Search
Search results
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Fast & Furious 9 (2021) in Movies
Jun 24, 2021
Ridiculous storyline (1 more)
Improbable action
Magnetic bulls**t that will no doubt attract Fast-fans
Positives:
- Glossy locations, fast cars and beautiful women: the usual Fast stuff.
- When the stunts are "real", they are good and exciting. But it's often difficult to tell when there's been a 'computer-assist'.
Negatives:
- I complained in my review for "The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard" about it having a childish and ludicrous plot. This movie makes that look like bl***y Shakespeare! There's an attempt to add a smidgen of family tension into the mix, based on Dom's childhood trauma. But aside from that element, the 'story' (I use the term in its loosest possible sense) bounces (without any rational logic most of the time) from ludicrous situation to ludicrous situation without pause. Most of these are linked by Ramsey (the very British Nathalie Emmanuel) stating a random fact such as "Well, now he's going to need to launch a satellite". And off we go again. (That particular crazy story arc even sees them 'doing a Musk' and flying a car into space: I kid you not!)
- It's not even the 'big stuff' that's unbelievable. Everywhere you look, there are inconsistencies and things that don't make sense.
-- Tej (played by Ludicris - an appropriate name here) takes dodging a brigade worth of machine gun bullets to nonsensical limits.
-- Generally, the cast gets blasted, dropped, crashed, burned, and otherwise put through more fatal situations than you can imagine, only to walk out without a scratch.
-- And if you can show me a single delivery lorry in Edinburgh that has an automatic gearbox, I'll be amazed!
- At one point, Roman (Tyrese Gibson) mutters some line about "Trusting in the physics and the numbers". Well, let me tell you, it's like no physics that I studied on this planet. A lot of the set pieces involve huge magnets attached to trucks and cars. Now - correct me if I'm wrong - but if you turn a massive magnet on in a truck then as well as ripping the car you are chasing through the adjacent building (as if), you will also force the truck to be pulled into that building too. OK, perhaps not as much.... but the lorry ain't going to stay in its driving lane, I know that much! And magnets attract metal - they don't repel it!
- At 145 minutes, this is well over 2 hours of my life I will never get back.
Summary Thoughts on "F9": It's just such a formulaic and contrived piece of fluff that it makes me cross that they can spend $200,000 on a movie and not make it better. Part of this involves the lazy use of CGI to create obviously nonsensical stunts that devalue true action films. Yes, the stunt team was busy, and impressive, here - but always going for "one better" has led to extensive use of CGI. That's why I liked the 2014 'knock-off' film "Need for Speed" - - at least they did all their stunts old-school, in camera, and not in the computer.
But whatever I say here, this movie will unfortunately get its audience. At the time of writing, it's already made nearly $300K at the box office on its $200K budget. Which means there will inevitably be an F10, no doubt involving a driving battle on the planet Mars. Sigh.
By the way, before you dive for the exits to relieve your bladder (it is 145 minutes after all), there is a mid-credits scene that re-introduces an old favourite.
(For the full graphical review, please check out the One Mann's Movies review here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2021/06/24/f9-magnetic-bullst-that-will-no-doubt-attract-fast-fans/. Thanks).
- Glossy locations, fast cars and beautiful women: the usual Fast stuff.
- When the stunts are "real", they are good and exciting. But it's often difficult to tell when there's been a 'computer-assist'.
Negatives:
- I complained in my review for "The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard" about it having a childish and ludicrous plot. This movie makes that look like bl***y Shakespeare! There's an attempt to add a smidgen of family tension into the mix, based on Dom's childhood trauma. But aside from that element, the 'story' (I use the term in its loosest possible sense) bounces (without any rational logic most of the time) from ludicrous situation to ludicrous situation without pause. Most of these are linked by Ramsey (the very British Nathalie Emmanuel) stating a random fact such as "Well, now he's going to need to launch a satellite". And off we go again. (That particular crazy story arc even sees them 'doing a Musk' and flying a car into space: I kid you not!)
- It's not even the 'big stuff' that's unbelievable. Everywhere you look, there are inconsistencies and things that don't make sense.
-- Tej (played by Ludicris - an appropriate name here) takes dodging a brigade worth of machine gun bullets to nonsensical limits.
-- Generally, the cast gets blasted, dropped, crashed, burned, and otherwise put through more fatal situations than you can imagine, only to walk out without a scratch.
-- And if you can show me a single delivery lorry in Edinburgh that has an automatic gearbox, I'll be amazed!
- At one point, Roman (Tyrese Gibson) mutters some line about "Trusting in the physics and the numbers". Well, let me tell you, it's like no physics that I studied on this planet. A lot of the set pieces involve huge magnets attached to trucks and cars. Now - correct me if I'm wrong - but if you turn a massive magnet on in a truck then as well as ripping the car you are chasing through the adjacent building (as if), you will also force the truck to be pulled into that building too. OK, perhaps not as much.... but the lorry ain't going to stay in its driving lane, I know that much! And magnets attract metal - they don't repel it!
- At 145 minutes, this is well over 2 hours of my life I will never get back.
Summary Thoughts on "F9": It's just such a formulaic and contrived piece of fluff that it makes me cross that they can spend $200,000 on a movie and not make it better. Part of this involves the lazy use of CGI to create obviously nonsensical stunts that devalue true action films. Yes, the stunt team was busy, and impressive, here - but always going for "one better" has led to extensive use of CGI. That's why I liked the 2014 'knock-off' film "Need for Speed" - - at least they did all their stunts old-school, in camera, and not in the computer.
But whatever I say here, this movie will unfortunately get its audience. At the time of writing, it's already made nearly $300K at the box office on its $200K budget. Which means there will inevitably be an F10, no doubt involving a driving battle on the planet Mars. Sigh.
By the way, before you dive for the exits to relieve your bladder (it is 145 minutes after all), there is a mid-credits scene that re-introduces an old favourite.
(For the full graphical review, please check out the One Mann's Movies review here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2021/06/24/f9-magnetic-bullst-that-will-no-doubt-attract-fast-fans/. Thanks).
Blackbox Pro for Dreambox, Vu+, Xtrend, TVHeadend and Others
Entertainment and Utilities
App
* SPECIAL DISCOUNT FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY * Buy Blackbox today and you get the Blackbox 3 upgrade...
Clear Scanner: Best PDF Scans
Business and Utilities
App
Now convert your smart phone into a mini pocket scanner and enjoy the high quality image in your...
VPN- Unlimited VPN Shield Pro
Reference and Productivity
App
'VPN' is our advanced but yet simpler version of 'FreeVPN.io', which combines lighter weight app,...
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated The Founder (2017) in Movies
Oct 16, 2017 (Updated Oct 16, 2017)
The land of finders keepers, losers weepers
The story of McDonald's pretty much sums up the American dream sadly. A crook of a salesman / businessman Ray Kroc, played by Michael Keaton, comes across two hardworking brothers Mac (John Carroll Lynch) and Dick McDonald (Nick Offerman), who have essentially cracked the idea of how to provide fast food.
They are satisfied with their humble beginnings at a small diner in San Bernardino, but are cajoled by Kroc into franchising - who essentially steals it from under their nose by buying the land that it was based upon. It's really quite tragic because Kroc turned it from an honest operation into the greedy corporation that we have today. That being said, I love Keaton, he's versatile and can play anything from a lovable scallywag to evil incarnate.
While it's not Oscar worthy as such, it's an interesting biopic nevertheless.
They are satisfied with their humble beginnings at a small diner in San Bernardino, but are cajoled by Kroc into franchising - who essentially steals it from under their nose by buying the land that it was based upon. It's really quite tragic because Kroc turned it from an honest operation into the greedy corporation that we have today. That being said, I love Keaton, he's versatile and can play anything from a lovable scallywag to evil incarnate.
While it's not Oscar worthy as such, it's an interesting biopic nevertheless.
Book Divas (227 KP) rated The Selection in Books
Dec 12, 2017 (Updated Dec 12, 2017)
I finally sat down to read this book and I freaking loved it so much that I had to read it all in a day because I simply refused to put it down.
A beautifully written story line that quickly found me endearing myself to America as she is someone people could actually look up to.
America does not want to sign up for the selection but her love interest Aspen asks her to do it so that later on in life there are no I wonder ifs and so she does it thinking that she won't be selected. However, she does and things quickly begin to change for her.
This emotionally charged read is fast paced, full of strong characters and the world building was enchanting. A story full of love, heartache, revelations and perseverance. Can't wait for the next book to arrive in the mail!
A beautifully written story line that quickly found me endearing myself to America as she is someone people could actually look up to.
America does not want to sign up for the selection but her love interest Aspen asks her to do it so that later on in life there are no I wonder ifs and so she does it thinking that she won't be selected. However, she does and things quickly begin to change for her.
This emotionally charged read is fast paced, full of strong characters and the world building was enchanting. A story full of love, heartache, revelations and perseverance. Can't wait for the next book to arrive in the mail!
an incredibly interesting concept with a fast paced plot (3 more)
very interesting structure of the book as a book within a book, etc.
a thought provoking commentary on gender, religion, power, war and the future of these things, even with hints towards the dangerous future of chemical/atomic/nuclear weaponry
i am sure that this will be made into a movie (it really is of grand proportions) and i can only hope they do it justice
THANK YOU FOR THIS NOVEL NAOMI ALDERMAN
i cannot encourage anyone to read this book enough. what a concept for a novel!! especially biting from the perspective of a female reader, it reads as a disturbing and compelling gender political satire that sometimes hits a little too close to home. i implore you to read it and reconsider the gender political landscape of our modern society
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated Crazy Love You in Books
Jan 15, 2018
How is it possible that I have not read any of Lisa Unger's books until now?? This book was so good I could not put it down, which is not necessarily a good thing when you are an elementary school teacher headed back to work after being off (ie. sleeping in) for 2 weeks. LOL
The plot was so fast paced and well developed. The characters were interesting and very believable. There were plenty of twists & turns, the kind that leave you thinking you have it all figured out only to realize at the end that you were only partially right. Just the kind of book I love! This is 1 avid reader that has a new go to author. I can't wait to delve in to another of her books. I hope they are all as great & easy to get lost in as this one was.
The plot was so fast paced and well developed. The characters were interesting and very believable. There were plenty of twists & turns, the kind that leave you thinking you have it all figured out only to realize at the end that you were only partially right. Just the kind of book I love! This is 1 avid reader that has a new go to author. I can't wait to delve in to another of her books. I hope they are all as great & easy to get lost in as this one was.
This book was given to me by a friend, a substitue teacher at the school I teach at. He is working on his teaching degree & came across this book in the course of his studies. He was so impressed with it that he purchased several copies & gave them to teachers at the school.
I enjoyed this book a great deal. It was easy to read for being a book on brain science. It was written in a very non-high brow way. The book explained the theory of brain plasticity & how the "changeability" of the brain impacts our lives. There were sections on relationships, addiction, learning, strokes, & the part I found the most interesting the development of the Fast ForWord program which we use at the school.
If you are curious about the brain & how it is able to change & heal or harm itself this is a must read!
I enjoyed this book a great deal. It was easy to read for being a book on brain science. It was written in a very non-high brow way. The book explained the theory of brain plasticity & how the "changeability" of the brain impacts our lives. There were sections on relationships, addiction, learning, strokes, & the part I found the most interesting the development of the Fast ForWord program which we use at the school.
If you are curious about the brain & how it is able to change & heal or harm itself this is a must read!