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Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) created a post
Dec 23, 2019
Cruising the Movies: A Sexual Guide to Oldies on TV
William E. Jones and Boyd McDonald
Book
Ronnie Reagan's bizarre legs are sufficient reason to watch John Loves Mary (1949), a picture so...
Dean (6927 KP) rated The Proposal (2009) in Movies
Aug 28, 2017
Great lead actors (1 more)
Cast chemistry
Great Rom/Com
As Rom-coms go this is one of the better ones of the last few years. Kinda mixing @Meet the Parents (2000) with @The Devil Wears Prada (2006) Most reviews seem split on the two leads, personally I think they do have a good chemistry in this. Along with a great setting, a strong cast including the funny Betty White (Goldengirls) make this a pleasing film. It is predictable, aren't they all? It does have some good laughs along the way as the love-hate-love relationship unfolds. It's an enjoyable feel good comedy with two good leads.
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Jurassic Park III (2001) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
Spielberg bowed out of the franchise and Joe Johnston (Jumanji) took over proceedings for this third instalment with composer John Williams also leaving the series.
The script was also not completed by the time the film started shooting which is never a good sign. However, the finished product did have some merits. Sam Neill and Laura Dern’s return to the series was great and the new Spinosaurus proved a fitting antagonist.
But the raptors became cartoon villains and Tea Leoni was just dreadful. At only 80 minutes long, it needed some serious padding out too.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2017/07/15/jurassic-park-franchise-reviews/
The script was also not completed by the time the film started shooting which is never a good sign. However, the finished product did have some merits. Sam Neill and Laura Dern’s return to the series was great and the new Spinosaurus proved a fitting antagonist.
But the raptors became cartoon villains and Tea Leoni was just dreadful. At only 80 minutes long, it needed some serious padding out too.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2017/07/15/jurassic-park-franchise-reviews/
Dean (6927 KP) rated Red Sparrow (2018) in Movies
Mar 8, 2018
A good espionage Thriller
I didn't see many reviews before seeing this, just a trailer. It's a very stylish spy thriller with some great cast members.
The trailer made it seem quite a seductive thriller, whilst it does have some sex scenes and nudity it's gratuitous rather than sexy. It's quite violent and brutal at times with some torture scenes.
Overall the story is interesting but not gripping and the pacing is up and down in the 2nd half of the film. Thankfully the ending was decent and Lawrence does well in a challenging role.
The trailer made it seem quite a seductive thriller, whilst it does have some sex scenes and nudity it's gratuitous rather than sexy. It's quite violent and brutal at times with some torture scenes.
Overall the story is interesting but not gripping and the pacing is up and down in the 2nd half of the film. Thankfully the ending was decent and Lawrence does well in a challenging role.
Dean (6927 KP) rated Ocean’s 8 (2018) in Movies
Jun 29, 2018
Decent heist film
I didn't see any reviews before seeing this so I had an open mind. I didn't expect much but found it enjoyable enough as a fan of the the other films. The cast is overall impressive, although Helena Bonham Carter was a bit panto and Rihanna doesn't have many lines. I thought James Corden was miscast as the insurance investigator. Cate Blanchet and Anne Hathaway stood out the most.
It doesn't have the Razmatazz and humour of the original, but it did have a couple of ties to the other films. Don't expect anything too deep or meaningful and you should enjoy it.
It doesn't have the Razmatazz and humour of the original, but it did have a couple of ties to the other films. Don't expect anything too deep or meaningful and you should enjoy it.
Black Men Can't Jump In Hollywood
4.5
Rate It
Podcast
Black Men Can't Jump [In Hollywood] is a comedic podcast that reviews films with leading actors of...
50 Years of Queer Cinema: 500 of the Best GLBTQ Films Ever Made
Darwin Porter and Danforth Prince
Book
Out, outrageous, provocative, and proud, this comprehensive anthology and library resource reviews...
David McK (3495 KP) rated Prey (2022) in Movies
Aug 14, 2022
If it bleeds, we can kill it
1990s 'Predator 2' has a famous tease - other than the HR Gieger Alien skull on the wall of the spaceship - that the Predators have been visiting Earth for centuries.
Despite that, this is the first one that actually takes that tease and runs with it, set roughly 300 years ago when a Comanche warrior finds themselves in a battle of survival against the titular Predator.
It's also been getting rave reviews, with many calling it the best Predator movie since the original and some even going as far as saying it is better than that 1987 film.
Which makes it somewhat surprising that this was only released via streaming, not even getting a theatrical release.
Having now seeing it, and perhaps having too high expectations as a result of those reviews, I can really only say that I found it to be overhyped - enjoyable enough, yes, but also (very) slow getting started, and with it - in my opinion - definitely missing something by being released only via streaming.
Despite that, this is the first one that actually takes that tease and runs with it, set roughly 300 years ago when a Comanche warrior finds themselves in a battle of survival against the titular Predator.
It's also been getting rave reviews, with many calling it the best Predator movie since the original and some even going as far as saying it is better than that 1987 film.
Which makes it somewhat surprising that this was only released via streaming, not even getting a theatrical release.
Having now seeing it, and perhaps having too high expectations as a result of those reviews, I can really only say that I found it to be overhyped - enjoyable enough, yes, but also (very) slow getting started, and with it - in my opinion - definitely missing something by being released only via streaming.
Sarah (7799 KP) rated Ghosts of War (2020) in Movies
Nov 9, 2020
The ending is worth it
Ghosts of War follows a group of American soldiers as they make their way to take up post at a French chateau towards the end of the Second World War, and encounter much more than they bargained for in this slightly above average B movie.
Right from the start, this opens with your usual cliched group of soldiers that you’d find in any war film. Brenton Thwaites is Chris, the boss and leader, you have Skylar Astin as Eugene, the brains/intellectual, Kyle Gallner as the odd and trouble sniper Tappert, Alan Ritchson as a typical macho man and finally Theo Rossi as the filler. So far, so generic, and other than Tappert who gets a decent bit of creepy character development later on, the rest of the main group are virtually one dimensional. Which is a shame as the cast are a decent group of actors that have been let down by the poor writing. Although I did enjoy Billy Zane popping up with a intentionally cheesy blink and you’ll miss it cameo as a Nazi with horrific German accent.
The film begins like your typical war movie; a group of soldiers working their way across country to reach their destination. It’s nothing we haven’t seen before. However what helps lift this is a rather moving and poignant opening quote, and a score that accompanies this very well. The score in this would be at home on any dramatic war film, and almost seems out of place in a horror film. It gives this a feeling that it’s a lot more epic and grand than it actually turns out to be.
What really drags this film down is when the group arrive at the aforementioned chateau and begin to experience all of the supernatural going’s on. Aside from a a couple of potentially creepy scenes, the jump scares are tired and predictable and the ghosts look like every other spook that’s been in a modern day horror film recently. It reeks of a below average, typical ghost film with some hit and miss special effects (albeit with an respectable amount of blood and gore) and had it continued on like this, it would’ve been completely forgettable. However throughout the scenes in the chateau there are hints that there is something deeper and more sinister going on, and it starts to pick up again when the group encounter a party of Nazi soldiers trying to enter the building. Things start to get a little weird and confusing and then a big reveal in the last 20 minutes completely shifts this film into something you never expected. I didn’t see this particular twist coming and for me, this made this movie more than just a sub par horror film. The reveal has been met with mixed reviews from critics and reviews alike, but I think it injects some much needed enjoyment and intrigue – it’s just a shame we have to wait over an hour to get there. The entire twist and ending is rather disturbing and also quite moving and emotional, and the final scene, whilst one we’ve seen done many times before, did make this a satisfying and darkly entertaining end.
Ghosts of War starts off as a below average clichéd war horror film, however it you can get through the first hour, the ending packs a decent, enjoyable and rather surprising punch. It’s just a shame the first two acts don’t match up to the ending.
Right from the start, this opens with your usual cliched group of soldiers that you’d find in any war film. Brenton Thwaites is Chris, the boss and leader, you have Skylar Astin as Eugene, the brains/intellectual, Kyle Gallner as the odd and trouble sniper Tappert, Alan Ritchson as a typical macho man and finally Theo Rossi as the filler. So far, so generic, and other than Tappert who gets a decent bit of creepy character development later on, the rest of the main group are virtually one dimensional. Which is a shame as the cast are a decent group of actors that have been let down by the poor writing. Although I did enjoy Billy Zane popping up with a intentionally cheesy blink and you’ll miss it cameo as a Nazi with horrific German accent.
The film begins like your typical war movie; a group of soldiers working their way across country to reach their destination. It’s nothing we haven’t seen before. However what helps lift this is a rather moving and poignant opening quote, and a score that accompanies this very well. The score in this would be at home on any dramatic war film, and almost seems out of place in a horror film. It gives this a feeling that it’s a lot more epic and grand than it actually turns out to be.
What really drags this film down is when the group arrive at the aforementioned chateau and begin to experience all of the supernatural going’s on. Aside from a a couple of potentially creepy scenes, the jump scares are tired and predictable and the ghosts look like every other spook that’s been in a modern day horror film recently. It reeks of a below average, typical ghost film with some hit and miss special effects (albeit with an respectable amount of blood and gore) and had it continued on like this, it would’ve been completely forgettable. However throughout the scenes in the chateau there are hints that there is something deeper and more sinister going on, and it starts to pick up again when the group encounter a party of Nazi soldiers trying to enter the building. Things start to get a little weird and confusing and then a big reveal in the last 20 minutes completely shifts this film into something you never expected. I didn’t see this particular twist coming and for me, this made this movie more than just a sub par horror film. The reveal has been met with mixed reviews from critics and reviews alike, but I think it injects some much needed enjoyment and intrigue – it’s just a shame we have to wait over an hour to get there. The entire twist and ending is rather disturbing and also quite moving and emotional, and the final scene, whilst one we’ve seen done many times before, did make this a satisfying and darkly entertaining end.
Ghosts of War starts off as a below average clichéd war horror film, however it you can get through the first hour, the ending packs a decent, enjoyable and rather surprising punch. It’s just a shame the first two acts don’t match up to the ending.