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Bad Teacher (2011)
Bad Teacher (2011)
2011 | Comedy
6
6.2 (9 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Recently jilted by the sugar daddy of her dreams apathetic schoolteacher Elizabeth Halsey (Cameron Diaz) must return to her day job. Just as Elizabeth has settled in to her listless career reality, a single and wealthy substitute teacher (Scott Delacorte played by Justin Timberlake) appears. Elizabeth must now prove that she is the best teacher in the school to win Delecorte’s attention and wallet. However her nemesis the overachieving and oddly bubbly educator, Amy Squirrel (Lucy Punch) also has eyes for the new faculty member.

Rounding out the eccentric cast of characters is the shy teacher Lynn Davies (Phyllis Smith), the lazy yet funny gym teacher Russell Gettis (Jason Segel), and the dolphin obsessed principal Wally Snur (John Michael Higgins). Further supporting the leads are a number of up and coming child-actors such as Kaitlyn Dever who plays know-it-all student Shasha Abernathy to crush obsessed sad sack Garrett Tiara (Matthew J. Evans).
Despite the strong cast, “Bad Teacher” will likely become associated with Cameron Diaz who uses her intense and direct comedic strength to shine in the nefarious role. Portrayed by Diaz, the character of Elizabeth comes across as wickedly manipulative yet manages to remain likeable.

But, “Bad Teacher” will not have you gasping for air between fits of laughter. The film has slow moments and a number of letdowns. Among the worst is the lackluster comical styling of Justin Timberlake as Scott Delacorte. While the role is critical to the film’s plot, the character is underdeveloped. Moreover Justin Timberlake does nothing for the part which is an unwelcome shock to audiences who associate his name with some of the funniest moments in recent “Saturday Night Live” history as well as his impressive performance in “The Social Network”.

Brimming with vulgar language and shockingly bold comedic scene choices “Bad Teacher” will surely offend bashful audiences. Still, the film is funnier than “There’s Something About Mary” and the recently disappointing “The Hangover: Part II”.

It is not a slam-dunk but “Bad Teacher” will give audiences some unexpected summer laughs, if they are prepared for the onslaught of vulgarity that this film hinges upon.
  
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
2017 | Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi
It might be playing hard to get, but there's plenty to love about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 if you know where to look.
A lot of it's strength lies in its stellar cast once again. All the key players from the first movie are back, with a whole heap of new faces, and expanded roles for side characters. New cast members include Kurt fucking Russell as none other than Ego the Living Planet, which is wild in itself, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, as well as smaller roles for Sylvester Stallone and Elizabeth Debicki. Bigger roles for Karen Gillan and Michael Rooker are also welcome.

In terms of material, it's brimming with Easter eggs, and hints at what's to come in the future - Adam Warlock, the original Guardians roster, The Watchers, Celestials - it has some truly wonderful moments for fans of the comics.
The plot is fun enough, and all leads to the subject of family and parenthood. It has some touching scenes amongst all the space battles. My main issue is with the comedy - the jokes and quips in Vol. 2 are absolutely relentless. Where as the first movie, and plenty of other MCU entries, manage to strike a fine balance in the more comedic side of things, Vol. 2 just throws everything and the kitchen sink at the script hoping that something will stick the landing, and there are plenty of funny lines here, but there's an equal amount of jokes that miss the mark. It becomes a little tiresome, and is the exact same issue I had with Deadpool 2!

However, despite its flaws, Vol. 2 is still a lot of fun, and another decent entry into the cosmic MCU canon, and it's moving closing scene, set to Cat Stevens "Father & Son" is one of my favourites in the entire franchise. Also, Baby Groot.
  
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Smashbomb (4683 KP) created a post in Smashbomb Council

Dec 3, 2020  
Hey Influencers (be prepared for a long post!)

Since we got so much positive feedback on the End of Year Polls idea - we’ve decided to do it again!

But obviously, we want to check with you, our influencers, before we make anything final. So below are the Nominations we have for each category - and we want your opinions!

The way each nomination is chosen for each category, to begin with, is easy - we simply have the most positively rated items that came out in the year 2020 (excluding Apps, Shows & YouTube Channels)! But, if you think something should be swapped or changed let us know!

---

App:
 - Hearthstone (8.8)
 - Netflix (8.7)
 - Amazon (8.9)
 - Amazon Kindle (9.1)
 - Spotify (8.6)


---

Book:
 - Matt Haig - The Midnight Library (8.6)
 - Sharon J. Bolton - The Split (9.0)
 - Kate Elizabeth Russell - My Dark Vanessa (9.5)
 - Danny Tobey - The God Game (9.0)
 - Maggie O’Farrell - Hamnet (9.3)

---

Movie:
 - 1917 (8.8)
 - The Invisible Man (7.8)
 - Onward (8.3)
 - The Gentlemen (8.3)
 - Bad Boys For Life (7.7)

---

Music:
 - Eminem - Music To Be Murdered By (10)
 - Blossoms - Foolish Loving Spaces (7.5)
 - Idles - Ultra Mono (9.0)
 - Tame Impala - Slow Rush (8.0)
 - Starflyer 59 - Miami EP (9.0)

---

Podcast:
 - Sword and Scale (7.1)
 - Loot Tine Postcast (7.9)
 - No Such Thing as Fish (8.9)
 - And That’s Why We Drink (8.8)
 - True Crime Garage (8.6)

---

Show:
 - Wicked (8.7)
 - We Will Rock You (8.0)
 - The Lion King (9.5)
 - The Exorcist (8.7)
 - Les Miserables (8.0)

---

Tabletop:
 - Calico (9.0)
 - Faza (9.0)
 - Chronicles of Crime: 1400 (9.0)
 - Macaron (9.0)
 - Tales of Evil (9.0)

---

Tech:
 - iPad Pro (7.4)
 - MacBook (7.2)
 - Dell XPS 13 (7.2)
 - Nest Learning Thermostat (8.4)
 - Amazon Echo Plus (8.4)

---

TV:
 - Locke and Key (7.8)
 - Tiger King (7.7)
 - Umbrella Academy - Season 2 (9.0)
 - The Haunting of Bly Manor (8.1)
 - Lovecraft Country (8.7)

---

Videogames:
 - Final Fantasy VII Remake (8.7)
 - Animal Crossing: New Horizons (8.5)
 - The Last of Us Part II (7.4)
 - Ghost of Tsushima (8.8)
 - Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (8.0)

---

YouTube Channels:
 - Ted-Ed (8.3)
 - The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (7.6)
 - Walt Disney Studios (8.7)
 - BBC News (8.2)
 - 20th Century Fox (9.3)

---

There will be one poll for each category, narrowing each of the 5 nominations down to one winner over the course of 2 weeks!

Would love to hear what everyone thinks below!
  
Show all 15 comments.
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Smashbomb (4683 KP) Dec 7, 2020

@Melika Jeddi - Yes you're completely right - that's why the list above is of the items with both the MOST + HIGHEST ratings! :)

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Kirk Bage (1775 KP) Dec 7, 2020

The Queen's Gambit 100% should be in TV. And yeah, Tenet in Movies maybe.

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Smashbomb (4683 KP) created a post in Smashbomb Partners

Dec 3, 2020  
Hey Partners (be prepared for a long post!)

Since we got so much positive feedback on the End of Year Polls idea - we’ve decided to do it again!

But obviously, we want to check with you, our Partners, before we make anything final. So below are the Nominations we have for each category - and we want your opinions!

The way each nomination is chosen for each category, to begin with, is easy - we simply have the most positively rated items that came out in the year 2020 (excluding Apps, Shows & YouTube Channels)! But, if you think something should be swapped or changed let us know!

---

App:
 - Hearthstone (8.8)
 - Netflix (8.7)
 - Amazon (8.9)
 - Amazon Kindle (9.1)
 - Spotify (8.6)

---

Book:
 - Matt Haig - The Midnight Library (8.6)
 - Sharon J. Bolton - The Split (9.0)
 - Kate Elizabeth Russell - My Dark Vanessa (9.5)
 - Danny Tobey - The God Game (9.0)
 - Maggie O’Farrell - Hamnet (9.3)

---

Movie:
 - 1917 (8.8)
 - The Invisible Man (7.8)
 - Onward (8.3)
 - The Gentlemen (8.3)
 - Bad Boys For Life (7.7)

---

Music:
 - Eminem - Music To Be Murdered By (10)
 - Blossoms - Foolish Loving Spaces (7.5)
 - Idles - Ultra Mono (9.0)
 - Tame Impala - Slow Rush (8.0)
 - Starflyer 59 - Miami EP (9.0)

---

Podcast:
 - Sword and Scale (7.1)
 - Loot Tine Postcast (7.9)
 - No Such Thing as Fish (8.9)
 - And That’s Why We Drink (8.8)
 - True Crime Garage (8.6)

---

Show:
 - Wicked (8.7)
 - We Will Rock You (8.0)
 - The Lion King (9.5)
 - The Exorcist (8.7)
 - Les Miserables (8.0)

---

Tabletop:
 - Calico (9.0)
 - Faza (9.0)
 - Chronicles of Crime: 1400 (9.0)
 - Macaron (9.0)
 - Tales of Evil (9.0)

---

Tech:
 - iPad Pro (7.4)
 - MacBook (7.2)
 - Dell XPS 13 (7.2)
 - Nest Learning Thermostat (8.4)
 - Amazon Echo Plus (8.4)

---

TV:
 - Locke and Key (7.8)
 - Tiger King (7.7)
 - Umbrella Academy - Season 2 (9.0)
 - The Haunting of Bly Manor (8.1)
 - Lovecraft Country (8.7)

---

Videogames:
 - Final Fantasy VII Remake (8.7)
 - Animal Crossing: New Horizons (8.5)
 - The Last of Us Part II (7.4)
 - Ghost of Tsushima (8.8)
 - Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (8.0)

---

YouTube Channels:
 - Ted-Ed (8.3)
 - The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (7.6)
 - Walt Disney Studios (8.7)
 - BBC News (8.2)
 - 20th Century Fox (9.3)

---

There will be one poll for each category, narrowing each of the 5 nominations down to one winner over the course of 2 weeks!

Would love to hear what everyone thinks below!
  
Show all 3 comments.
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Hadley (567 KP) Dec 4, 2020

I think this is a great way to pick for the polls.

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Kirk Bage (1775 KP) Dec 7, 2020

The Queen's Gambit is a glaring omission from TV :)

The Thing (2011)
The Thing (2011)
2011 | Drama, Horror, Mystery
This one is pretty straightforward - The Thing (2011) is an ok film that is completely dwarfed by The Thing (1982) - honestly, fuck knows why it doesn't have a different title.

This prequel to the iconic John Carpenter movie does have some decent aspects to it - it has a mostly agreeable cast and a good screenplay that's engaging, although a vast majority of the characters are hugely forgettable, and not a patch on the crew of protagonists from the 82 film. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is a perfectly likable leading lady, but everyone else is just kind of there. Even Joel Edgerton blends in with the furniture.
I also think it has good pacing for the most part - the opening third builds things up nicely, and when things finally kick off, it feels earned.
The attention to detail is admirable as well, with various objects and hints of past chaos found by Kurt Russell and co in the 82 film being placed perfectly.

Unfortunately, the end project suffers from a couple of things. Most infamously, the CGI is ropey, and is an ill advised addition considering the 82 film boasts some of the best practical effects in cinema history. This is made even worse by the fact that practical effects and animatronics were initially used before being smothered in digital effects to the point where it actively makes the whole movie less enjoyable. The narrative also apes the Carpenter classic a little too often for my taste, and serves more of a reminder of that film, rather than feeling like a homage.
The final act is just silly as well. After a strong build up, the climax snowballs into uninteresting bad-Predator-sequel-esque nonsense, and even saves the most laughable digital effects for last, just for good measure.
I did like the very last scene though, which genuinely ties nicely into the start of the 82 film.

Messing with such an iconic horror heavyweight comes with huge risks, and ultimately, The Thing (still really hate that they didn't use a different title) isn't the car crash that it easily could have been, but it does fall flat on really important aspects, resulting in a film that is average to the casual movie goer, and is thoroughly underwhelming for fans of its far superior predecessor.
  
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
2017 | Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Groot Expectations.
James Gunn is back writing and directing the sequel to his surprise 2014 summer hit. And it might be a fresh mix tape slammed into the Walkman, but it’s much of the same again. Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing.
In terms of the story, it’s almost a remake of the worst Star Trek film ever made! However, this time its all done for ‘laffs’ and so works much, much better. We join Quill (Chris Pratt, “Jurassic World“), Gamora (Zoe Saldana, “Star Trek Beyond“), Drax (Dave Bautista, “Spectre“) and Rocket (the voice of Bradley Cooper) ‘ever ready’ (LOL) to save the priceless Anulax batteries of their current employees, the Sovereigns, from the ravages of some multi-dimensional being. ‘Helping’ them is Baby Groot, a twig off the old branch from the first film, again voiced (in what must be the easiest money in Hollywood) by Vin Diesel (“Fast and Furious 8“).

The Sovereign’s High Priestess (Elizabeth Debicki, “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.“) provides payment to Gamora in the form of her chained-up evil sister Nebula (a deliciously sulky Karen Gillen, “Dr Who”, “Oculus”) but is then less than impressed when the mercenary Rocket pockets a knapsack full of the batteries. So starts a chase across the galaxy leading Quill to meet Ego (Kurt Russell, “The Hateful 8“) on the planet Ego (LOL) at the very base of his family tree.

The great thing about these films is that they don’t even TRY to be realistic. Characters get towed behind crashing spaceships and – literally- dragged through a wood backwards; others fall hundreds of feet to certain death… no, sorry, a “superhero landing”; and planets and characters are painted with a garishness never ever to be found in nature. You’ll even believe Kurt Russell is 18 again – oh that these effects were available on the NHS!

But the other saving grace for this film is the soundtrack, put together by Tyler Bates as an ode to the 80’s, with wonderful tracks by ELO, Fleetwood Mac, Cat Stevens and a host of others. The film matches the music with the action superbly.
I won’t bother commenting on the acting… who cares with this sort of film! But everyone seems to have fun with Michael Rooker (“Cliffhanger”) being particularly good in reprising his role of Yondu. There are also a wealth of memorable cameos, some of them being laugh out loud moments. While some of the pop culture references might go over a younger audience’s heads, there are still enough great one-liners and comic moments to provide general appeal. Bad guys silhouetted against the moon, ET style, was particularly memorable.

One criticism I would have though is that it’s just too darn long for an “action comedy”. The original film just about scraped into my good books by coming in under the two hour curfew. The sequel however adds another 15 minutes, which should have found its way either onto the cutting room floor or onto the “Blu Ray collector’s edition”. In particular, the final never-ending showdown of CGI manicness went on too long for my liking.

Looking back at the original 2014 review, I gave it a rather stingy FFF rating, which in retrospect I think was a bit mean given its novelty. This time the novelty has worn off, but if anything this is an even more enjoyable romp that the first outing.
James Gunn be warned though: I am unlikely to be so generous with “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3” (as threatened) which in my view might be a trip too far for this franchise. My advice would be to take a leaf out of Peter Kay’s “Car Share” book and quit while you’re ahead.
By the way, for those who are interested, the film had a reported budget of $200 million (an impressive “BvS quotient” of 80%!) and the end titles have four “monkeys“, with a humorous reprise of Stan Lee’s astronaut.
  
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
2017 | Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Does what a good sequel needs to do
I have to admit that I really liked, but did not LOVE the first Guardians of the Galaxy film, so when I entered the local cineplex to check out Volume 2, I had lowered my expectations, figuring I'd find a film that was filled with "sequel-itis" and be just a step down from the previous film.

Boy...was I wrong.

I LOVED GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, VOLUME 2. This sequel succeeded in doing what a good sequel needs to do - take the premise, feel, characters and style of the first film and build on it.

And build on it, it does. Director James Gunn states that the first Guardians was about "a family coming together", and the 2nd movie is about "a family staying together" - and this is a family I want around and staying together.

Starting with the "core 5" - StarLord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldona), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket Racoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper) and Baby Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel). These are all welcome characters that grow from the first movie to the 2nd, each with a purpose in this film and with something important to do. I enjoyed seeing them all again. Special notice should be paid to Bautista, who's Drax left me somewhat cold in the first film. Here he is a delight. Add to this returning characters Yondu (Michael Rooker) and Nebula (Karen Gillan) as well as newcomers Mantis (Pom Klementieff), Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki) and Ego (Kurt Russell) and you have an ensemble that is easy and fun to watch.

At some point in the film, I thought to myself "now, THIS is a comic book film!" and I think it is because of the action and the visuals. The action moves fast and furious all the while populating a Universe (literally) that is eye-popping and interesting to watch. Director Gunn keeps things moving along, never staying too long in one place whilst avoiding the shaky-cam action. I always knew where I was in an action scene, what the characters are working on or for and what the outcomes might be. It is a refreshing change from the disorienting "shaky-cam" that the Bourne movies have wrought.

And, of course, nothing can top the soundtrack. The first film's "Awesome Mix" was a strong, joyous part of that movie. "Awesome Mix, Vol. 2" picks right up where the first one left off. The songs picked for this film did not disappoint.

Nor did much of this film. I enjoyed myself - and the antics of this gang - from start to finish, including the 5(!) extra scenes in the credits.

Letter Grade: A

9 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
  
Cocaine Bear (2023)
Cocaine Bear (2023)
2023 | Thriller
7
6.5 (6 Ratings)
Movie Rating
A Ton of Fun
When one decides to watch a film entitled COCAINE BEAR, one pretty much knows what one is getting themselves into.

And, fortunately, Director Elizabeth Banks knew exactly what type of film she was making and her (and her game cast) were up to the challenge…and the fun.

Based on a true event, where a cocaine smuggler fell to his death when his parachute failed to open, COCAINE BEAR posits the “what if” position of what would happen if a Bear ingested it and became aggressive and addicted to cocaine? This fun film takes us through that scenario.

Banks (Director of the PITCH PERFECT films) is the perfect person to helm this film, for she has her tongue planted firmly in her cheek and wisely walked the line between making it violent enough for idiots like me to enjoy and not TOO violent so that the target audience – I would assume that would be teenage boys – can attend as well. She paces the film briskly enough for the audience to not ask too many questions, and the film is short enough to be enjoyable, without beating the premise into the ground.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson (MODERN FAMILY), Kristofer Jivju (Tormand in GAME OF THRONES), Isiah Whitlock, Jr (BLACK KKKLANSMAN). and O’Shea Jackson, Jr (STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON) are all in on the fun and they look like they are having a GREAT time playing in this sandbox. As do Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys and the always-great Margo Martindale (forming a mini THE AMERICANS reunion). Martindale almost steals the film from the COCAINE BEAR…almost.

Special notice needs to be made of the work of Aiden Ehrenriech (erstwhile Hans Sole in SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY). He is one of those performers who looks like he is trying too hard to please, but not in this film. He looks comfortable and relaxed and this just might be the best performance of his career. The same can NOT be said for the late Ray Liotta (in his last film role). While not his best performance (that would be GOODFELLAS), it is a “classic Liotta” in that he plays the drug dealer who is looking for his lost cocaine with zest, energy and unapologetically. It’s a shame that we lost this wonderful film presence.

But…all of these performers play second fiddle to the titular character – the CGI creation that is COCAINE BEAR. Bravo to the company that did the effect in this film, they make the out-of-control bear believable while the character is doing unbelievable things.

A fun “B” flick in every sense of the word – COCAINE BEAR is a ton of fun (I laughed out loud LOUDLY a couple of times). Just know before you view it, what kind of film you are watching.

Letter Grade: B (of course)

7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)