars and seducing fast women. His late grandfather wanted to make sure Gregor and his two playboy brothers settle down and he had the brilliant idea of buying up a huge share of the brothers’ engine company and using that as an incentive for each brother to find Mrs Right. Settle down or lose the company to a competitor. Gregor has other ideas. He wants a charming but desperate girl to pretend to be his girlfriend. No problem, unless things start to get complicated.
Enter Kara Alerby. Gregor comes into her theatre wanting to hire her to act the part of his adoring girlfriend and offering lots of money that would really help her realise her dream of creating a school for gifted children. She can resist his smiles, his charisma, his beautiful blue eyes and his kiss-me mouth if it means she’ll get her school. She only needs to remember that it’s all a pretence.
When Gregor's love of racing puts his life in jeopardy, Kara isn’t ready to watch another person die in front of her as her father did. Gregor isn’t about to stop doing the one thing that makes life worth living. The two are on a collision course, one that could break them apart forever if they don’t change directions.
Although Gregor has a very public, playboy image, I loved the sexy chemistry between Kara and him whenever they were together and they were both very likeable characters. Kara is bright, ambitious and caring and very much knows her own mind. Gregor is gorgeous, mischievous and soulful. The story was sweet and captivating to the end and loads of fun to read if a little too short.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone.
Thank you to NetGalley, Relay Publishing and the author for a copy of this book.
Nicely written (2 more)
Adorable lead character
Lots of wit and humour
A Delight To Read!
Wow, what a fantastic beginning to a new series! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book from the very first page.
Shattered is the first novel of the "Drew Patrick Private Investigator" series, with PI Drew Patrick as the lead character.
Shattered begins with Cynthia and Jeffrey Holland, who are concerned for their daughter, Ashley, who is missing. Ashley, although prone to jetting off for long weekends and extended shopping trips, is very much a free spirit and has never been incommunicado for more than four days. When Ashley and another young woman, Hannah Parks, are found murdered, Drew realises he is facing two murder investigations. He is now on the trail of a contract killer and looking for the person who hired the assassin to carry out the murders.
When a third woman, Victoria Clark, vanishes from a luxury yacht and her body is washed up on shore, Drew needs to look deeper into the links between the victims. However, he finds himself in deep water with a renowned Boston crime boss.
I loved the portrayal of the relationship between Drew and his significant other, girlfriend Jessica Casey. They are "romantically involved" and have a relaxed, easy-going attitude towards one another. Drew is very thoughtful and caring of all of the important things and people in his life. He also has a good rapport with his working acquaintances. Jessica has beauty and brains, works for a Detective Agency and is very helpful to Drew as a PI.
Drew has some hilarious moments that make him adorable. I thought Shattered, though short, was very nicely written and I found it a delight to read. Though the ending was not a surprise, I loved the way the book was concluded.
Reading Shattered has inspired me to read other books by Jason Richards and I can't wait for the next one in this series!
Thank you to LibraryThing and the author for an ARC of this book.
Shattered is the first novel of the "Drew Patrick Private Investigator" series, with PI Drew Patrick as the lead character.
Shattered begins with Cynthia and Jeffrey Holland, who are concerned for their daughter, Ashley, who is missing. Ashley, although prone to jetting off for long weekends and extended shopping trips, is very much a free spirit and has never been incommunicado for more than four days. When Ashley and another young woman, Hannah Parks, are found murdered, Drew realises he is facing two murder investigations. He is now on the trail of a contract killer and looking for the person who hired the assassin to carry out the murders.
When a third woman, Victoria Clark, vanishes from a luxury yacht and her body is washed up on shore, Drew needs to look deeper into the links between the victims. However, he finds himself in deep water with a renowned Boston crime boss.
I loved the portrayal of the relationship between Drew and his significant other, girlfriend Jessica Casey. They are "romantically involved" and have a relaxed, easy-going attitude towards one another. Drew is very thoughtful and caring of all of the important things and people in his life. He also has a good rapport with his working acquaintances. Jessica has beauty and brains, works for a Detective Agency and is very helpful to Drew as a PI.
Drew has some hilarious moments that make him adorable. I thought Shattered, though short, was very nicely written and I found it a delight to read. Though the ending was not a surprise, I loved the way the book was concluded.
Reading Shattered has inspired me to read other books by Jason Richards and I can't wait for the next one in this series!
Thank you to LibraryThing and the author for an ARC of this book.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Body (2015) in Movies
Jul 25, 2019
Story: Body starts as three friends Holly (Rogers), Cali (Turshen) and Mel (Molina) who are on a girls night including drinks, drugs and partying on Christmas, the night ends up taking them to Cali’s Uncle’s mansion.
When it turns out the house isn’t belonging to who Cali claimed they get a visitor searching for the intruder but the accident finds him falling down the stairs and the girls needing to figure out a way of covering up the accident.
Thoughts on Body
Characters/Performance – Holly is the quiet girl with the most promising future of the three, Cali is the popular friend that always gets the other two in trouble who believes she is every boys dream. Mel is the friend from the respected family that finds herself in the middle of all the decisions the two need to make. It would be fair to say these are not the best people in the first place which struggles to make us care about them.
Performance wise, the three girls all do a solid job through the film but we are left still not caring about the characters they are playing.
Story – The story follows three friends who start with one illegal action which spiral out of control as we get to see the true actions of these people. This is a good character study in places but it does just end up falling into the problem as we don’t care about characters involved.
Crime/Thriller – The crime side of the story shows us what the characters would be getting up if they were in a situation the girls find themselves in.
Settings – The film takes part inside one house which works for the story as we are left to see what the characters do to overcome the problem.
Final Thoughts – This is a good character study but doesn’t make you care about the characters involved in the story.
Overall: Clever attempt at a character study.
When it turns out the house isn’t belonging to who Cali claimed they get a visitor searching for the intruder but the accident finds him falling down the stairs and the girls needing to figure out a way of covering up the accident.
Thoughts on Body
Characters/Performance – Holly is the quiet girl with the most promising future of the three, Cali is the popular friend that always gets the other two in trouble who believes she is every boys dream. Mel is the friend from the respected family that finds herself in the middle of all the decisions the two need to make. It would be fair to say these are not the best people in the first place which struggles to make us care about them.
Performance wise, the three girls all do a solid job through the film but we are left still not caring about the characters they are playing.
Story – The story follows three friends who start with one illegal action which spiral out of control as we get to see the true actions of these people. This is a good character study in places but it does just end up falling into the problem as we don’t care about characters involved.
Crime/Thriller – The crime side of the story shows us what the characters would be getting up if they were in a situation the girls find themselves in.
Settings – The film takes part inside one house which works for the story as we are left to see what the characters do to overcome the problem.
Final Thoughts – This is a good character study but doesn’t make you care about the characters involved in the story.
Overall: Clever attempt at a character study.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Crown and Anchor (2019) in Movies
Jul 25, 2019
Story: Body starts as three friends Holly (Rogers), Cali (Turshen) and Mel (Molina) who are on a girls night including drinks, drugs and partying on Christmas, the night ends up taking them to Cali’s Uncle’s mansion.
When it turns out the house isn’t belonging to who Cali claimed they get a visitor searching for the intruder but the accident finds him falling down the stairs and the girls needing to figure out a way of covering up the accident.
Thoughts on Body
Characters/Performance – Holly is the quiet girl with the most promising future of the three, Cali is the popular friend that always gets the other two in trouble who believes she is every boys dream. Mel is the friend from the respected family that finds herself in the middle of all the decisions the two need to make. It would be fair to say these are not the best people in the first place which struggles to make us care about them.
Performance wise, the three girls all do a solid job through the film but we are left still not caring about the characters they are playing.
Story – The story follows three friends who start with one illegal action which spiral out of control as we get to see the true actions of these people. This is a good character study in places but it does just end up falling into the problem as we don’t care about characters involved.
Crime/Thriller – The crime side of the story shows us what the characters would be getting up if they were in a situation the girls find themselves in.
Settings – The film takes part inside one house which works for the story as we are left to see what the characters do to overcome the problem.
Final Thoughts – This is a good character study but doesn’t make you care about the characters involved in the story.
Overall: Clever attempt at a character study.
When it turns out the house isn’t belonging to who Cali claimed they get a visitor searching for the intruder but the accident finds him falling down the stairs and the girls needing to figure out a way of covering up the accident.
Thoughts on Body
Characters/Performance – Holly is the quiet girl with the most promising future of the three, Cali is the popular friend that always gets the other two in trouble who believes she is every boys dream. Mel is the friend from the respected family that finds herself in the middle of all the decisions the two need to make. It would be fair to say these are not the best people in the first place which struggles to make us care about them.
Performance wise, the three girls all do a solid job through the film but we are left still not caring about the characters they are playing.
Story – The story follows three friends who start with one illegal action which spiral out of control as we get to see the true actions of these people. This is a good character study in places but it does just end up falling into the problem as we don’t care about characters involved.
Crime/Thriller – The crime side of the story shows us what the characters would be getting up if they were in a situation the girls find themselves in.
Settings – The film takes part inside one house which works for the story as we are left to see what the characters do to overcome the problem.
Final Thoughts – This is a good character study but doesn’t make you care about the characters involved in the story.
Overall: Clever attempt at a character study.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Transporter Refueled (2015) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
The suit, the car, and the keys have been handed over to Ed Skrein (Game of Thrones) as he takes over the role of Frank Martin, made popular by Jason Statham in the first three films of the Transporter franchise. In this iteration, Frank finds himself in the center of a storm of sex, money and violence. The formula is generally the same as the other films in that, Frank is tasked to perform a job that is more than what it seems to be.
In this film, he is hired by a group of prostitutes who are seeking vengeance on their bosses by robbing them of their fortunes. Transporter: Refueled is filled with great action sequences, dramatic car chases, and exciting fight scenes which would satisfy many fans of the franchise. Unfortunately, the story lacks any depth. There is a love story between Frank and one of the girls that seems heavily out of place, not for the franchise, but with the film itself.
Much of the interchange and exchanges between the characters seems forced and you find yourself not really caring about the “good guys” or have that much of a chance to hate the “bad guys.” At times, it seems as though it would be more of an extension of the Fast and the Furious films with the club scenes, scantily clad women, and its attempt to be younger and fresher.
There is much more of a focus on the stunts, some of which seem to bend the possibilities of physics, and the car chases which will have many people running to Audi dealerships after seeing this film. Transporter: Refueled has problems in establishing its identity in being a Transporter film. In an attempt to break away from its past, it creates an uncertain future and which is something that, for once, Frank Martin is on time for with this film.
In this film, he is hired by a group of prostitutes who are seeking vengeance on their bosses by robbing them of their fortunes. Transporter: Refueled is filled with great action sequences, dramatic car chases, and exciting fight scenes which would satisfy many fans of the franchise. Unfortunately, the story lacks any depth. There is a love story between Frank and one of the girls that seems heavily out of place, not for the franchise, but with the film itself.
Much of the interchange and exchanges between the characters seems forced and you find yourself not really caring about the “good guys” or have that much of a chance to hate the “bad guys.” At times, it seems as though it would be more of an extension of the Fast and the Furious films with the club scenes, scantily clad women, and its attempt to be younger and fresher.
There is much more of a focus on the stunts, some of which seem to bend the possibilities of physics, and the car chases which will have many people running to Audi dealerships after seeing this film. Transporter: Refueled has problems in establishing its identity in being a Transporter film. In an attempt to break away from its past, it creates an uncertain future and which is something that, for once, Frank Martin is on time for with this film.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
In 2012, comedy writer/director/actor Seth MacFarlane created and introduced the world to basically a “live action” episode of his hit show Family Guy with the film Ted. I originally thought that film looked stupid. However as absurd as it was, it was still hilarious. Something about a talking “grown up” Teddy Bear was charming enough, but also required you to completely suspend disbelief and just go with whatever ridiculousness what was shown on screen. It was the success of that film that caused me to have higher expectations for MacFarlane’s new film A Million Ways to Die in the West. Sadly, he is a victim of his own success.
Seth MacFarlane takes on the “leading man” role this time around and unfortunately, he is not a leading man. His constant diatribes about how the west can kill you are delivered in his typical long-winded over intelligent style. Only they feel out of place as the rest of the characters and film do not take themselves remotely serious. Truthfully, I found myself not caring about him at all and was more interested in the other characters. Neil Patrick Harris is a standout as a “mustache man” who steals MacFarlane’s girlfriend and the rest of the cast pull off their cookie cutter western characters well.
That is not to say that this film is not funny. It has its funny parts. However they are far between and few are memorable. Because they try to play this movie a bit more “straight” than Ted, it just doesn’t work as well. Perhaps it is because we have seen it all from MacFarlane before and it is just more of the same.
In the end, if you are a MacFarlane fan and go into this film will medium to low expectations, you won’t be disappointed and will probably enjoy this film. But if you are looking for the next best comedy of the summer or something to make you constantly laugh, best you go check out Neighbors as this film is not near as funny.
Seth MacFarlane takes on the “leading man” role this time around and unfortunately, he is not a leading man. His constant diatribes about how the west can kill you are delivered in his typical long-winded over intelligent style. Only they feel out of place as the rest of the characters and film do not take themselves remotely serious. Truthfully, I found myself not caring about him at all and was more interested in the other characters. Neil Patrick Harris is a standout as a “mustache man” who steals MacFarlane’s girlfriend and the rest of the cast pull off their cookie cutter western characters well.
That is not to say that this film is not funny. It has its funny parts. However they are far between and few are memorable. Because they try to play this movie a bit more “straight” than Ted, it just doesn’t work as well. Perhaps it is because we have seen it all from MacFarlane before and it is just more of the same.
In the end, if you are a MacFarlane fan and go into this film will medium to low expectations, you won’t be disappointed and will probably enjoy this film. But if you are looking for the next best comedy of the summer or something to make you constantly laugh, best you go check out Neighbors as this film is not near as funny.