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Lee (2222 KP) rated Angel Has Fallen (2019) in Movies
Aug 23, 2019
Gerard Butler returns once again as secret service agent Mike Banning in this third entry in the 'fallen' series. The first movie, Olympus Has Fallen (not to be confused with White House Down, the Channing Tatum movie which was also released in 2013 and also covered a similar plot!) saw Banning trapped in the White House during a terrorist attack. It had an enjoyable Die Hard feel to it, and a sequel was inevitable. London Has Fallen (2016) saw Banning venture to London for the funeral of the Prime Minister and becoming involved in a terrorist plot to assassinate the world leaders who were in attendance. Not quite as good as Olympus, losing that enclosed claustrophobic setting from the first movie, but it was still a fun piece of action.
Which brings us to Angel Has Fallen. That angel being Mike Banning, guardian angel to President Trumbull (Morgan Freeman) who has now been promoted from vice president in the last movie. Mike is starting to feel the strain of old age and his years of being a hero and one man army - insomnia, a reliance on pills, migraines. His secret service colleagues, even the president, are noticing his health issues and his doctor plainly tells him "You're a disaster waiting to happen"!
This time round, the terrorist attack comes in the form of a swarm of drones, which appear in the skies over the lake where the president is fishing on a boat. Taking out the secret service team on protection duty, both the president and Banning are forced into the water in order to try and avoid being blown to pieces. But, instead of being hailed a hero once again, Banning is now accused of masterminding and orchestrating the attack and it becomes clear that he is being setup, forcing him to go on the run in order to try and clear his name.
Once again, it's all ridiculous crowd pleasing stuff. Some elements make absolutely no sense whatsoever, and it's not exactly difficult to work out who the bad guys are right from the offset - hell, the trailer even gives one of them away! The action for the most part is fairly enjoyable, although it does suffer from the occasional bit of dodgy CGI and there are moments of dark close-up action - quickly edited, shaky camera work, which make it frustratingly difficult to work out what on earth is going on at times.
As with London Has Fallen, we lose that claustrophobic and confined Die Hard action once again, giving us something more alike to The Fugitive and a poor mans John Wick 3. But overall, it's still an enjoyable ride, with a fun cameo from Nick Nolte as Mike's long lost father and a third act which actually delivers.
Which brings us to Angel Has Fallen. That angel being Mike Banning, guardian angel to President Trumbull (Morgan Freeman) who has now been promoted from vice president in the last movie. Mike is starting to feel the strain of old age and his years of being a hero and one man army - insomnia, a reliance on pills, migraines. His secret service colleagues, even the president, are noticing his health issues and his doctor plainly tells him "You're a disaster waiting to happen"!
This time round, the terrorist attack comes in the form of a swarm of drones, which appear in the skies over the lake where the president is fishing on a boat. Taking out the secret service team on protection duty, both the president and Banning are forced into the water in order to try and avoid being blown to pieces. But, instead of being hailed a hero once again, Banning is now accused of masterminding and orchestrating the attack and it becomes clear that he is being setup, forcing him to go on the run in order to try and clear his name.
Once again, it's all ridiculous crowd pleasing stuff. Some elements make absolutely no sense whatsoever, and it's not exactly difficult to work out who the bad guys are right from the offset - hell, the trailer even gives one of them away! The action for the most part is fairly enjoyable, although it does suffer from the occasional bit of dodgy CGI and there are moments of dark close-up action - quickly edited, shaky camera work, which make it frustratingly difficult to work out what on earth is going on at times.
As with London Has Fallen, we lose that claustrophobic and confined Die Hard action once again, giving us something more alike to The Fugitive and a poor mans John Wick 3. But overall, it's still an enjoyable ride, with a fun cameo from Nick Nolte as Mike's long lost father and a third act which actually delivers.
DiscoStu (6 KP) rated Bright (2017) in Movies
Jan 8, 2018 (Updated Jan 8, 2018)
“A competent buddy cop movie that offers solid pacing and character portrayals at the expense of building up the films (admittedly) interesting universe”.
Contains spoilers, click to show
Netflix’s ‘Bright’, directed by David Ayer (Suicide Squad) and starring Will Smith and Joel Edgerton, brings the big budget box office trappings of a fully fledged cinema release to their home streaming subscription service and arguably the end result is a fun and enjoyable, if slightly flawed, buddy-cop-movie-with-a-twist that sets up a universe you’ll likely want to see more of.
Smith plays Daryl Ward, a weary veteran L.A. cop reluctantly partnered with orc partner Nick, the first and only orc to make the force in this alternate earth story. The film opens with Ward taking a round of buckshot from an orc thug whilst Nick looks on waiting for a burrito from a street vendor. The incident leaves a distrust between Ward and Nick, with Ward unsure whether his partner really has his back after Nick not only failed to step up and prevent the shooting but also failed to apprehend the orc perpetrator during the ensuing foot chase. Ward also finds himself at odds with other members of the force who don’t share the police’s ‘progressive’ attitudes of allowing orcs into the force.
The film briefly touches on a two thousand year old conflict between the nine armies and the Dark Lord who was defeated when various races allied to defeat him. In the established lore the orcs allied with the Dark Lord and have been subjugated ever since. The film attempts to portray the orcs through a social commentary that reflects the black community today and how heavy handed the film tackles the subject will probably depend on the viewer. For me it was handled sensitively enough without being too in your face.
The film sees the two protagonists dispatched to a disturbance that quickly escalates to a situation that goes from bad to worse. Finding themselves on the run with a Bright, the film’s titular white haired magic wielders, and a coveted magic wand Ward and Nick have to navigate hostile L.A. gang land environments whilst pursued by Inferni (the magic version of the Illuminati), the police and human and orc gangsters, all who have their own plans for the wand.
The film is shot well, with plenty of scenery that builds up the shared world of humans, orcs, elves , centaurs and the other races that we don’t get to spend any time with. A montage at the start of the film shows various L.A. scenery graffiti tagged with striking imagery depicting the struggle of orcs in an oppressed landscape. Evidently, orc lives matter. The film also doesn’t struggle for pacing. The two hour runtime services the story well enough, even if some of the world building and character exploration suffers as a result. I would have liked to have spent more time exploring the shared history of the various races and understanding the motivations of the stories’ villains but sadly these elements are undersold in favour of a shorter runtime that hurries the narrative along. To the credit of the writers and the director this world bares revisiting and at the time of writing it sounds like Netflix know this too with a sequel already greenlit.
Bright is a fun jaunt in a world I’d like to get to know better. Smith and Edgerton are strong leads who share a strong chemistry and make you care about their characters. The bad guys don’t fare as well here, especially disappointing given that Noomi Rapace is the lead antagonist but hopefully a sequel will correct some of these missteps. Bright feels like a £20 cinema ticket movie and gives enough to the viewer that you’ll want to discuss it with friends afterwards. As a film bundled with your Netflix subscription it’s hard to be too critical.
Smith plays Daryl Ward, a weary veteran L.A. cop reluctantly partnered with orc partner Nick, the first and only orc to make the force in this alternate earth story. The film opens with Ward taking a round of buckshot from an orc thug whilst Nick looks on waiting for a burrito from a street vendor. The incident leaves a distrust between Ward and Nick, with Ward unsure whether his partner really has his back after Nick not only failed to step up and prevent the shooting but also failed to apprehend the orc perpetrator during the ensuing foot chase. Ward also finds himself at odds with other members of the force who don’t share the police’s ‘progressive’ attitudes of allowing orcs into the force.
The film briefly touches on a two thousand year old conflict between the nine armies and the Dark Lord who was defeated when various races allied to defeat him. In the established lore the orcs allied with the Dark Lord and have been subjugated ever since. The film attempts to portray the orcs through a social commentary that reflects the black community today and how heavy handed the film tackles the subject will probably depend on the viewer. For me it was handled sensitively enough without being too in your face.
The film sees the two protagonists dispatched to a disturbance that quickly escalates to a situation that goes from bad to worse. Finding themselves on the run with a Bright, the film’s titular white haired magic wielders, and a coveted magic wand Ward and Nick have to navigate hostile L.A. gang land environments whilst pursued by Inferni (the magic version of the Illuminati), the police and human and orc gangsters, all who have their own plans for the wand.
The film is shot well, with plenty of scenery that builds up the shared world of humans, orcs, elves , centaurs and the other races that we don’t get to spend any time with. A montage at the start of the film shows various L.A. scenery graffiti tagged with striking imagery depicting the struggle of orcs in an oppressed landscape. Evidently, orc lives matter. The film also doesn’t struggle for pacing. The two hour runtime services the story well enough, even if some of the world building and character exploration suffers as a result. I would have liked to have spent more time exploring the shared history of the various races and understanding the motivations of the stories’ villains but sadly these elements are undersold in favour of a shorter runtime that hurries the narrative along. To the credit of the writers and the director this world bares revisiting and at the time of writing it sounds like Netflix know this too with a sequel already greenlit.
Bright is a fun jaunt in a world I’d like to get to know better. Smith and Edgerton are strong leads who share a strong chemistry and make you care about their characters. The bad guys don’t fare as well here, especially disappointing given that Noomi Rapace is the lead antagonist but hopefully a sequel will correct some of these missteps. Bright feels like a £20 cinema ticket movie and gives enough to the viewer that you’ll want to discuss it with friends afterwards. As a film bundled with your Netflix subscription it’s hard to be too critical.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Borderlands 2 - Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
Fans of the award-winning Borderlands 2 will be thrilled with the latest downloadable content adventure (DLC) Tiny Tina’s assault on Dragon Keep. This is the fourth downloadable adventure for the game and while it is not necessary to own or have played the previous adventures it is required that you own the full version of Borderlands 2 in order to enjoy the game.
As any fans of the series will know, Tina is the highly precocious yet unstable character with a penchant for blowing things up. This time around she is hosting a role-playing game session for her colleagues from the first game. With time on their hands, the group reluctantly agrees to take part in the adventure which is set within a fantasy realm. This allows the game developers to capture the elements of Borderlands 2 that works so well such as the team-based gameplay, millions of weapons and power up combinations, customizations, and above all action-packed gameplay while introducing a new twist.
The twist this time around is not only in the fantasy setting which allows gamers to encounter skeletons, dragons, Orcs, dwarves, wizards, and other fantasy opponents, but dealing with Tina herself. As the host of the game, Tina often presents seemingly impossible challenges such as introducing an undefeatable Dragon at the start of the game. This allows humor to enter into the picture as you can clearly hear the other players complaining about this development which in turn causes her to adjust the game on the fly to a more manageable opponent or situation. While being immersed in the game and being able to hear the players banter about their situation as well as complain to Tina really captures the immersive elements of role-playing games and provides some of the best moments of the series to date.
The quest is a straightforward save the Queen style mission but along the way there’ll be plenty of laughs and challenges to keep even the most hard-core gamer satisfied. I took great delight in using my high-powered sniper rifle to take down adult skeletal archers as well as reducing skeletal swordsmen to crumbling piles of bone with one well-placed punch. For me the ultimate delight was knocking a helmet off opponent with a well-placed shot and then sending the skull flying with the follow-up. Unfortunately you still have the skeletal body to contend with but once weakened, they went down very easily. There are no vehicles to contend with this time as all travel is done on foot but this in no way lessens the experience as this is a classic combination of role-playing games and Borderlands universe that comes complete with jokes about rolling for initiative and other genre staples.
There is a lot of challenge offered in the game and at times some of the boss battles are exceptionally difficult and work best when you have players assisting you in the quest. Even so, expect several trips to the regeneration chamber as death is definitely a constant in the game even for the most experienced players. The game supports up to four players and allows them to drop in and out of the game at any time.
The graphics and sound of the game are first rate and illustrate just why Borderlands 2 won so many awards. The detail level of dungeons, castles, dark forests, and other fantasy realms came alive with vivid clarity and was a nice change of pace from the previous settings in and around the world of Pandora. I found myself enjoying this offering more than I had the previous three DLC packs which is saying something as each one of them was highly enjoyable in their own way. The banter between Tina and the players will have fans and stitches but there are some very unexpected and tender moments in the game as well.
There are also plenty of side quests available for those who want to expand their experience and countless new weapons and power up opportunities can be found from the abundant treasure chests that litter the landscape as well as by defeating key opponents. I did find the pathfinding at times to be a bit frustrating especially in the mines as at times various members of the party was unsure of which way to go. That being said, the final result was a big success and I look forward to seeing what is to come next in the franchise. The game is available for the PC, Xbox 360, and Playstation 3 systems.
http://sknr.net/2013/07/11/httpsknr-netreviewsgaming-reviewsborderlands-2-tiny-tinas-assault-on-dragon-keep-on-dragon-keep/
As any fans of the series will know, Tina is the highly precocious yet unstable character with a penchant for blowing things up. This time around she is hosting a role-playing game session for her colleagues from the first game. With time on their hands, the group reluctantly agrees to take part in the adventure which is set within a fantasy realm. This allows the game developers to capture the elements of Borderlands 2 that works so well such as the team-based gameplay, millions of weapons and power up combinations, customizations, and above all action-packed gameplay while introducing a new twist.
The twist this time around is not only in the fantasy setting which allows gamers to encounter skeletons, dragons, Orcs, dwarves, wizards, and other fantasy opponents, but dealing with Tina herself. As the host of the game, Tina often presents seemingly impossible challenges such as introducing an undefeatable Dragon at the start of the game. This allows humor to enter into the picture as you can clearly hear the other players complaining about this development which in turn causes her to adjust the game on the fly to a more manageable opponent or situation. While being immersed in the game and being able to hear the players banter about their situation as well as complain to Tina really captures the immersive elements of role-playing games and provides some of the best moments of the series to date.
The quest is a straightforward save the Queen style mission but along the way there’ll be plenty of laughs and challenges to keep even the most hard-core gamer satisfied. I took great delight in using my high-powered sniper rifle to take down adult skeletal archers as well as reducing skeletal swordsmen to crumbling piles of bone with one well-placed punch. For me the ultimate delight was knocking a helmet off opponent with a well-placed shot and then sending the skull flying with the follow-up. Unfortunately you still have the skeletal body to contend with but once weakened, they went down very easily. There are no vehicles to contend with this time as all travel is done on foot but this in no way lessens the experience as this is a classic combination of role-playing games and Borderlands universe that comes complete with jokes about rolling for initiative and other genre staples.
There is a lot of challenge offered in the game and at times some of the boss battles are exceptionally difficult and work best when you have players assisting you in the quest. Even so, expect several trips to the regeneration chamber as death is definitely a constant in the game even for the most experienced players. The game supports up to four players and allows them to drop in and out of the game at any time.
The graphics and sound of the game are first rate and illustrate just why Borderlands 2 won so many awards. The detail level of dungeons, castles, dark forests, and other fantasy realms came alive with vivid clarity and was a nice change of pace from the previous settings in and around the world of Pandora. I found myself enjoying this offering more than I had the previous three DLC packs which is saying something as each one of them was highly enjoyable in their own way. The banter between Tina and the players will have fans and stitches but there are some very unexpected and tender moments in the game as well.
There are also plenty of side quests available for those who want to expand their experience and countless new weapons and power up opportunities can be found from the abundant treasure chests that litter the landscape as well as by defeating key opponents. I did find the pathfinding at times to be a bit frustrating especially in the mines as at times various members of the party was unsure of which way to go. That being said, the final result was a big success and I look forward to seeing what is to come next in the franchise. The game is available for the PC, Xbox 360, and Playstation 3 systems.
http://sknr.net/2013/07/11/httpsknr-netreviewsgaming-reviewsborderlands-2-tiny-tinas-assault-on-dragon-keep-on-dragon-keep/
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Bad Times at the El Royale (2018) in Movies
Feb 13, 2019
Great Mystery
A strange mystery unfolds at a seedy motel that resides on the border of California and Nevada.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
The cinematics of Bad Times At the El Royale are both vibrant and dark at the same time. The El Royale hotel itself is captured in a nostalgic sense where you get the feel that it’s full of history and not all good history either. There is a seedy undertone that’s unshakeable throughout. I love how director Drew Goddard plays with different elements like rain and close spaces. The two-way mirror scenes definitely increase the intensity of the film. There is so much to appreciate here, I will probably have to watch this again to get the full grasp.
Conflict: 7
While the film definitely could have used more action, the scenes that do exist are pretty solid. It leaves you guessing as you have no idea how things are going to play out. Who will die next? Will this person find what they’re looking for? The conflict is not always driven through direct action, but tension as well. There is one scene in particular involving Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, and Dakota Johnson that is easily my favorite in the entire movie.
Genre: 9
The characters really contribute in making this a strong mystery. Most times, it’s hard to tell up from down and you get just a little bit closer as you learn the backstory of each of the motel residents. From beginning to end, you wonder how things will ultimately play out amongst the group. Clever twists and turns along the way help to give the film life.
Memorability: 8
Never quite seen anything like it which makes Bad Times memorable in and of itself. It all goes back to the one scene I mentioned above, a scene that paralyzed me and had me on the edge of my seat. It was masterfully crafted and I can think of about three other scenes (at least) that come almost as close. Much discussion was had on the drive home.
Pace: 7
Although the twists keep things interesting the movie does get slow in some spots. It’s almost like it’s lulling you to sleep before picking up the pace yet again, like a car shifting gears. Some may have balked at the singing interludes, but I welcomed them. Erivo’s voice is captivating and heartwarming.
Plot: 10
Great storytelling here filled with intrigue and misdirection. From beginning to end, I felt pretty entertained for the most part. Watching everything unfold and all the stories collide was a definite treat.
Resolution: 10
Overall: 91
Great beginning that hooks you immediately. A shady cast of characters. Solid performances from the likes of Bridges and Chris Hemsworth. Solid ending. Bad Times At the El Royale is an awesome movie that is well worth your time.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
The cinematics of Bad Times At the El Royale are both vibrant and dark at the same time. The El Royale hotel itself is captured in a nostalgic sense where you get the feel that it’s full of history and not all good history either. There is a seedy undertone that’s unshakeable throughout. I love how director Drew Goddard plays with different elements like rain and close spaces. The two-way mirror scenes definitely increase the intensity of the film. There is so much to appreciate here, I will probably have to watch this again to get the full grasp.
Conflict: 7
While the film definitely could have used more action, the scenes that do exist are pretty solid. It leaves you guessing as you have no idea how things are going to play out. Who will die next? Will this person find what they’re looking for? The conflict is not always driven through direct action, but tension as well. There is one scene in particular involving Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, and Dakota Johnson that is easily my favorite in the entire movie.
Genre: 9
The characters really contribute in making this a strong mystery. Most times, it’s hard to tell up from down and you get just a little bit closer as you learn the backstory of each of the motel residents. From beginning to end, you wonder how things will ultimately play out amongst the group. Clever twists and turns along the way help to give the film life.
Memorability: 8
Never quite seen anything like it which makes Bad Times memorable in and of itself. It all goes back to the one scene I mentioned above, a scene that paralyzed me and had me on the edge of my seat. It was masterfully crafted and I can think of about three other scenes (at least) that come almost as close. Much discussion was had on the drive home.
Pace: 7
Although the twists keep things interesting the movie does get slow in some spots. It’s almost like it’s lulling you to sleep before picking up the pace yet again, like a car shifting gears. Some may have balked at the singing interludes, but I welcomed them. Erivo’s voice is captivating and heartwarming.
Plot: 10
Great storytelling here filled with intrigue and misdirection. From beginning to end, I felt pretty entertained for the most part. Watching everything unfold and all the stories collide was a definite treat.
Resolution: 10
Overall: 91
Great beginning that hooks you immediately. A shady cast of characters. Solid performances from the likes of Bridges and Chris Hemsworth. Solid ending. Bad Times At the El Royale is an awesome movie that is well worth your time.
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Fantastic Four (2015) in Movies
Jun 11, 2019
An absolute snooze
Here comes yet another superhero film. Ending Marvel’s year that has included the charming Big Hero 6, the overstuffed Avengers: Age of Ultron and the surprisingly excellent Ant-Man, the Fox produced Fantastic Four reboot has a tough job trying to get audiences to forget the horror that came before it.
It’s been a tough ride for the quartet of heroes, but does director Josh Trank’s modern day reimagining of Marvel’s first team do enough to change perceptions?
Not by a long shot. Despite some excellent special effects, this yawnfest of a film that was plagued by rumours of constant behind-the-scenes tension and last-minute editing doesn’t have an ounce of originality in its short 100 minute running time.
Miles Teller (Insurgent), Kate Mara (Transcendence), Michael B. Jordan (Chronicle) and Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot) take on the roles of Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm respectively and are fine, if lacking in any real chemistry.
Fantastic Four is above all, an origins story as the four young adults try to crack interdimensional travel. Naturally, things don’t go quite to plan and they, alongside fellow colleague Victor Von Doom end up with an unusual set of powers – with Doom becoming the main antagonist.
Unfortunately, the plot, devised by no less than three writers is a complete bore. There is hardly anything of interest throughout the entire film as Trank pushes his cast from one underwhelming set piece to another.
When things do get tense, it’s only for a five minute scene involving Doom breaking out of a research facility. This is when we get to see what Fantastic Four could’ve been, a dark and brooding film with a disturbing villain at its core.
However, it seems this has been pushed back to make way for an unusually flat sense of humour and an uninteresting origins story. Marvel films live and die on their comedic elements and unfortunately Fantastic Four is as poor as they come.
Nevertheless, the film’s special effects are on the whole, very good. The other dimension looks fantastic and The Thing in particular is rendered using excellent motion capture animation.
An underwhelming climax wraps up a bitterly disappointing outing for the four heroes. Most superhero films end with a spectacular showdown of good versus evil but Fantastic Four has none of this. The ending is clichéd, short and has no real payoff.
Overall, expectations were already low for this reboot and despite director Josh Trank’s obvious talent for direction, this talent is nowhere to be found in Fantastic Four.
A cast that doesn’t gel together, a poor soundtrack and a lack of tonal balance ensures it will rest alongside X-Men Origins: Wolverine as proof that Marvel Studios needs the rights to all of its heroes returning to it.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/08/09/an-absolute-snooze-fantastic-four-review/
It’s been a tough ride for the quartet of heroes, but does director Josh Trank’s modern day reimagining of Marvel’s first team do enough to change perceptions?
Not by a long shot. Despite some excellent special effects, this yawnfest of a film that was plagued by rumours of constant behind-the-scenes tension and last-minute editing doesn’t have an ounce of originality in its short 100 minute running time.
Miles Teller (Insurgent), Kate Mara (Transcendence), Michael B. Jordan (Chronicle) and Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot) take on the roles of Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm respectively and are fine, if lacking in any real chemistry.
Fantastic Four is above all, an origins story as the four young adults try to crack interdimensional travel. Naturally, things don’t go quite to plan and they, alongside fellow colleague Victor Von Doom end up with an unusual set of powers – with Doom becoming the main antagonist.
Unfortunately, the plot, devised by no less than three writers is a complete bore. There is hardly anything of interest throughout the entire film as Trank pushes his cast from one underwhelming set piece to another.
When things do get tense, it’s only for a five minute scene involving Doom breaking out of a research facility. This is when we get to see what Fantastic Four could’ve been, a dark and brooding film with a disturbing villain at its core.
However, it seems this has been pushed back to make way for an unusually flat sense of humour and an uninteresting origins story. Marvel films live and die on their comedic elements and unfortunately Fantastic Four is as poor as they come.
Nevertheless, the film’s special effects are on the whole, very good. The other dimension looks fantastic and The Thing in particular is rendered using excellent motion capture animation.
An underwhelming climax wraps up a bitterly disappointing outing for the four heroes. Most superhero films end with a spectacular showdown of good versus evil but Fantastic Four has none of this. The ending is clichéd, short and has no real payoff.
Overall, expectations were already low for this reboot and despite director Josh Trank’s obvious talent for direction, this talent is nowhere to be found in Fantastic Four.
A cast that doesn’t gel together, a poor soundtrack and a lack of tonal balance ensures it will rest alongside X-Men Origins: Wolverine as proof that Marvel Studios needs the rights to all of its heroes returning to it.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/08/09/an-absolute-snooze-fantastic-four-review/
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Big Hero 6 (2014) in Movies
Jun 11, 2019
Genuinely Moving
The Marvel Studios movie train has been non-stop over the last few years, from Iron Man to The Avengers, it shows no signs of slowing. Now though, a take-over by Disney has ensured both studios enter into rather unknown territory.
The first film from this collaboration is Big Hero 6, an animated superhero film in the same vein as Pixar’s The Incredibles. But does it reach those dizzying heights?
Big Hero 6 follows Hiro Hamada, a 14-year-old robotics prodigy as he goes about his life in the fictional city of San Fransokyo alongside his brother Tadashi. Hiro has lost his way after a family tragedy and it takes his brother’s robot Baymax to help find himself again.
The story unfortunately is the film’s weakest link, being predictable at best and downright clichéd at its worst. In this respect, Big Hero 6 falls well short of the standards set by the majority of Pixar’s movies.
Thankfully, the visuals are absolutely stunning, a match for Disney’s best, if not quite up to the level of last year’s How to Train YourBig_Hero_6_Poster_2 Dragon 2. The city of San Fransokyo is beautifully realised in sweeping, gloriously colourful shots that show of the animation best when they’re from above.
The characters themselves are rendered in painstaking detail and in particular sequences it becomes difficult to tell the film apart from a live-action feature.
Vocal performances are also very good. Ryan Potter plays Hiro as a vulnerable, pre-pubescent teen who by the end of the film comes to realise just who he is exceptionally well. James Cromwell, Maya Rudolph and Damon Wayans also lend their recognisable voices to people in the film.
However, by far the stand-out is Baymax, a hilariously funny healthcare robot. Disney’s animators should be given plaudits for crafting a character which despite its lack of facial features and emotive tones is so engaging to watch.
Unfortunately, when Baymax evolves into super-Baymax, his characterisation suffers and the funny, caring nature of him is lost somewhat.
The final third of the film delves into generic superhero fodder, but picks up again just before the end credits role with a deeply emotive.
Big Hero 6 also gets increasingly dark the further into the movie you get, the comedic elements get muddled in a plot which isn’t quite sure which way it wants to go and young children may find it a little to scary to stomach.
Thankfully the negatives here are far outweighed by the positives and Big Hero 6 steamrolls itself into a moving finale which leaves itself open for a sequel nicely.
Overall, from stunning visuals to engaging characters, Big Hero 6 continues Disney’s penchant for creating fun and watchable films. Despite a lack of originality, the character of Baymax makes up for most of the other shortcomings and ensures the generic story is genuinely moving.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/02/05/genuinely-moving-big-hero-6-review/
The first film from this collaboration is Big Hero 6, an animated superhero film in the same vein as Pixar’s The Incredibles. But does it reach those dizzying heights?
Big Hero 6 follows Hiro Hamada, a 14-year-old robotics prodigy as he goes about his life in the fictional city of San Fransokyo alongside his brother Tadashi. Hiro has lost his way after a family tragedy and it takes his brother’s robot Baymax to help find himself again.
The story unfortunately is the film’s weakest link, being predictable at best and downright clichéd at its worst. In this respect, Big Hero 6 falls well short of the standards set by the majority of Pixar’s movies.
Thankfully, the visuals are absolutely stunning, a match for Disney’s best, if not quite up to the level of last year’s How to Train YourBig_Hero_6_Poster_2 Dragon 2. The city of San Fransokyo is beautifully realised in sweeping, gloriously colourful shots that show of the animation best when they’re from above.
The characters themselves are rendered in painstaking detail and in particular sequences it becomes difficult to tell the film apart from a live-action feature.
Vocal performances are also very good. Ryan Potter plays Hiro as a vulnerable, pre-pubescent teen who by the end of the film comes to realise just who he is exceptionally well. James Cromwell, Maya Rudolph and Damon Wayans also lend their recognisable voices to people in the film.
However, by far the stand-out is Baymax, a hilariously funny healthcare robot. Disney’s animators should be given plaudits for crafting a character which despite its lack of facial features and emotive tones is so engaging to watch.
Unfortunately, when Baymax evolves into super-Baymax, his characterisation suffers and the funny, caring nature of him is lost somewhat.
The final third of the film delves into generic superhero fodder, but picks up again just before the end credits role with a deeply emotive.
Big Hero 6 also gets increasingly dark the further into the movie you get, the comedic elements get muddled in a plot which isn’t quite sure which way it wants to go and young children may find it a little to scary to stomach.
Thankfully the negatives here are far outweighed by the positives and Big Hero 6 steamrolls itself into a moving finale which leaves itself open for a sequel nicely.
Overall, from stunning visuals to engaging characters, Big Hero 6 continues Disney’s penchant for creating fun and watchable films. Despite a lack of originality, the character of Baymax makes up for most of the other shortcomings and ensures the generic story is genuinely moving.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/02/05/genuinely-moving-big-hero-6-review/
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Unravelling Oliver in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Why must I be disappointed by books I’m so eager to read? I didn’t end up loving this novel as much as I would have liked to, but I didn’t exactly hate it.
This novel started strong. It’s first line, “I expected more of a reaction the first time I hit her“, is brutal and shocking, it lures you in in an instant. What I expected to follow was a taut, heart racing novel about why such a “loving husband” would beat his wife into a coma. And, I guess I got the “why” bit, but I didn’t get the taut, heart racing bit. It was snail pace and didn’t really get exciting until the very end.
I saw another reviewer talk about the lack of character in the characters in the novel and she’s right. Considering this whole book was a character study, the people we got to study weren’t that special. I was most interested in Veronique so I was glad she had a good few chapters to herself, but I wasn’t particularly interested in reading about what other people thought of Oliver. Even Oliver’s own chapters could get irritating.
I can’t fault the writing in this one. For a debut, it’s really good! If you connected with the characters, the writing could definitely put you in their shoes and make you feel exactly how they felt, but because I didn’t connect with anyone, I didn’t get that pleasure. All I know is that the descriptions were realistic and insightful.
Obviously the plot for this one was what interested me and it sounded like a great story. Unfortunately it was too slow in revealing it’s secrets to keep my interest high, and so I began losing interest about the halfway mark. This was a short book but it felt long. I know we were supposed to get to know Oliver and all his troubles and worries in life, but it all felt like waffle. There were no definitive markers in this book to signify any sort of middle event that would lead us to the end event and so until the plot finally revealed itself this felt like one long biography of Oliver, with not a lot going on.
To give this novel credit, elements of the plot and the reveal are very unique to other books I’ve read. And I read a lot of this kinds of books. I suppose you could say the “why” in this book isn’t as dark as you would originally think. It’s almost trivial, I guess.
I sound a bit negative in this review but that’s just because I was so excited about reading it in the first place. In the end, a 3 star rating isn’t the worst thing ever, it’s just not great.
<i>Thank you so much to Ali @The Sunday Feeling for sending me your copy to read!</i>
This novel started strong. It’s first line, “I expected more of a reaction the first time I hit her“, is brutal and shocking, it lures you in in an instant. What I expected to follow was a taut, heart racing novel about why such a “loving husband” would beat his wife into a coma. And, I guess I got the “why” bit, but I didn’t get the taut, heart racing bit. It was snail pace and didn’t really get exciting until the very end.
I saw another reviewer talk about the lack of character in the characters in the novel and she’s right. Considering this whole book was a character study, the people we got to study weren’t that special. I was most interested in Veronique so I was glad she had a good few chapters to herself, but I wasn’t particularly interested in reading about what other people thought of Oliver. Even Oliver’s own chapters could get irritating.
I can’t fault the writing in this one. For a debut, it’s really good! If you connected with the characters, the writing could definitely put you in their shoes and make you feel exactly how they felt, but because I didn’t connect with anyone, I didn’t get that pleasure. All I know is that the descriptions were realistic and insightful.
Obviously the plot for this one was what interested me and it sounded like a great story. Unfortunately it was too slow in revealing it’s secrets to keep my interest high, and so I began losing interest about the halfway mark. This was a short book but it felt long. I know we were supposed to get to know Oliver and all his troubles and worries in life, but it all felt like waffle. There were no definitive markers in this book to signify any sort of middle event that would lead us to the end event and so until the plot finally revealed itself this felt like one long biography of Oliver, with not a lot going on.
To give this novel credit, elements of the plot and the reveal are very unique to other books I’ve read. And I read a lot of this kinds of books. I suppose you could say the “why” in this book isn’t as dark as you would originally think. It’s almost trivial, I guess.
I sound a bit negative in this review but that’s just because I was so excited about reading it in the first place. In the end, a 3 star rating isn’t the worst thing ever, it’s just not great.
<i>Thank you so much to Ali @The Sunday Feeling for sending me your copy to read!</i>
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Repo Men (2010) in Movies
Aug 8, 2019
What does it mean to be both alive and dead?
Based on the novel “The Repossession Mambo” by Eric Garcia, Repo Men is a dark sci-fi action film from director Miguel Sapochnik. It is an oddly sadistic film that begins as a fantastic black comedy/drama, loses its way in the second act with well-shot but mindless action and predictable plot elements, yet still finds its way back before the credits roll.
Remy and Jake, played by Jude Law and Forest Whitaker, are both Repo Men for The Union, an alarming combination of loan shark and artificial organ manufacturer. Those unfortunate patients that fall too far behind on their payments have their artificial parts removed and reclaimed, often accompanied by grisly special effects. Through an accident at a routine repossession, Remy ends up needing a new heart. In the process of trying to pay for it, he realizes that he can no longer find the moral ambivalence necessary to take the life of a stranger in order to earn the money to save his own. This film is definitely not for the squeamish, and many scenes were not unlike watching a surgery in progress.
This film will certainly attract more than a nod from those clamoring for universal healthcare in the United States, as well as those railing against corporate greed at the expense of human life. The Union is everything we love to hate in a corporation. Nothing, from duping emotionally compromised patients, to putting profits above all else, to even killing people, is out of bounds for this corporation. It’s uncommon to see corporate evil of this magnitude in a film, and with Liev Schreiber manning the helm, this evil is personified and delivered with such panache that he becomes an enjoyable caricature to watch.
This movie would be nothing without Remy’s path from classic amoral psychopath to redeemed soul, but the journey at times becomes muddy and obscure. Law plays the part somewhat stiffly, but still manages to shine in his interactions with Whitaker and Schreiber. Whitaker, however, is fantastic as Remy’s uncompromisingly unsympathetic partner Jake, who holds on tightly to what he knows and believes, however unprincipled. By the film’s end, Whitaker’s performance as the frustrated partner becomes even more impressive when compared to Law’s movement from perpetrator to victim to agent of retribution.
For years, Remy had no moral compunction against repossessing organs, nearly always from those who will die without them. But when his heart is removed, he suddenly empathizes with the victims of his profession. An odd paradox: that becoming less human can impart more humanity. Remy is both more genuinely alive after receiving his artificial heart, and more certain he will be dead when he can no longer pay. This is the crux of the film, and on this basis a clever story is told about the intersection of making a living, being alive, and the entanglements they create.
Based on the novel “The Repossession Mambo” by Eric Garcia, Repo Men is a dark sci-fi action film from director Miguel Sapochnik. It is an oddly sadistic film that begins as a fantastic black comedy/drama, loses its way in the second act with well-shot but mindless action and predictable plot elements, yet still finds its way back before the credits roll.
Remy and Jake, played by Jude Law and Forest Whitaker, are both Repo Men for The Union, an alarming combination of loan shark and artificial organ manufacturer. Those unfortunate patients that fall too far behind on their payments have their artificial parts removed and reclaimed, often accompanied by grisly special effects. Through an accident at a routine repossession, Remy ends up needing a new heart. In the process of trying to pay for it, he realizes that he can no longer find the moral ambivalence necessary to take the life of a stranger in order to earn the money to save his own. This film is definitely not for the squeamish, and many scenes were not unlike watching a surgery in progress.
This film will certainly attract more than a nod from those clamoring for universal healthcare in the United States, as well as those railing against corporate greed at the expense of human life. The Union is everything we love to hate in a corporation. Nothing, from duping emotionally compromised patients, to putting profits above all else, to even killing people, is out of bounds for this corporation. It’s uncommon to see corporate evil of this magnitude in a film, and with Liev Schreiber manning the helm, this evil is personified and delivered with such panache that he becomes an enjoyable caricature to watch.
This movie would be nothing without Remy’s path from classic amoral psychopath to redeemed soul, but the journey at times becomes muddy and obscure. Law plays the part somewhat stiffly, but still manages to shine in his interactions with Whitaker and Schreiber. Whitaker, however, is fantastic as Remy’s uncompromisingly unsympathetic partner Jake, who holds on tightly to what he knows and believes, however unprincipled. By the film’s end, Whitaker’s performance as the frustrated partner becomes even more impressive when compared to Law’s movement from perpetrator to victim to agent of retribution.
For years, Remy had no moral compunction against repossessing organs, nearly always from those who will die without them. But when his heart is removed, he suddenly empathizes with the victims of his profession. An odd paradox: that becoming less human can impart more humanity. Remy is both more genuinely alive after receiving his artificial heart, and more certain he will be dead when he can no longer pay. This is the crux of the film, and on this basis a clever story is told about the intersection of making a living, being alive, and the entanglements they create.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Payback (1999) in Movies
Jul 15, 2020
Get Ready To Root For The Bad Guy
Payback- is a intresting revenge action thriller. Maybe its me, but i fell like this movie is boring. Its good, but some what boring, like nothing going on. Also its kinda of confusing, again it might just be me, but i fell like its confusing as well. Like i said before its good, but in the end its both boring and confusing.
The plot: Porter (Mel Gibson) is a thief betrayed by both his wife, Lynn (Deborah Kara Unger), and his partner, Val (Gregg Henry), when he is shot in the back after a heist. Slowly, Porter recovers from his wounds and begins a search for Val, intent on recovering his share of the money they stole together. With the aid of prostitute Rosie (Maria Bello), Porter captures Val but still cannot find his cash. For this, Porter will have to challenge an imposing crime syndicate called the Outfit.
Although credited as director, Brian Helgeland's cut of the film was not the theatrical version released to audiences. After the end of principal photography, Helgeland's version was deemed too dark for the mainstream public. Following a script rewrite by Terry Hayes, director Helgeland was replaced by the production designer John Myhre, who reshot 30% of the film. The intent was to make the Porter character accessible. The film's tagline became: "Get Ready to Root for the Bad Guy." A potentially controversial scene between Porter and Lynn which arguably involves spousal abuse was excised and more plot elements were added to the third act. After 10 days of reshoots, a new opening scene and voiceover track also were added, and Kris Kristofferson walked on as a new villain.
The Director's Cut version features a female Bronson, that is never seen only heard over the phone voiced by Sally Kellerman, does not include the voice-over by Porter and several Bronson-related scenes. During their scuffle (which is longer than in the theatrical version and was the main source of controversy), Porter earlier tells Lynn that his picture with Rosie was taken before they met, thereby rendering her jealousy unjustified. This version has an entirely different, ambiguous ending where Porter is seriously wounded in a train station shootout and driven off by Rosie.
A June 4, 2012, look at "movies improved by directors' cuts" by The A.V. Club described Payback: Straight Up as "a marked improvement on the unrulier original.
Mel Gibson stated in a short interview released as a DVD extra that it "would've been ideal to shoot in black and white." He noted that "people want a color image" and that the actual film used a bleach bypass process to tint the film. In addition to this, the production design used muted shades of red, brown, and grey for costumes, sets, and cars for further effect.
Like i said its a good revenge action thriller but to me its both boring and confusing. Maybe i have to watch the directors cut.
The plot: Porter (Mel Gibson) is a thief betrayed by both his wife, Lynn (Deborah Kara Unger), and his partner, Val (Gregg Henry), when he is shot in the back after a heist. Slowly, Porter recovers from his wounds and begins a search for Val, intent on recovering his share of the money they stole together. With the aid of prostitute Rosie (Maria Bello), Porter captures Val but still cannot find his cash. For this, Porter will have to challenge an imposing crime syndicate called the Outfit.
Although credited as director, Brian Helgeland's cut of the film was not the theatrical version released to audiences. After the end of principal photography, Helgeland's version was deemed too dark for the mainstream public. Following a script rewrite by Terry Hayes, director Helgeland was replaced by the production designer John Myhre, who reshot 30% of the film. The intent was to make the Porter character accessible. The film's tagline became: "Get Ready to Root for the Bad Guy." A potentially controversial scene between Porter and Lynn which arguably involves spousal abuse was excised and more plot elements were added to the third act. After 10 days of reshoots, a new opening scene and voiceover track also were added, and Kris Kristofferson walked on as a new villain.
The Director's Cut version features a female Bronson, that is never seen only heard over the phone voiced by Sally Kellerman, does not include the voice-over by Porter and several Bronson-related scenes. During their scuffle (which is longer than in the theatrical version and was the main source of controversy), Porter earlier tells Lynn that his picture with Rosie was taken before they met, thereby rendering her jealousy unjustified. This version has an entirely different, ambiguous ending where Porter is seriously wounded in a train station shootout and driven off by Rosie.
A June 4, 2012, look at "movies improved by directors' cuts" by The A.V. Club described Payback: Straight Up as "a marked improvement on the unrulier original.
Mel Gibson stated in a short interview released as a DVD extra that it "would've been ideal to shoot in black and white." He noted that "people want a color image" and that the actual film used a bleach bypass process to tint the film. In addition to this, the production design used muted shades of red, brown, and grey for costumes, sets, and cars for further effect.
Like i said its a good revenge action thriller but to me its both boring and confusing. Maybe i have to watch the directors cut.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Snuggle with the Shadows: 8 Strange Stories (The Snuggle Series #2) in Books
Aug 5, 2021
After loving the first book in The Snuggle Series, I was really looking forward to reading Snuggle with the Shadows by Liane Carter. Just like with the first book in the series, I was not left disappointed.
I found Snuggle with the Shadows to be a little different than Snuggle with the Strange (the first book in the series). In this book, there were a couple of feel good stories unlike the first book in the series. Even though there were some supernatural/paranormal stories, those elements weren't as present in Snuggle with the Shadows. That wasn't a bad thing though! Although the pacing was slower for some stories in this book, I still found myself not wanting to put this book down. The world building was still done fantastically, and I found myself instantly transported to the setting of each story. There were even some plot twists in many of the stories. Even though there are no real cliff hangers with each story, some are open to speculation such as Raisha's Reason. I loved that The Tragedy of the Tides and I was Bought at a Garage Sale were feel good stories which changed up the tone of the series a little. My favorite stories in Snuggle with the Shadows were I was Bought at a Garage Sale and A Bump in the Night. Both of these stories really held my attention, and I was enthralled throughout trying to figure out what would happen. Just like with the first book in the series, Snuggle with the Shadows has a mixture of realistic stories as well as paranormal/supernatural stories.
Liane Carter kills it again with how great her characters are! They are all well written and feel like they could actually be real life people instead of a character in a book. I had no problems picturing each and every character in my mind. I actually found myself wanting to be friends with some of the characters in Snuggle with the Shadows.
Snuggle with the Shadows is a dark adult horror book, so there are quite a few heavy triggers. These include mentions of drug use, profanity, sexual comments, sexual situations, human (child) trafficking, implied child rape and molestation, death, murder, mentions of suicide, and gun violence.
All in all, Snuggle with the Shadows is an interesting read full of entertaining characters and plots. I really believe all horror lovers (and even non-horror lovers) will enjoy all the stories in this book. I would definitely recommend Snuggle with the Shadows by Liane Carter to those aged 16+ who like all sub-genres of horror. This book will not disappoint!
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(A special thank you to Liane Carter and Lola's Blog Tours for providing me with a paperback of Snuggle with the Shadows: 8 Strange Stories in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
I found Snuggle with the Shadows to be a little different than Snuggle with the Strange (the first book in the series). In this book, there were a couple of feel good stories unlike the first book in the series. Even though there were some supernatural/paranormal stories, those elements weren't as present in Snuggle with the Shadows. That wasn't a bad thing though! Although the pacing was slower for some stories in this book, I still found myself not wanting to put this book down. The world building was still done fantastically, and I found myself instantly transported to the setting of each story. There were even some plot twists in many of the stories. Even though there are no real cliff hangers with each story, some are open to speculation such as Raisha's Reason. I loved that The Tragedy of the Tides and I was Bought at a Garage Sale were feel good stories which changed up the tone of the series a little. My favorite stories in Snuggle with the Shadows were I was Bought at a Garage Sale and A Bump in the Night. Both of these stories really held my attention, and I was enthralled throughout trying to figure out what would happen. Just like with the first book in the series, Snuggle with the Shadows has a mixture of realistic stories as well as paranormal/supernatural stories.
Liane Carter kills it again with how great her characters are! They are all well written and feel like they could actually be real life people instead of a character in a book. I had no problems picturing each and every character in my mind. I actually found myself wanting to be friends with some of the characters in Snuggle with the Shadows.
Snuggle with the Shadows is a dark adult horror book, so there are quite a few heavy triggers. These include mentions of drug use, profanity, sexual comments, sexual situations, human (child) trafficking, implied child rape and molestation, death, murder, mentions of suicide, and gun violence.
All in all, Snuggle with the Shadows is an interesting read full of entertaining characters and plots. I really believe all horror lovers (and even non-horror lovers) will enjoy all the stories in this book. I would definitely recommend Snuggle with the Shadows by Liane Carter to those aged 16+ who like all sub-genres of horror. This book will not disappoint!
--
(A special thank you to Liane Carter and Lola's Blog Tours for providing me with a paperback of Snuggle with the Shadows: 8 Strange Stories in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)