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MissCagey (2652 KP) rated Wonder Woman (2017) in Movies
May 2, 2018
I really don't understand all the great reviews this film is getting. I am not a comic book hero fan in general but this was one I was so excited to watch as I LOVED the Wonder Woman tv show when I was younger. I wanted to be Wonder Woman, I dressed as her for a fancy dress....I thought she was AMAZING! When she spun around into her costume, the primary colours, the excitement....just brilliant. And then we have this shambles of a film to honour her, oh dear.
Her costume is drab, the cinematography is drab (other than Themyscira), the story is boring, Gal Gadot can't pick an accent she wants to use the whole way through, the villain is crap, her morals flip flop- she hates war and cries about it and then brings down a church (which contained one sniper) not caring if there are any civilians around, blah blah blah. So disappointing.
Her costume is drab, the cinematography is drab (other than Themyscira), the story is boring, Gal Gadot can't pick an accent she wants to use the whole way through, the villain is crap, her morals flip flop- she hates war and cries about it and then brings down a church (which contained one sniper) not caring if there are any civilians around, blah blah blah. So disappointing.
Dean (6927 KP) rated Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) in Movies
Jun 3, 2019
Monster Mash
I didn't see many reviews before seeing this so had an open mind. So long as there was plenty of action I think I would be satisfied. I saw it on Screen X which was good, although only some keys scenes are on the extra screens as well. I used to enjoy the old Godzilla vs films back in the day, so wanted something that captured the spirit of those films.
The biggest problem for me is for a 2 hour film you'd expect tons of action scenes and Godzilla battles. In reality there are only a few. They are very good, but bogged down in between human story content that slows the pace down. It needed to have a couple of more monster fights really. Compared to other recent similar films like Rampage or the Pacific Rim films it didn't add anything new. A decent action film that could have been shorter and better.
The biggest problem for me is for a 2 hour film you'd expect tons of action scenes and Godzilla battles. In reality there are only a few. They are very good, but bogged down in between human story content that slows the pace down. It needed to have a couple of more monster fights really. Compared to other recent similar films like Rampage or the Pacific Rim films it didn't add anything new. A decent action film that could have been shorter and better.
Steve Fearon (84 KP) rated Escape From Tomorrow (2013) in Movies
Sep 26, 2018
Not a magical movie...
I don't like writing negative reviews, but this confusing story about a family visiting disney world is...well its a mess.
Its a Lynchian dreamscape of a film, which hints at a lot but doesn't really every explain much, other than to suggest there is a dark undercurrent to Disney.
The fact is though that the narrative is untidy and weirdly paced, and can't ever really settle on what it is that it wants viewers to feel.
You can argue thats the point of this sort of film, but there doesn't feel like there is any cleverness to the confusion, just a movie that deliberately tries to unbalance you for no other reason than to have you unbalanced.
I don't really want to say much more other than that there are many better films out there than this, so only watch this if you really fancy a challenge.
Its a Lynchian dreamscape of a film, which hints at a lot but doesn't really every explain much, other than to suggest there is a dark undercurrent to Disney.
The fact is though that the narrative is untidy and weirdly paced, and can't ever really settle on what it is that it wants viewers to feel.
You can argue thats the point of this sort of film, but there doesn't feel like there is any cleverness to the confusion, just a movie that deliberately tries to unbalance you for no other reason than to have you unbalanced.
I don't really want to say much more other than that there are many better films out there than this, so only watch this if you really fancy a challenge.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Train to Busan (2016) in Movies
Oct 8, 2018
A zombie movie with a heart?
After reading some great reviews for this film (some on Smashbomb) I thought I would give this modern Korean zombie film a try.
Boy was I glad I did.
Nothing too complicated with the plot here. Just a straight escape the zombie hoard before they bite you and make you part of the global onslaught type thing.
The characters are not well explained for the most part, but you care about them anyways when bad things start to happen. Blood and guts are amped down in favor of tension instead which I liked. The chase scenes were great and keep me watching and on the edge of my seat.
For those who don't like foreign films no worries here. The action and story keep you going almost immediately and you forget you are watching and reading at the same time.
Highly recommended. (Find on Netflix currently).
Boy was I glad I did.
Nothing too complicated with the plot here. Just a straight escape the zombie hoard before they bite you and make you part of the global onslaught type thing.
The characters are not well explained for the most part, but you care about them anyways when bad things start to happen. Blood and guts are amped down in favor of tension instead which I liked. The chase scenes were great and keep me watching and on the edge of my seat.
For those who don't like foreign films no worries here. The action and story keep you going almost immediately and you forget you are watching and reading at the same time.
Highly recommended. (Find on Netflix currently).
The Thrill of Repulsion: Excursions into Horror Culture
Book
This collection of carefully curated lists, articles, and interviews celebrates the beleaguered...
Peter Strickland recommended Climax (2018) in Movies (curated)
If... by Bill Ryder-Jones
Album
Ryder-Jones' debut solo album If... was written as a musical adaptation of Italo Calvino's 1979...
Irene M (130 KP) rated A Whole New World in Books
Dec 7, 2018
This book has had very mixed reviews… and to be honest I can see why.
The first about 1/3 of the book follows the Disney film pretty much to the letter, and without surprising anyone too much that is when the story changes.
In the film Aladdin gets the lamp… in this book he doesn’t (I won’t write “spoiler” as that bit is written on the front cover) and needless to say the camel dung hits the fan.
Where I think people might not like this book is the style of writing. Without being derogatory to the style this is very fanfictiony. You know those AU stories where one thing has changed? Well, that. At times the language is a bit too modern, it IS set in old Agrabah afterall.
I can see where the author tried to go with the plot, and while maybe not the most highbrow retelling of the story, it also wasn’t as bad as the previous reviews I’d read made it out to be. Certainly not a kids story (a tad gory, character death warning, violence etc) but a logical enough route for the bad guy winning.
Don’t go into this book expecting an epic Disney tale and you might well enjoy it. The author has rewritten Beauty and The Beast and Sleeping Beauty to follow this one, and I’m going to give them a read as well.
The first about 1/3 of the book follows the Disney film pretty much to the letter, and without surprising anyone too much that is when the story changes.
In the film Aladdin gets the lamp… in this book he doesn’t (I won’t write “spoiler” as that bit is written on the front cover) and needless to say the camel dung hits the fan.
Where I think people might not like this book is the style of writing. Without being derogatory to the style this is very fanfictiony. You know those AU stories where one thing has changed? Well, that. At times the language is a bit too modern, it IS set in old Agrabah afterall.
I can see where the author tried to go with the plot, and while maybe not the most highbrow retelling of the story, it also wasn’t as bad as the previous reviews I’d read made it out to be. Certainly not a kids story (a tad gory, character death warning, violence etc) but a logical enough route for the bad guy winning.
Don’t go into this book expecting an epic Disney tale and you might well enjoy it. The author has rewritten Beauty and The Beast and Sleeping Beauty to follow this one, and I’m going to give them a read as well.
Suswatibasu (1702 KP) rated Our Brand is Crisis (2015) in Movies
Oct 30, 2017 (Updated Oct 30, 2017)
Would have been a decent film if it wasn't for the ending
Our Brand is Crisis is absolutely current for contemporary affairs given that it's a mix of House of Cards, The Ides of March, and real-life politics. The premise of the film looks completely realistic - a disgraced campaign manager discusses her role in manipulating election campaigns to sway the votes using 'crisis' rhetoric to engage the electorate. Sound familiar?
Sandra Bullock plays a brutal and a downright unlikable character but she's all about winning at any cost. In this case, after hiding away for several years following a public scandal, she's hired to back a dwindling presidential candidate in Bolivia. From dirty tricks such as spreading rumours, to even making her candidate appear emotional in a television chat show, she shows how fickle the election system is. All this down to fighting against an opposing campaign manager, played by Billy Bob Thornton, after he sabotaged another of her projects.
However, there's a reason why it hasn't received such great reviews. Right at the end of everything, she seems to gain a conscience which seemed completely uncharacteristic throughout. It changed it from a decently honest portrayal to a Hollywood film which was a real shame. It definitely had potential.
Sandra Bullock plays a brutal and a downright unlikable character but she's all about winning at any cost. In this case, after hiding away for several years following a public scandal, she's hired to back a dwindling presidential candidate in Bolivia. From dirty tricks such as spreading rumours, to even making her candidate appear emotional in a television chat show, she shows how fickle the election system is. All this down to fighting against an opposing campaign manager, played by Billy Bob Thornton, after he sabotaged another of her projects.
However, there's a reason why it hasn't received such great reviews. Right at the end of everything, she seems to gain a conscience which seemed completely uncharacteristic throughout. It changed it from a decently honest portrayal to a Hollywood film which was a real shame. It definitely had potential.
Veronica Pena (690 KP) rated Outbreak (1995) in Movies
Apr 5, 2020
This film is really, really good. Incredibly good. Maybe it's the timing of when I'm watching this (in the middle of a pandemic) or maybe it's the story or maybe it's a combination of the two, either way, this film is fantastic. My only complaint is the length. It felt really long and some parts it felt like it was moving very slowly but at the same time, I can't really think of anything that could've been cut down or shaved off - so maybe I'm just weird.
The cast was really there, on par. Anyone who reads my reviews knows that I'm normally in love with a small character - the ones with fewer lines, supporting the story, less important to the main plot, but this film is not one of those. Dustin Hoffman's Col. Sam Daniels was incredible. When he was pleading with the pilots? I was just about crying. I loved Cuba Gooding, Jr. too. I think this is one of his best films. And duh, Morgan Freeman. In what movie is Morgan Freeman a bad actor? If you can find me one, I'll give you $5.
This movie is a great watch. It keeps you on your toes and you're invested in the characters.
P.S. A young Patrick Dempsey? Mama mia.
The cast was really there, on par. Anyone who reads my reviews knows that I'm normally in love with a small character - the ones with fewer lines, supporting the story, less important to the main plot, but this film is not one of those. Dustin Hoffman's Col. Sam Daniels was incredible. When he was pleading with the pilots? I was just about crying. I loved Cuba Gooding, Jr. too. I think this is one of his best films. And duh, Morgan Freeman. In what movie is Morgan Freeman a bad actor? If you can find me one, I'll give you $5.
This movie is a great watch. It keeps you on your toes and you're invested in the characters.
P.S. A young Patrick Dempsey? Mama mia.