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David McK (3562 KP) rated Secret Invasion in TV
Aug 5, 2023 (Updated Aug 5, 2023)
The latest - at the time of reviewing - of Marvel's Disney+ exclusives, and the first time where Samuel L Jackson's Nick Fury takes central stage.
Here, Fury uncovers a Skrull dissident plot to infiltrate the Earth and wipe out humanity, and has to - somehow - stop that from occurring.
Unfortunately, despite an intriguing premise (shapeshifters), the series as a whole wastes it's cast somewhat, with more than a few WTF (and not necessarily in a good way) moments over the course of its run.
Here, Fury uncovers a Skrull dissident plot to infiltrate the Earth and wipe out humanity, and has to - somehow - stop that from occurring.
Unfortunately, despite an intriguing premise (shapeshifters), the series as a whole wastes it's cast somewhat, with more than a few WTF (and not necessarily in a good way) moments over the course of its run.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Cruella (2021) in Movies
Jun 11, 2021
The two Emmas (2 more)
The rest of the ensemble cast
The technical team: cinematography, hair & make-up; costuming
An astonishing attack on the senses as Disney goes to the dark side.
Positives:
- The battle of the Emmas! It's really difficult to say who wins, since both Emma Thompson and Emma Stone give such fabulous performances here. You might think that Thompson steals a scene at one minute, only for Stone to come surfing in on a garbage truck and outdo her! I think it would be a surprise if both were not nominated for Actress and Supporting Actress Oscars for this.
- The supporting cast is also very strong. Paul Walter Hauser picks up the 'comedy villain' role as Horace Badun, and is so entertaining I could just about forgive his 'gor-blimey-guvnor' cockney accent: one that gives Dick Van Dyke a run for his money. Joel Fry - most recognisable to me as the useless roadie from "Yesterday" - plays the straight man in the duo, and does it very well. Mark Strong, cast against type as an evil henchman (#humour) is as good as always. And Kirby Howell-Baptiste and John McCrea round off the strong ensemble cast. But a particular shout-out I think should go to young Tipper Seifert-Cleveland who plays the young Estrella: she's way down the cast list, but I thought she gave a knock-out performance to ground the dramatic opening scenes of the movie.
- Technically, the film is marvellous and surely in line for a slew of technical Oscars next awards season. In fact, I think - even at this early point in the year - you would be a VERY brave person to bet against Cruella picking up the awards for Hair and Makeup (Nadia Stacey), Costume (Jenny Beavan and Tom Davies) and Production Design (Fiona Crombie). It's a stunning technical achievement - a real attack on the senses.
- The cinematography (Nicholas Karakatsanis) is also spectacular. A 'single-take' fly-through of the Liberty store from top to bottom is a tour-de-force, worthy of "1917"-style applause.
- And we should also add to this list a truly banging soundtrack from Nicholas Britell. Many of the tracks chosen - although regular visitors to cinema screen - catch the mood of the movie brilliantly and add to what is a joy-ride of a flick.
- The script is deliciously dark in places for a Disney film. Definitely NOT one for young children. Perhaps - given that it went down some of the roads it did, it could have been made EVEN BLACKER in places. (Did we REALLY need to see the Dalmatians again!) But some of the twists are delightful, especially 'mothageddon' which made me howl with laughter (even though I rather saw a variation of it coming).
Negatives:
- At 134 minutes, I felt the movie was a bit too long. There's a point (at about 100 minutes, where Emma Stone does her "I am Cruella" speech) which felt to me like the perfect end to a (first) film. I was delighted, happy and very content with the movie, thank-you very much. But then we dived back into the third reel. And, don't get me wrong, the ending was really entertaining. But, given that I suspect Disney KNEW that this was likely to be a big hit, I think a shorter film teasing for the sequel would have worked better.
Additional Notes:
- It's 12A certificate for a reason. Although a Disney, this is the dark-side of Disney and is not suitable for younger children.
- Yes, this one has a mid-credit scene - and for once its worth staying for: an introduction to two of the stars of the original cartoon that we haven't met yet, and for a rendition of a well-known tune (a TERRIBLE ear-worm that I've been quietly humming to myself ever since!).
Summary Thoughts on "Cruella": The cinema summer's still young, but it's already had some tricks up its sleeve. First "Nobody" came out of nowhere to delight me. And now, what a surprise! "Cruella" is a blisteringly funny, gloriously colourful and hugely entertaining blockbuster.
You'll know I'm not a fan of these Disney live-action re-imaginings of classic cartoons (although of course this one has previously had the Glenn Close treatment in two previous films in 1996 and 2000). But this is an origin story I really thought I didn't want... but now feel that I was wrong.
I've seen it described as "Devil Wears Prada meets Joker". The Prada analogy is well-deserved. But I'm not sure I agree with the Joker analogy. In Joker, our anti-hero was an everyman (albeit a disturbed one) driven to madness and anarchy by others. In Cruella, it's all inbred and that makes it perhaps even more deliciously dark. The fact that Disney released this - forewarned by a distinctly sombre and stormy castle logo at the start - is a minor miracle, and hopefully signs of more spice and adventure to come.
If you haven't caught it yet, it's highly recommended. As well as being in cinemas, its also available to buy on Disney+ streaming.
(Please check out the full graphical review at One Mann's Movies here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2021/06/11/cruella-an-astonishing-attack-on-the-senses-as-disney-goes-to-the-dark-side/. Thanks).
- The battle of the Emmas! It's really difficult to say who wins, since both Emma Thompson and Emma Stone give such fabulous performances here. You might think that Thompson steals a scene at one minute, only for Stone to come surfing in on a garbage truck and outdo her! I think it would be a surprise if both were not nominated for Actress and Supporting Actress Oscars for this.
- The supporting cast is also very strong. Paul Walter Hauser picks up the 'comedy villain' role as Horace Badun, and is so entertaining I could just about forgive his 'gor-blimey-guvnor' cockney accent: one that gives Dick Van Dyke a run for his money. Joel Fry - most recognisable to me as the useless roadie from "Yesterday" - plays the straight man in the duo, and does it very well. Mark Strong, cast against type as an evil henchman (#humour) is as good as always. And Kirby Howell-Baptiste and John McCrea round off the strong ensemble cast. But a particular shout-out I think should go to young Tipper Seifert-Cleveland who plays the young Estrella: she's way down the cast list, but I thought she gave a knock-out performance to ground the dramatic opening scenes of the movie.
- Technically, the film is marvellous and surely in line for a slew of technical Oscars next awards season. In fact, I think - even at this early point in the year - you would be a VERY brave person to bet against Cruella picking up the awards for Hair and Makeup (Nadia Stacey), Costume (Jenny Beavan and Tom Davies) and Production Design (Fiona Crombie). It's a stunning technical achievement - a real attack on the senses.
- The cinematography (Nicholas Karakatsanis) is also spectacular. A 'single-take' fly-through of the Liberty store from top to bottom is a tour-de-force, worthy of "1917"-style applause.
- And we should also add to this list a truly banging soundtrack from Nicholas Britell. Many of the tracks chosen - although regular visitors to cinema screen - catch the mood of the movie brilliantly and add to what is a joy-ride of a flick.
- The script is deliciously dark in places for a Disney film. Definitely NOT one for young children. Perhaps - given that it went down some of the roads it did, it could have been made EVEN BLACKER in places. (Did we REALLY need to see the Dalmatians again!) But some of the twists are delightful, especially 'mothageddon' which made me howl with laughter (even though I rather saw a variation of it coming).
Negatives:
- At 134 minutes, I felt the movie was a bit too long. There's a point (at about 100 minutes, where Emma Stone does her "I am Cruella" speech) which felt to me like the perfect end to a (first) film. I was delighted, happy and very content with the movie, thank-you very much. But then we dived back into the third reel. And, don't get me wrong, the ending was really entertaining. But, given that I suspect Disney KNEW that this was likely to be a big hit, I think a shorter film teasing for the sequel would have worked better.
Additional Notes:
- It's 12A certificate for a reason. Although a Disney, this is the dark-side of Disney and is not suitable for younger children.
- Yes, this one has a mid-credit scene - and for once its worth staying for: an introduction to two of the stars of the original cartoon that we haven't met yet, and for a rendition of a well-known tune (a TERRIBLE ear-worm that I've been quietly humming to myself ever since!).
Summary Thoughts on "Cruella": The cinema summer's still young, but it's already had some tricks up its sleeve. First "Nobody" came out of nowhere to delight me. And now, what a surprise! "Cruella" is a blisteringly funny, gloriously colourful and hugely entertaining blockbuster.
You'll know I'm not a fan of these Disney live-action re-imaginings of classic cartoons (although of course this one has previously had the Glenn Close treatment in two previous films in 1996 and 2000). But this is an origin story I really thought I didn't want... but now feel that I was wrong.
I've seen it described as "Devil Wears Prada meets Joker". The Prada analogy is well-deserved. But I'm not sure I agree with the Joker analogy. In Joker, our anti-hero was an everyman (albeit a disturbed one) driven to madness and anarchy by others. In Cruella, it's all inbred and that makes it perhaps even more deliciously dark. The fact that Disney released this - forewarned by a distinctly sombre and stormy castle logo at the start - is a minor miracle, and hopefully signs of more spice and adventure to come.
If you haven't caught it yet, it's highly recommended. As well as being in cinemas, its also available to buy on Disney+ streaming.
(Please check out the full graphical review at One Mann's Movies here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2021/06/11/cruella-an-astonishing-attack-on-the-senses-as-disney-goes-to-the-dark-side/. Thanks).
Where's My Water?
Games and Entertainment
8.0
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Get the GAME OF THE YEAR award-winning puzzler! Help Swampy by guiding water to his broken shower....
Where's My Water? 2
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Get ready to join Swampy, Allie, and Cranky on their NEXT exciting adventure! The sequel to the...
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.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated The Tigger Movie (2000) in Movies
Jan 20, 2020
Decent Movie Carried By Characters We All Know and Love
In The Tigger Movie, the bouncing tiger Tigger is on a quest to find his family. While pretty predictable overall, it’s still endearing enough to be enjoyable.
Acting: 10
The Winnie the Pooh voiceover cast is always a treat to listen to. I’ve always loved that they really embody the personalities of their characters. You can feel how timid Piglet is while Tigger’s voice gives you the feeling that he is going to bounce straight through a wall. They are all extremely original.
Beginning: 5
A bit of a slow start. It’s almost like Disney is trying to justify why Tigger needs his own movie in the first place. The movie isn’t a long one, however, and things quickly pick up not too long after the first ten minutes.
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 2
Entertainment Value: 4
Memorability: 5
It’s a cute movie with a touching message, but nothing to write home about. It’s something I would want my kids to see, but not something I would watch on my own multiple times like Up. There are some strong moments here and there like Tigger’s montage song of his family. I also like the concept of what family really means.
Pace: 10
Plot: 9
Interesting story with enough meat to carry a movie. It is pretty linear and you can see the ending coming a mile away, but it was creative enough to hold my attention. I rather enjoyed the small adventure.
Resolution: 10
Overall: 75
The Tigger Movie is decent overall with fun familiar characters and an endearing story. It’s not the best of the Disney bunch, but I would say it’s worth a watch. It’s little gems like these that make Disney+ all the more worth it.
Acting: 10
The Winnie the Pooh voiceover cast is always a treat to listen to. I’ve always loved that they really embody the personalities of their characters. You can feel how timid Piglet is while Tigger’s voice gives you the feeling that he is going to bounce straight through a wall. They are all extremely original.
Beginning: 5
A bit of a slow start. It’s almost like Disney is trying to justify why Tigger needs his own movie in the first place. The movie isn’t a long one, however, and things quickly pick up not too long after the first ten minutes.
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 2
Entertainment Value: 4
Memorability: 5
It’s a cute movie with a touching message, but nothing to write home about. It’s something I would want my kids to see, but not something I would watch on my own multiple times like Up. There are some strong moments here and there like Tigger’s montage song of his family. I also like the concept of what family really means.
Pace: 10
Plot: 9
Interesting story with enough meat to carry a movie. It is pretty linear and you can see the ending coming a mile away, but it was creative enough to hold my attention. I rather enjoyed the small adventure.
Resolution: 10
Overall: 75
The Tigger Movie is decent overall with fun familiar characters and an endearing story. It’s not the best of the Disney bunch, but I would say it’s worth a watch. It’s little gems like these that make Disney+ all the more worth it.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
I've obviously been living under a rock as I hadn't realised that this was a Disney film. But while it has some Disney traits it didn't feel very Disney. In fact something feels a little off about the whole thing, and I can't say that that is a new feeling about their recent live action offerings. If we're excluding Pixar then the only film I've enjoyed from them recently is A Wrinkle In Time, this did nothing to change that.
Occasionally I come across films that leave me rather unenthusiastic, this is one of them. A seemingly massive budget has delivered an entirely mediocre piece filled with a large and impressive cast given parts that are lacklustre and often awkward. I'm not sure what was worse, Richard E. Grant's chandelier headdress or Keira Knightley's horny overlording and her high pitched whine. At least Helen Mirren with a whip gives you something good to watch.
All the realms have that wondrous quality but somehow don't come with the awe-inducing picture on the screen. Once you get into the Realm Of Amusements things get slightly more comical and you'd be forgiven for thinking you'd accidentally stumbled into a Spy Kids movie.
A welcome diversion came in the form of Misty Copeland's performances. It's just a shame that it was tainted by the rest of the film.
Sadly I can't get excited about this, I'm more annoyed about the fact that in all likelihood this will be hogging screen time until Christmas.
What you should do
Go and watch a ballet of The Nutcracker, it'll be more exciting and beautiful to watch.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I'd love the skill to create those clockwork marvels.
Occasionally I come across films that leave me rather unenthusiastic, this is one of them. A seemingly massive budget has delivered an entirely mediocre piece filled with a large and impressive cast given parts that are lacklustre and often awkward. I'm not sure what was worse, Richard E. Grant's chandelier headdress or Keira Knightley's horny overlording and her high pitched whine. At least Helen Mirren with a whip gives you something good to watch.
All the realms have that wondrous quality but somehow don't come with the awe-inducing picture on the screen. Once you get into the Realm Of Amusements things get slightly more comical and you'd be forgiven for thinking you'd accidentally stumbled into a Spy Kids movie.
A welcome diversion came in the form of Misty Copeland's performances. It's just a shame that it was tainted by the rest of the film.
Sadly I can't get excited about this, I'm more annoyed about the fact that in all likelihood this will be hogging screen time until Christmas.
What you should do
Go and watch a ballet of The Nutcracker, it'll be more exciting and beautiful to watch.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I'd love the skill to create those clockwork marvels.
Cable Onda Go
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Cable Onda Go te acerca a la mejor programación de la TV local e internacional. Disfruta ondemand y...
Frozen: Storybook Deluxe - Now with Frozen Fever!
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**Now featuring the "Frozen Fever" story, the next chapter in the story of FROZEN! Reunite with your...
Ross (3284 KP) rated Dumbo (2019) in Movies
Apr 1, 2019
Once again, a remake that didn't need to be made
Another "live action version" of a Disney classic; another waste of effort. I can't see anyone watching this and thinking it was in any way an improvement over the original. Timothy Mouse is replaced by children, they try to explain why Dumbo needs a feather, the pink elephant scene is a nice attempt at homage but implausible.
I had no idea until the credits rolled that Tim Burton had directed - his touch is completely absent. I suppose in hindsight Micheal Keaton's hairpiece was pure Burton but otherwise any director could have been involved.
There is an odd feel about the scenes in the theme park, as if a Disney film is itself suggesting theme parks are money-grabbing, exploitative tat-mongers.
While there were some nice nods to the original film (DeVito singing Casey Jr's theme, Timothy Mouse's cameo and "baby of mine", the whole plot adaptation just failed.
It may have been a half-decent film in its own right, but as a remake of a classic it has to do it justice and it just plain did not.
I had no idea until the credits rolled that Tim Burton had directed - his touch is completely absent. I suppose in hindsight Micheal Keaton's hairpiece was pure Burton but otherwise any director could have been involved.
There is an odd feel about the scenes in the theme park, as if a Disney film is itself suggesting theme parks are money-grabbing, exploitative tat-mongers.
While there were some nice nods to the original film (DeVito singing Casey Jr's theme, Timothy Mouse's cameo and "baby of mine", the whole plot adaptation just failed.
It may have been a half-decent film in its own right, but as a remake of a classic it has to do it justice and it just plain did not.