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Darren (1599 KP) rated The Addams Family (1991) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: The Addams Family starts as we meet the family Morticia (Huston), Gomez (Julia), Lurch (Struycken), Wednesday (Ricci), Pugsley (Workman) and Thing (Hart) who have been trying to contact Uncle Fester after his disppearnce years before. Bring in Tully Alford (Hedaya) and his wife Margaret (Ivey) who want the Addams family fortune.
Tully and Abigail Craven (Wilson) use her son Gordon (Lloyd) to pretend to be Uncle Fester as he enters the house to find his share of the fortune but his adventure are nothing like he would expect as he has to deal with the unusual behaviour of the Addams family. It isn’t long before the family starts to question this Uncle Fester and soon begin to love the strange character even if he isn’t the man they thought he was.
The Addams Family is one of the true classic family comedy fantasy film that shows just how different we can see each person in our own family to be different. The interactions between the family are all twisted in a loving way where we could see others question while the interaction with the people outside the family all come off slightly awkward which sums up the family perfectly.
The con-artist side of the story comes off nicely as we can see how naïve a family can be but even with love people can change. The performances are all great with Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston have perfect chemistry as the father and mother of the family. The rest of the cast all give great performances that you can believe from start to finish with the uniqueness given to each character.
Overall: Underrated classic that hits on all of the unique style needed to make it truly stand out.
https://moviesreview101.com/2017/01/18/the-addams-family-1991/
Tully and Abigail Craven (Wilson) use her son Gordon (Lloyd) to pretend to be Uncle Fester as he enters the house to find his share of the fortune but his adventure are nothing like he would expect as he has to deal with the unusual behaviour of the Addams family. It isn’t long before the family starts to question this Uncle Fester and soon begin to love the strange character even if he isn’t the man they thought he was.
The Addams Family is one of the true classic family comedy fantasy film that shows just how different we can see each person in our own family to be different. The interactions between the family are all twisted in a loving way where we could see others question while the interaction with the people outside the family all come off slightly awkward which sums up the family perfectly.
The con-artist side of the story comes off nicely as we can see how naïve a family can be but even with love people can change. The performances are all great with Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston have perfect chemistry as the father and mother of the family. The rest of the cast all give great performances that you can believe from start to finish with the uniqueness given to each character.
Overall: Underrated classic that hits on all of the unique style needed to make it truly stand out.
https://moviesreview101.com/2017/01/18/the-addams-family-1991/
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Now and Forever (Wild at Heart, #2) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Romance and suspense in the mountains of Idaho Territory, 1866.
Shannon Wilde, the middle sister, has a soft spot for animals. She cares for her flock of sheep on her homestead. When her life takes a dramatic turn off of a cliff with Matthew Tucker, she finds herself married to the rugged mountain man. Shannon is a strong independent woman who is not used to being protected by a man. But as attacks begin to try and drive her off her land, maybe she needs that protection after all. The attacker picked the wrong family to mess with, Tucker's fury is not something to trifle with. But will he be able to protect the wife that he is falling in love with? Will her past drive a wedge between them? Find out on another adventure with the Wilde family!
Mary Connealy is quickly becoming one of my favorite western authors. Her romantic comedy has a side of action and terror, which makes her books well balanced. Now & Forever is not for squeamish stomachs however. I found myself grimacing as I read through a couple of the scenes. I was hooked from the start though, and I couldn't put it down through all of the action and suspense. It really felt like Criminal Minds meets the Old West as they try to find out who is behind the attacks. I enjoyed watching as Shannon and Tucker's relationship developed, turning into love and respect for one another. After experiencing unbelievable horrors in he Civil War, Shannon's faith is on shaky ground. Tucker helps her through her journey of reestablishing that faith in God. Even with their challenging upbringings and pasts, they learn to work through their differences, becoming a team that is inseparable.
I received a free copy of Now & Forever from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.
Shannon Wilde, the middle sister, has a soft spot for animals. She cares for her flock of sheep on her homestead. When her life takes a dramatic turn off of a cliff with Matthew Tucker, she finds herself married to the rugged mountain man. Shannon is a strong independent woman who is not used to being protected by a man. But as attacks begin to try and drive her off her land, maybe she needs that protection after all. The attacker picked the wrong family to mess with, Tucker's fury is not something to trifle with. But will he be able to protect the wife that he is falling in love with? Will her past drive a wedge between them? Find out on another adventure with the Wilde family!
Mary Connealy is quickly becoming one of my favorite western authors. Her romantic comedy has a side of action and terror, which makes her books well balanced. Now & Forever is not for squeamish stomachs however. I found myself grimacing as I read through a couple of the scenes. I was hooked from the start though, and I couldn't put it down through all of the action and suspense. It really felt like Criminal Minds meets the Old West as they try to find out who is behind the attacks. I enjoyed watching as Shannon and Tucker's relationship developed, turning into love and respect for one another. After experiencing unbelievable horrors in he Civil War, Shannon's faith is on shaky ground. Tucker helps her through her journey of reestablishing that faith in God. Even with their challenging upbringings and pasts, they learn to work through their differences, becoming a team that is inseparable.
I received a free copy of Now & Forever from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.
Rache (174 KP) rated The Happytime Murders (2017) in Movies
Jan 6, 2019
Funny (1 more)
Inappropriate
Nearly But Not Quite
Contains spoilers, click to show
Starting with the introduction of a puppet private detective, this is intended to be a gritty, noir, detective story with the added twist of Jim Henson puppets as characters. While film technology has vastly improved since such films as Cool World, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit, puppet technology hasn't really changed, so the puppets all have overtones of The Muppets and Sesame Street.
Despite the humour inherent in puppet characters, and the use of puppets as an analogue for minority populations (up to and including a puppet who has been 'humanised'), it's neither funny enough nor enough of a social commentary to fit into one of those two dichotomous genres.
Noir comedy, carpet-bombed with dick jokes, riddled with puppet humour, and boiling with 'social commentary', this film doesn't really land in a single genre, and the ones it tries to are too different to make a really good film. It turns out a bit like 'Muppets She Wrote' with added swearing and crudery.
Melissa Mccarthy plays the typical irreverent, foul-mouthed, stereotypical racist cop, and interacts really well with the puppets, but even all of her talent can't save this film.
It's funny (the puppet sex scene is just insane), carries some preachiness about racism (trying to decide how much 'puppet' makes someone a puppet based on a surgical implant), thoroughly irreverent (foul mouthed, 'drug' addled puppets), has an okay storyline (the twist is fairly well written), and concludes with the usual happy Muppets ending, but it feels like it's trying too hard to do too much. Perhaps, if it had tried to do less, it could have been a really good film.
All of that taken into account, it's not bad for something to watch for lighthearted fun, if you don't want to think too hard about it.
Despite the humour inherent in puppet characters, and the use of puppets as an analogue for minority populations (up to and including a puppet who has been 'humanised'), it's neither funny enough nor enough of a social commentary to fit into one of those two dichotomous genres.
Noir comedy, carpet-bombed with dick jokes, riddled with puppet humour, and boiling with 'social commentary', this film doesn't really land in a single genre, and the ones it tries to are too different to make a really good film. It turns out a bit like 'Muppets She Wrote' with added swearing and crudery.
Melissa Mccarthy plays the typical irreverent, foul-mouthed, stereotypical racist cop, and interacts really well with the puppets, but even all of her talent can't save this film.
It's funny (the puppet sex scene is just insane), carries some preachiness about racism (trying to decide how much 'puppet' makes someone a puppet based on a surgical implant), thoroughly irreverent (foul mouthed, 'drug' addled puppets), has an okay storyline (the twist is fairly well written), and concludes with the usual happy Muppets ending, but it feels like it's trying too hard to do too much. Perhaps, if it had tried to do less, it could have been a really good film.
All of that taken into account, it's not bad for something to watch for lighthearted fun, if you don't want to think too hard about it.
Darren (64 KP) rated Joker (2019) in Movies
Oct 27, 2019
People misunderstand this film.
Watching Joker, I knew that this would not be your average DC film. Knowing this, I think this is why i enjoyed it and i can understand why a lot of people didn't. Arthur Fleck is isolated and bullied by society, He has dreams of being a comedian except,He's not very funny. Arthur takes jobs to earn money and also cares for his mum. Arthur is already a man on the edge, He takes pills every day to suppress a personality disorder. The further we go into the film the further, we feel Arthur's Pain. He does not fit in anywhere. Arthur just wants to be accepted and to make people happy through comedy. When a social service program receives funding cuts which stops him from having his medication. Arthur finds out a shattering piece of news, which, in his fragile state of mind, tips him over the edge.
I can't really say anymore with spoilers and i don't want to spoil the film for anyone who has not yet seen it. For me personally, I went in with the mindset of watching Joker as a film about a mentally ill and unstable man rejected by society. That's why i enjoyed it. If you go in expecting Batman to pop up then , My friends, You will be seriously disappointed.
All i can say is, it's a slow burner of a film and that is for good reason so we fully understand the trauma of being Arthur. I've no doubt if nominated Joaquin Phoenix will win all awards given out in awards season. His performance is that brilliant. Is he the best Joker though? ....We'll leave that up for debate.
I can't really say anymore with spoilers and i don't want to spoil the film for anyone who has not yet seen it. For me personally, I went in with the mindset of watching Joker as a film about a mentally ill and unstable man rejected by society. That's why i enjoyed it. If you go in expecting Batman to pop up then , My friends, You will be seriously disappointed.
All i can say is, it's a slow burner of a film and that is for good reason so we fully understand the trauma of being Arthur. I've no doubt if nominated Joaquin Phoenix will win all awards given out in awards season. His performance is that brilliant. Is he the best Joker though? ....We'll leave that up for debate.
Andy K (10821 KP) rated Basket Case (1982) in Movies
Oct 26, 2019
Basket full o' fun!
What would your life be like if you were a former conjoined twin, couldn't tell anyone about it, and then also carried around your now separated deformed, menacing killer twin in a wicker basket?
Thus the premise of this entertaining, yet goofy 80s horror comedy.
Awkward, nerdy Duane Bradley comes to stay at a low rate hotel with a scummy array inhabitants in search of a normal life. He is always carrying this large basket which he holds dearly, but won't let anyone look inside. The basket occasionally makes unusual sounds and shimmies every once in a while, but its contents remain a mystery.
He goes to a doctor's office only to unleash the basket contents on the unsuspecting physician. Turns out his now unattached deformed brother survived their separation operation and is now a menacing, killer globule out for revenge. The killing spree continues for the other doctors and random hotel inhabitants, but then Barry meets a girl he likes. She likes him back. Barry struggles to keep his new love away from his brother who can also read his thoughts.
Will love survive?
Along with films like Braindead, Society or even Re-Animator, Basket Case makes its case as a cult 80s classic. Yeah fine, the dialogue and acting are cheesy and sometimes over the top, but the gore and interesting practical effect kills are there for fun. The creation of the basket creature was interesting and not something I had seen before. Once the revenge plot element was revealed, you are sort of rooting on the separated twins to continue and complete their quest of carnage just so you can see more clever murder sequences.
If you don't take it seriously it's pretty fun.
Thus the premise of this entertaining, yet goofy 80s horror comedy.
Awkward, nerdy Duane Bradley comes to stay at a low rate hotel with a scummy array inhabitants in search of a normal life. He is always carrying this large basket which he holds dearly, but won't let anyone look inside. The basket occasionally makes unusual sounds and shimmies every once in a while, but its contents remain a mystery.
He goes to a doctor's office only to unleash the basket contents on the unsuspecting physician. Turns out his now unattached deformed brother survived their separation operation and is now a menacing, killer globule out for revenge. The killing spree continues for the other doctors and random hotel inhabitants, but then Barry meets a girl he likes. She likes him back. Barry struggles to keep his new love away from his brother who can also read his thoughts.
Will love survive?
Along with films like Braindead, Society or even Re-Animator, Basket Case makes its case as a cult 80s classic. Yeah fine, the dialogue and acting are cheesy and sometimes over the top, but the gore and interesting practical effect kills are there for fun. The creation of the basket creature was interesting and not something I had seen before. Once the revenge plot element was revealed, you are sort of rooting on the separated twins to continue and complete their quest of carnage just so you can see more clever murder sequences.
If you don't take it seriously it's pretty fun.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Morning Glory (2010) in Movies
Aug 8, 2019 (Updated Aug 8, 2019)
Suddenly fired from a job she worked incredibly hard at, Becky finds herself hitting the mean streets of New York to continue to pursue her dream of producing a television show. The odds are stacked against her when she finds herself producing a failing morning show with challenging anchors, a boss who doubts her skills, and a new romance threatening to distract her already splintered focus.
Diane Keaton brightens the screen looking great while completely selling her role as the eager morning television show anchorwomen, Colleen Peck. The unexpected Harrison Ford adds a rough edge as the once great journalist and now subpar anchorman, Mike Pomeroy. However, it is rising actress, Rachel Adams, as the determined Becky, who stole the show.
Morning Glory offers exactly the amount of oddness one might expect from a film with action star Harrison Ford as a news guy. Yet somehow the story is sweet and mildly uplifting and, on occasion, laugh out loud funny.
The plot is not brilliant, new, or even all that imaginative, still the film is unique. Morning Glory oddly brings to mind “Little Black Book” all be it in a much lighter and less romantically driven tone. In fact the romance element is so light in this film that it is much more likely to fall in the drama/comedy category, with romance taking a backseat to the real focus of the film: the challenges of work-obsessed Becky.
Mashed firmly between an decent episode of the Mary Tyler Moore show and the Dolly Parton classic “9 to 5”, Morning Glory is a one-of-a-kind take on a story that is increasingly all too familiar. Without the unnecessary bells and whistles so often thrown in to modern cinema, Morning Glory keeps the audience watching and sometimes even laughing.
Diane Keaton brightens the screen looking great while completely selling her role as the eager morning television show anchorwomen, Colleen Peck. The unexpected Harrison Ford adds a rough edge as the once great journalist and now subpar anchorman, Mike Pomeroy. However, it is rising actress, Rachel Adams, as the determined Becky, who stole the show.
Morning Glory offers exactly the amount of oddness one might expect from a film with action star Harrison Ford as a news guy. Yet somehow the story is sweet and mildly uplifting and, on occasion, laugh out loud funny.
The plot is not brilliant, new, or even all that imaginative, still the film is unique. Morning Glory oddly brings to mind “Little Black Book” all be it in a much lighter and less romantically driven tone. In fact the romance element is so light in this film that it is much more likely to fall in the drama/comedy category, with romance taking a backseat to the real focus of the film: the challenges of work-obsessed Becky.
Mashed firmly between an decent episode of the Mary Tyler Moore show and the Dolly Parton classic “9 to 5”, Morning Glory is a one-of-a-kind take on a story that is increasingly all too familiar. Without the unnecessary bells and whistles so often thrown in to modern cinema, Morning Glory keeps the audience watching and sometimes even laughing.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Ninja Assassin (2009) in Movies
Aug 8, 2019
The Ozunu Clan has long been secretly kidnapping and training children to become ninjas. But when a set of Europol agents get a little too close to discovering the secret, it is up to a former student of the Clan, Raizo (Rain), to defend the agents against the brutal ninjas’ attacks.
The film is loosely plotted at best, but it does manage to keep the viewer interested. Maybe it is the consistent comedy mixed with undeniable bloodshed. And there is bloodshed. “Ninja Assassin” is absolutely splattered with gore, weapons, and the unexpected attack that only ninjas can bring.
Joel Silver, of “Lethal Weapon”, “Die Hard”, and “Predator” fame, and the renowned Wachowski brothers, creators of “the Matrix”, are the producers behind “Ninja Assassin”. Therefore it should come as no surprise that the fight scenes are also engrossing in this ninja-tacular flick.
The international cast includes Korean superstar Rain as Raizo and martial arts regular Sho Kosugi, as the ninja master. The appearance of Ben Miles (from the hit British TV show “Coupling”) as Ryan Maslow, superior to the Europol officer and lead Mika Coretti (Naomie Harris), also enhances the casting of this one of kind film.
And it is one of a kind. What is most appealing about “Ninja Assassin” is that it truly displays ninjas in the way every child thinks about them; cunning, violent, and awesome. Somehow in a world full of films that feel like a new version of the same old thing, “Ninja Assassin” has… dare I write… a freshness.
Keeping you on the edge of your seat, focused on the nonstop 360 degree fight sequences and funny one-liners, “Ninja Assassin” brings more than expected to the big screen.
The film is loosely plotted at best, but it does manage to keep the viewer interested. Maybe it is the consistent comedy mixed with undeniable bloodshed. And there is bloodshed. “Ninja Assassin” is absolutely splattered with gore, weapons, and the unexpected attack that only ninjas can bring.
Joel Silver, of “Lethal Weapon”, “Die Hard”, and “Predator” fame, and the renowned Wachowski brothers, creators of “the Matrix”, are the producers behind “Ninja Assassin”. Therefore it should come as no surprise that the fight scenes are also engrossing in this ninja-tacular flick.
The international cast includes Korean superstar Rain as Raizo and martial arts regular Sho Kosugi, as the ninja master. The appearance of Ben Miles (from the hit British TV show “Coupling”) as Ryan Maslow, superior to the Europol officer and lead Mika Coretti (Naomie Harris), also enhances the casting of this one of kind film.
And it is one of a kind. What is most appealing about “Ninja Assassin” is that it truly displays ninjas in the way every child thinks about them; cunning, violent, and awesome. Somehow in a world full of films that feel like a new version of the same old thing, “Ninja Assassin” has… dare I write… a freshness.
Keeping you on the edge of your seat, focused on the nonstop 360 degree fight sequences and funny one-liners, “Ninja Assassin” brings more than expected to the big screen.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) in Movies
Nov 19, 2019 (Updated Nov 20, 2019)
Drunk Johnny Part 1
Yo-Ho, what do you get when you based you movie off of a disney ride, a great movie. Yes you read the correctly, this movie is based off of the ride at disney. So how does a 20-30 minute ride turn into a 2h and 20min movie, well you expand it. Expand it and make it have a great plot, good charcters, a great villian and a drunking Johnny Depp or Johnny Depp playing pirate Keith Richards.
The Plot: Capt. Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) arrives at Port Royal in the Caribbean without a ship or crew. His timing is inopportune, however, because later that evening the town is besieged by a pirate ship. The pirates kidnap the governor's daughter, Elizabeth (Keira Knightley), who's in possession of a valuable coin that is linked to a curse that has transformed the pirates into the undead. A gallant blacksmith (Orlando Bloom) in love with Elizabeth allies with Sparrow in pursuit of the pirates.
It was also significant in being the first film released under the Walt Disney Pictures banner to be rated PG-13 by the MPAA.
The film spun off four sequels, with the latest sequel released in 2017. The first two were back-to-back sequels in 2006 and 2007, Dead Man's Chest and At World's End, respectively. The third sequel, On Stranger Tides, was released in 2011. The fourth sequel, Dead Men Tell No Tales, was slated to begin production in October 2014 for a summer 2016 release, but was eventually delayed to May 2017. It was directed by Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg. While none of the sequels matched the critical acclaim of the first film, they were still box office successes nevertheless.
It is a classic movie, it has comedy, action, adventure and most importanly pirates.
The Plot: Capt. Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) arrives at Port Royal in the Caribbean without a ship or crew. His timing is inopportune, however, because later that evening the town is besieged by a pirate ship. The pirates kidnap the governor's daughter, Elizabeth (Keira Knightley), who's in possession of a valuable coin that is linked to a curse that has transformed the pirates into the undead. A gallant blacksmith (Orlando Bloom) in love with Elizabeth allies with Sparrow in pursuit of the pirates.
It was also significant in being the first film released under the Walt Disney Pictures banner to be rated PG-13 by the MPAA.
The film spun off four sequels, with the latest sequel released in 2017. The first two were back-to-back sequels in 2006 and 2007, Dead Man's Chest and At World's End, respectively. The third sequel, On Stranger Tides, was released in 2011. The fourth sequel, Dead Men Tell No Tales, was slated to begin production in October 2014 for a summer 2016 release, but was eventually delayed to May 2017. It was directed by Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg. While none of the sequels matched the critical acclaim of the first film, they were still box office successes nevertheless.
It is a classic movie, it has comedy, action, adventure and most importanly pirates.
Tim McGuire (301 KP) rated S.F.W. (1994) in Movies
Jan 7, 2020
374. S.F.W. One of my fave movie of the 90s. I recently noticed that it was based on a novel. Read it, rewatched movie, and it was still dope... One day Cliff Spab and his best friend since birth Joe Dice head into a convenience store for smokes and beer. Unluckily for them this was also the day that a terrorist organization called Split Image decide to take the place over, and everyone that happened to be in the store as hostages. The masked men are also filming them the entire time, pretty much keeping track of them losing their minds, after all, they've only been eating junk food and beer for the past month. Obvi they make it out after putting up a fight when they've reached the end of their ropes. However, only two make it out alive, Cliff, who everyone calls Spab and a upper class young woman, Wendy. The tale starts at the end of the hostage crisis. Upon escape, Spab and Wendy realize they are now celebrities, every night on TV, millions watched the events unfold in the store. Cliff puts on a brave smart ass attitude making the public love him more, but inside he's suffering some ptsd, and he just wants to disappear. His family use him for the fame, his friends use him for the fame. His one true friend is dead. And the only one he can share any of this with is Wendy, and they are being kept apart by fame, family and all of that. Movie gives you a look at our news becoming just pure entertainment, based on money and popularity. And this was before the internet. Stephen Dorff as Spab and Reese Witherspoon as Wendy were awesome in this dark comedy, with a freaking kick ass soundtrack! Check it out! Filmbufftim on FB.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated How To Be Single (2016) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Being a single twenty something in New York City is one of the best and one of the worst things all at the same time. Alice (Dakota Johnson) thinks it is time to see what the single life is all about by take a “break” from her longtime boyfriend Josh (Nicholas Braun). Unfortunately as we all know things don’t always work out the way people want and Alice must figure out who she is. With the help of her friend Robin (Rebel Wilson) and her sister Meg (Leslie Mann), Alice faces the challenges and benefits that come with being single. While Alice is trying to find her way the plot looks into the lives of Tom (Anders Holm) the flirty bartender who would pretty much bang anything that walks, Lucy (Alison Brie) the crazed romantic who believes she can find the one, and Meg, Alice’s doctor sister who find out she wants everything she never wanted. “How to Be Single” shows us that we need to take time to find ourselves and that things do happen in time.
Directed by Christian Ditter and loosely based off of Liz Tuccillo’s novel How to Be Single the film is actually quite relatable. While it is not a necessity to be single, finding yourself is an essential part of life and people should explore new opportunities no matter what others tell them. As far as the acting goes, it was ok but nothing Oscar worthy. Also for a romantic comedy I feel this movie is more relatable then most, it shows that love isn’t perfect and instantaneous. I would recommend this film to people who are going to have a girl’s night, because to its core this movie came down to friendship. Would I see this film again? Sure, Rebel Wilson’s one liners in the film were hilarious and kept me hooked.
Directed by Christian Ditter and loosely based off of Liz Tuccillo’s novel How to Be Single the film is actually quite relatable. While it is not a necessity to be single, finding yourself is an essential part of life and people should explore new opportunities no matter what others tell them. As far as the acting goes, it was ok but nothing Oscar worthy. Also for a romantic comedy I feel this movie is more relatable then most, it shows that love isn’t perfect and instantaneous. I would recommend this film to people who are going to have a girl’s night, because to its core this movie came down to friendship. Would I see this film again? Sure, Rebel Wilson’s one liners in the film were hilarious and kept me hooked.