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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Clash of the Titans (2010) in Movies
Aug 8, 2019
The creators of this remake of Clash of the Titans changed quite a few things from the original 1981 film. They perfected the special effects, lost all the campiness, but still failed to make an engaging film. Director Louis Leterrier, (Incredible Hulk, Danny the Dog) needs to find a way to redeem himself after this emotionless film.
The script is obviously the problem here, because most of the actors themselves have shown their mastery of the art in recent movies. Sam Worthington (Avatar), Liam Neeson, and Ralph Fiennes are all actors we know and love and they have shown us their capabilities in commanding performances in other films. Unfortunately, Clash of the Titans is likely something they will want to leave off their resumes.
The movie tried to have us empathize with Perseus (Worthington) and the humans in their battle against the Gods, but try as they might, little was felt for either side’s petty grievances. The film began by attempting to explain away a conflict between men and the Gods, but without any degree of detail behind this central plot-line, there was no real tension between the two sides. The characters themselves were poorly established in the beginning of the film. There is no relating to them without understanding their motives in the first place.
The movie stumbled along from subplot to subplot, without giving adequate reasons to the audience why the characters were doing what they did. It is likely obvious from the trailer that Perseus ends up fighting the Kraken, but there wasn’t any reason for him to do so. The Kraken would destroy a city, yes, but he was a prisoner of that city. What reason would he have to fight for a city that was indirectly responsible for destroying everything he loved? Does anyone else see a problem with this?
The special effects were quite stunning in 3D, but some scenes were simply edited with too many abrupt cuts and had too many awkward camera angles, making it difficult to follow the action. Unless you’re taking 3D to “James Cameron” levels of immersion, you’re probably better off getting it right in 2D. Without a compelling story, 3D is just a gimmick.
On a more positive note, the movie clocked in under two hours.
The script is obviously the problem here, because most of the actors themselves have shown their mastery of the art in recent movies. Sam Worthington (Avatar), Liam Neeson, and Ralph Fiennes are all actors we know and love and they have shown us their capabilities in commanding performances in other films. Unfortunately, Clash of the Titans is likely something they will want to leave off their resumes.
The movie tried to have us empathize with Perseus (Worthington) and the humans in their battle against the Gods, but try as they might, little was felt for either side’s petty grievances. The film began by attempting to explain away a conflict between men and the Gods, but without any degree of detail behind this central plot-line, there was no real tension between the two sides. The characters themselves were poorly established in the beginning of the film. There is no relating to them without understanding their motives in the first place.
The movie stumbled along from subplot to subplot, without giving adequate reasons to the audience why the characters were doing what they did. It is likely obvious from the trailer that Perseus ends up fighting the Kraken, but there wasn’t any reason for him to do so. The Kraken would destroy a city, yes, but he was a prisoner of that city. What reason would he have to fight for a city that was indirectly responsible for destroying everything he loved? Does anyone else see a problem with this?
The special effects were quite stunning in 3D, but some scenes were simply edited with too many abrupt cuts and had too many awkward camera angles, making it difficult to follow the action. Unless you’re taking 3D to “James Cameron” levels of immersion, you’re probably better off getting it right in 2D. Without a compelling story, 3D is just a gimmick.
On a more positive note, the movie clocked in under two hours.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated The Walking Dead - Season 6 in TV
Nov 10, 2019
Rinse and Repeat
Contains spoilers, click to show
Season 6 of The Walking Dead is really not too dissimilar from season 5, once again presenting us with a couple of amazing episodes, a handful of good ones, and then a whole lot of filler.
Once again a season of two halves - the first half of season 6 is mostly about a stupidly massive hoarse of zombies moving towards the Alexandria safe zone, and the groups efforts to herd them away.
For the most part, it's pretty good and where the strength of season 6 mainly lies.
An early highlight comes 2 episodes in, where Alexandria is attacked by a group called The Wolves. It's a sucker punch to the face, and the action is tense and the stakes feels high, proving that TWD can still pack a punch when it wants to.
Another highlight is the mid season finale 'No Way Out', another tense episode with some shocking and unexpected moments. The amount of work that's clearly gone into the huge zombie horde is impressive for sure.
However this episode also marks an important negative point for me - the relative ease in which the horde is dispatched is the moment where the walkers no longer felt like a threat, and from here on out, they've seem like more of an inconvenience.
The second half of the season slowly introduces us to The Saviours and teases their leader throughout, the now infamous Negan - a much loved villain straight from the comics.
This second half is once again, fairly boring, as the characters slog from one place to the next.
TWDs insistence on character focused episodes rarely push the right buttons. (There's an episode fairly near the beginning that focuses on Morgan that just switched me right off).
Negan arrives properly in the closing moments of the season, and leaves an immediate impression, although the finale ends on a cliffhanger (a lot of fans were pissed), giving us no time at all to see much of him (but don't worry, the show completely over compensates for this during seasons 7 and 8...)
Season 6 is also where the infamous 'Glenn fake out death' happens, which also rubbed a lot of viewers up the wrong way.
Overall, my thoughts on season 6 are mostly positive, but maybe that's because TWD is about to enter it's most testing seasons...
Once again a season of two halves - the first half of season 6 is mostly about a stupidly massive hoarse of zombies moving towards the Alexandria safe zone, and the groups efforts to herd them away.
For the most part, it's pretty good and where the strength of season 6 mainly lies.
An early highlight comes 2 episodes in, where Alexandria is attacked by a group called The Wolves. It's a sucker punch to the face, and the action is tense and the stakes feels high, proving that TWD can still pack a punch when it wants to.
Another highlight is the mid season finale 'No Way Out', another tense episode with some shocking and unexpected moments. The amount of work that's clearly gone into the huge zombie horde is impressive for sure.
However this episode also marks an important negative point for me - the relative ease in which the horde is dispatched is the moment where the walkers no longer felt like a threat, and from here on out, they've seem like more of an inconvenience.
The second half of the season slowly introduces us to The Saviours and teases their leader throughout, the now infamous Negan - a much loved villain straight from the comics.
This second half is once again, fairly boring, as the characters slog from one place to the next.
TWDs insistence on character focused episodes rarely push the right buttons. (There's an episode fairly near the beginning that focuses on Morgan that just switched me right off).
Negan arrives properly in the closing moments of the season, and leaves an immediate impression, although the finale ends on a cliffhanger (a lot of fans were pissed), giving us no time at all to see much of him (but don't worry, the show completely over compensates for this during seasons 7 and 8...)
Season 6 is also where the infamous 'Glenn fake out death' happens, which also rubbed a lot of viewers up the wrong way.
Overall, my thoughts on season 6 are mostly positive, but maybe that's because TWD is about to enter it's most testing seasons...
EmersonRose (320 KP) rated The Unity Game in Books
Nov 20, 2019
“The three moons were rising. The grey being lifted itself from the resting platform and rose to standing position. It turned its head to survey the subterranean chamber and ran a check over its physical condition. It had achieved maximum expenditure potential.”
The Unity Game is the second book by author Leonora Meriel. This beautifully written story follows three characters on their own journeys. First is David, a man who puts everything he has into his work at a bank, determined to find financial success. His plans do not go as plans, and he finds himself in deeper trouble than he could have anticipated. The second is a being of energy which has set out on a journey to extend its life. Then there is Alisdair, a barrister who has just died. His journey takes him on understanding the ins and outs of what life after death truly is. The three stories share themes of redemption, hope, the universe, death, and the question: what if the earth you knew was just the beginning?
The Unity game is an incredibly complex and intricate story. The three characters move around each other for a significant portion of the book until their lives finally interact with each other. It takes focus to maintain the different characters, perspectives, struggles, and ideas that each character is facing but the story being told makes that concentration completely worth it. I found myself immediately compelled into this story from the very beginning. It is strange for the structured business life to intrigue you so profoundly but from the very first page you can see that there are things about these characters that you want to understand. The introduction to each character brings you so vividly into their heads and their desires while leaving so much open to learn through the rest of the book.
Meriel has done an excellent job of creating a mix of science fiction and mystery in this book. The imagination to create this story is astounding, the pieces and themes fitting together so well while being so abstract and unique. Meriel has done an exquisite job of forming this book with the perfect amount of character development and intriguing story while giving the reader so many profound questions to ponder as they read. This book is a fantastic read, and I highly recommend it.
The Unity Game is the second book by author Leonora Meriel. This beautifully written story follows three characters on their own journeys. First is David, a man who puts everything he has into his work at a bank, determined to find financial success. His plans do not go as plans, and he finds himself in deeper trouble than he could have anticipated. The second is a being of energy which has set out on a journey to extend its life. Then there is Alisdair, a barrister who has just died. His journey takes him on understanding the ins and outs of what life after death truly is. The three stories share themes of redemption, hope, the universe, death, and the question: what if the earth you knew was just the beginning?
The Unity game is an incredibly complex and intricate story. The three characters move around each other for a significant portion of the book until their lives finally interact with each other. It takes focus to maintain the different characters, perspectives, struggles, and ideas that each character is facing but the story being told makes that concentration completely worth it. I found myself immediately compelled into this story from the very beginning. It is strange for the structured business life to intrigue you so profoundly but from the very first page you can see that there are things about these characters that you want to understand. The introduction to each character brings you so vividly into their heads and their desires while leaving so much open to learn through the rest of the book.
Meriel has done an excellent job of creating a mix of science fiction and mystery in this book. The imagination to create this story is astounding, the pieces and themes fitting together so well while being so abstract and unique. Meriel has done an exquisite job of forming this book with the perfect amount of character development and intriguing story while giving the reader so many profound questions to ponder as they read. This book is a fantastic read, and I highly recommend it.
Veronica Pena (690 KP) rated Dreamland in Books
Jan 6, 2020
"Dreamland" by Sarah Dessen tells the story of Caitlin O'Koren as she navigates her first love with a boy named Rogerson as her family is going through the crisis of her older sister Cass running away. Caitlin finds a home in Rogerson when her parents start to treat Caitlin like Cass, putting her schedule on the refrigerator, going to every game Caitlin cheers at, packing snacks for the team. But when Caitlin discovers that Rogerson isn't the man she met in the parking lot that night, she starts to pull away from those closest to her - ditching school, avoiding her best friend, missing cheer practice, smoking weed, pushing her parents away. Caitlin then has to figure out what's more important, her relationship with Rogerson or her relationship with her friends and family.
I loved this novel. I think it was beautifully written. When the ball drops about Rogerson and Caitlin's relationship, you don't expect it at all. You are so involved in the book and the characters, rooting for the relationship, wondering if Cass is going to come home, questioning Caitlin's parent's motives, that when it all happens, it feels like it's not only happening to Caitlin, but to you too. I think that Sarah Dessen did a wonderful job of putting this type of relationship on paper and having it be relatable while still being realistic.
In contrast, I didn't like how rushed the ending was. There's this point of 2 to 3 pages being a couple weeks to a month long and it just feels rushed. I wish I could've gotten a little more development when it came to the end of the novel, but I don't think it injured the story or the plotline in any way. Secondly, I wish there was more character development on Rogerson. I think that for someone that Caitlin is supposedly in love with, we don't really know much about him. And maybe that's because he just naturally wasn't very open with Caitlin, or if that was the author's choice. Either way, I wish there was a little more.
I would 1000% recommend this book to young adults as well as adults. I think that this novel does a wonderful job of giving you an insight into unhealthy relationships and shows how hard they are to get out of. Without revealing too much, I think that this book could really start a conversation.
I loved this novel. I think it was beautifully written. When the ball drops about Rogerson and Caitlin's relationship, you don't expect it at all. You are so involved in the book and the characters, rooting for the relationship, wondering if Cass is going to come home, questioning Caitlin's parent's motives, that when it all happens, it feels like it's not only happening to Caitlin, but to you too. I think that Sarah Dessen did a wonderful job of putting this type of relationship on paper and having it be relatable while still being realistic.
In contrast, I didn't like how rushed the ending was. There's this point of 2 to 3 pages being a couple weeks to a month long and it just feels rushed. I wish I could've gotten a little more development when it came to the end of the novel, but I don't think it injured the story or the plotline in any way. Secondly, I wish there was more character development on Rogerson. I think that for someone that Caitlin is supposedly in love with, we don't really know much about him. And maybe that's because he just naturally wasn't very open with Caitlin, or if that was the author's choice. Either way, I wish there was a little more.
I would 1000% recommend this book to young adults as well as adults. I think that this novel does a wonderful job of giving you an insight into unhealthy relationships and shows how hard they are to get out of. Without revealing too much, I think that this book could really start a conversation.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019) in Movies
Mar 7, 2020
To put it simply, if you're not too keen on anything related to Jay & Silent Bob or Kevin Smith, then this entry is not going to change your mind!
The first film from way back in 2001 was already loveably dumb enough. It's collision of immature humour, social commentary, slapstick silliness and plentiful references to past Kevin Smith projects leant it an awkward charm, and things are no different this time around, with exception of everyone involved looking older.
The plot revolves around the titular duo traveling to Hollywood to stop the reboot of a comic book film featuring characters based on their likenesses (literally the same plot as the first). Cue plenty of remarks about the state of cinema and the unstoppable geyser of reboots/remakes/re-imaginings, followed by an absurd road trip, and everything feels familiar and homely.
Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith are just as likable as they every have been as Jay & SB, and the supporting characters, lead by Smith's daughter Harley Quinn, are much the same (although they took a bit longer to grow on me).
There is a veritable plethora of cameos and Clerks call backs peppered throughout, including the likes of Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Chris Hemsworth, Joey Lauren Adams, Melissa Benoist, Val Kilmer, Jason Biggs, Robert Kirkman....the list goes on and on. None of these inclusions feel particularly forced, and everyone seems pretty willing to be a part of the silliness.
The script is a mixed bag of decent gags, meta lines (sometimes a bit too over the top, to the point of almost insulting the audience!), Kevin Smith talking a whole bunch of shit about himself and some genuinely touching moments. Seriously - towards the films climax, I genuinely fretted that i might let out a little sob...
The truth is, I grew up watching films like Clerks, Dogma, Mallrats etc, and whenever a new entry is put out, I remember just how much these niche comedies mean to me. Jay & Silent Bob Reboot fits right in there with the rest of them.
It's not perfect by any means, but this is a film that can pull off Chris Jericho playing a KKK leader, Redman and Method Man giving parenting, whilst still including a lip wobbling tribute to the late Stan Lee (a we'll know fan of Kevin Smith and his work). How can anyone not appreciate that!?
The first film from way back in 2001 was already loveably dumb enough. It's collision of immature humour, social commentary, slapstick silliness and plentiful references to past Kevin Smith projects leant it an awkward charm, and things are no different this time around, with exception of everyone involved looking older.
The plot revolves around the titular duo traveling to Hollywood to stop the reboot of a comic book film featuring characters based on their likenesses (literally the same plot as the first). Cue plenty of remarks about the state of cinema and the unstoppable geyser of reboots/remakes/re-imaginings, followed by an absurd road trip, and everything feels familiar and homely.
Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith are just as likable as they every have been as Jay & SB, and the supporting characters, lead by Smith's daughter Harley Quinn, are much the same (although they took a bit longer to grow on me).
There is a veritable plethora of cameos and Clerks call backs peppered throughout, including the likes of Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Chris Hemsworth, Joey Lauren Adams, Melissa Benoist, Val Kilmer, Jason Biggs, Robert Kirkman....the list goes on and on. None of these inclusions feel particularly forced, and everyone seems pretty willing to be a part of the silliness.
The script is a mixed bag of decent gags, meta lines (sometimes a bit too over the top, to the point of almost insulting the audience!), Kevin Smith talking a whole bunch of shit about himself and some genuinely touching moments. Seriously - towards the films climax, I genuinely fretted that i might let out a little sob...
The truth is, I grew up watching films like Clerks, Dogma, Mallrats etc, and whenever a new entry is put out, I remember just how much these niche comedies mean to me. Jay & Silent Bob Reboot fits right in there with the rest of them.
It's not perfect by any means, but this is a film that can pull off Chris Jericho playing a KKK leader, Redman and Method Man giving parenting, whilst still including a lip wobbling tribute to the late Stan Lee (a we'll know fan of Kevin Smith and his work). How can anyone not appreciate that!?
ClareR (5950 KP) rated You Let Me In in Books
Mar 10, 2020
A satisfyingly dark read!
You Let Me In is unlike anything I’ve read before. I signed up to read this on The Pigeonhole based purely on the cover. I didn’t read anything about it, in fact I thought it was going to be a thriller. The cover though: I actually thought it was a hand showing someone then bird’, and I was half right. It’s a dead bird, and the main character, Cassandra Tipp, does seem to spend most of her life metaphorically giving everyone ‘the bird’ (ie. telling them to leave her alone).
There is a mystery at the start of this. Cassandra Tipp has disappeared, and her niece and nephew have been told that after a year they can have her worldly goods if they go to her house, find the manuscript she has left them and deduce a code word.
This book is that story.
It transpires that Cassie has been involved in the death of three people: her husband Tommy Tipp, her father and her brother. But how did she get away with it? Or more importantly: who did it if she didn’t? And who is Pepper Man?
Ok, I don’t want to give too much away, but fairies are involved from the beginning, and they’re unlike the fairies I’ve read about in the past. They come with a fascinating origin story, and I’d be interested to know if they were a construct of the authors imagination, or whether they’re a Norwegian version of the fairies I’ve learnt about with my Anglo-Irish background. Either way, they’re great characters.
There’s also a chance that child abuse is involved, either by humans or fairies, it all depends on what you read in to things that happen, whether or not you believe that Cassie is in fact sane. Some of the violence is pretty graphic too, and did put some Pigeonhole readers off.
It’s a puzzling book, a book where you’re never sure whether the narrator is reliable. And I loved it. So, if you like quirky, puzzling, violent(ish), dark books, with fairies (or perhaps not) and potentially with characters with mental health issues, then you’ll enjoy this book as much as I did. It was a satisfying, startling ten days with The Pigeonhole!
There is a mystery at the start of this. Cassandra Tipp has disappeared, and her niece and nephew have been told that after a year they can have her worldly goods if they go to her house, find the manuscript she has left them and deduce a code word.
This book is that story.
It transpires that Cassie has been involved in the death of three people: her husband Tommy Tipp, her father and her brother. But how did she get away with it? Or more importantly: who did it if she didn’t? And who is Pepper Man?
Ok, I don’t want to give too much away, but fairies are involved from the beginning, and they’re unlike the fairies I’ve read about in the past. They come with a fascinating origin story, and I’d be interested to know if they were a construct of the authors imagination, or whether they’re a Norwegian version of the fairies I’ve learnt about with my Anglo-Irish background. Either way, they’re great characters.
There’s also a chance that child abuse is involved, either by humans or fairies, it all depends on what you read in to things that happen, whether or not you believe that Cassie is in fact sane. Some of the violence is pretty graphic too, and did put some Pigeonhole readers off.
It’s a puzzling book, a book where you’re never sure whether the narrator is reliable. And I loved it. So, if you like quirky, puzzling, violent(ish), dark books, with fairies (or perhaps not) and potentially with characters with mental health issues, then you’ll enjoy this book as much as I did. It was a satisfying, startling ten days with The Pigeonhole!
JT (287 KP) rated In Time (2011) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
I wanted to like this, I really did, but it was a film that failed to go anywhere, and time just slipped away to the end credits. Justin Timberlake is a likeable character, and more favourable as an actor I would say, although he’s certainly got a decent voice as we all know – here, he was singing a bit flat.
He’s immersed in a world where time is literally money, where people are engineered to live one more year after twenty-five. Unless you’re part of the rich elite who enjoy an elongated life of decade after decade, living in another time zone across the city or you’re scrapping for your life in the slums begging for every last second.
The film has a unique plot, but it’s executed poorly, Timberlake’s character Will Salas is implicated in the death of a rich socialite with a lot of time on his hands, of which he gives to Will, then ends his life rather abruptly with nothing more than a ‘don’t waste my time’ scrawled on a window pane.
There may be more to this than meets the eye, but it’s never really delved into with any great conviction. So we’re left with Salas on the run from Raymond Leon (Murphy) a timekeeper with a past, of which is again never touched on too much. Salas has one more trick up his sleeve and takes hostage Sylvia Weis (Seyfried) the daughter of a wealthy businessman, and never was there more a wasted character.
The pair then turn into some kind of Bonnie and Clyde, or Robin Hood and Maid Marian, stealing time from the rich and giving to the poor.
This film was the perfect platform for some potentially futuristic action, but director Andrew Niccol is happy enough to choreograph a few abject car chases and a few punches thrown. Instead we’re left with the poor on screen romance of Salas and Weis which in all honesty is not in the least bit convincing, after a while you’ll be looking down at your own watch and the time ticking past.
Niccol has left a huge amount of questions unanswered, such as why was time replaced by money in the first place? Quite a big question in the grand scheme of things, maybe he just ran out of time?
He’s immersed in a world where time is literally money, where people are engineered to live one more year after twenty-five. Unless you’re part of the rich elite who enjoy an elongated life of decade after decade, living in another time zone across the city or you’re scrapping for your life in the slums begging for every last second.
The film has a unique plot, but it’s executed poorly, Timberlake’s character Will Salas is implicated in the death of a rich socialite with a lot of time on his hands, of which he gives to Will, then ends his life rather abruptly with nothing more than a ‘don’t waste my time’ scrawled on a window pane.
There may be more to this than meets the eye, but it’s never really delved into with any great conviction. So we’re left with Salas on the run from Raymond Leon (Murphy) a timekeeper with a past, of which is again never touched on too much. Salas has one more trick up his sleeve and takes hostage Sylvia Weis (Seyfried) the daughter of a wealthy businessman, and never was there more a wasted character.
The pair then turn into some kind of Bonnie and Clyde, or Robin Hood and Maid Marian, stealing time from the rich and giving to the poor.
This film was the perfect platform for some potentially futuristic action, but director Andrew Niccol is happy enough to choreograph a few abject car chases and a few punches thrown. Instead we’re left with the poor on screen romance of Salas and Weis which in all honesty is not in the least bit convincing, after a while you’ll be looking down at your own watch and the time ticking past.
Niccol has left a huge amount of questions unanswered, such as why was time replaced by money in the first place? Quite a big question in the grand scheme of things, maybe he just ran out of time?
JT (287 KP) rated Chernobyl Diaries (2012) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
The problem with the horror genre these days is its becoming far too predictable, you almost spend the majority of the film second guessing the writers as to what is going to happen next. This is exactly what happened to me when I watched Chernobyl Diaries.
The premise in itself sounded good, a group of tourists/friends travelling the globe decide upon a little bit of extreme tourism and take a venture out to the site of the Chernobyl disaster.
Finding a picnic spot wasn’t going to be a problem
In particular they head to the city of Pripyat which has become a desolate ghost town since its inhabitants had to drop everything and leave in a hurry, something about a nuclear disaster.
The location provides an eerie setting, empty desolate buildings are submerged by overgrown trees giving off a sinister mood. The group, after getting refused entry by the guards take a back road inside, and spend time wandering about. When the van they are travelling in fails to start they have to spend the night and try to locate a way back out.
Oren Peli wrote the screenplay, but still seems to be living off the success of his debut chiller Paranormal Activity as he reuses the same horror clichés that we have seen too often in the past. Children wandering about aimlessly and shadows in the dark are all present in this, as well as a group of humanoids who give off a similar feel to that in The Descent.
That isn’t too say the film doesn’t have its good points (although rare), and there are some brief moments of tension. But the resulting final act in which the remainder of the party run haplessly about being chased by some unwelcome guests is poor. Slamming doors here, screaming there does little to satisfy the imagination.
The ending falls flat but you could see it coming, if only more had been done to elaborate on the back story it might have given the overall plot a bit more credibility. This was Bradley Parker’s debut directorial role after cutting his teeth in visual effects through-out his career.
While he might have done a credible job with some aspects of this film visually, once again he becomes another director in a long line who fail to deliver on tension and suspense.
The premise in itself sounded good, a group of tourists/friends travelling the globe decide upon a little bit of extreme tourism and take a venture out to the site of the Chernobyl disaster.
Finding a picnic spot wasn’t going to be a problem
In particular they head to the city of Pripyat which has become a desolate ghost town since its inhabitants had to drop everything and leave in a hurry, something about a nuclear disaster.
The location provides an eerie setting, empty desolate buildings are submerged by overgrown trees giving off a sinister mood. The group, after getting refused entry by the guards take a back road inside, and spend time wandering about. When the van they are travelling in fails to start they have to spend the night and try to locate a way back out.
Oren Peli wrote the screenplay, but still seems to be living off the success of his debut chiller Paranormal Activity as he reuses the same horror clichés that we have seen too often in the past. Children wandering about aimlessly and shadows in the dark are all present in this, as well as a group of humanoids who give off a similar feel to that in The Descent.
That isn’t too say the film doesn’t have its good points (although rare), and there are some brief moments of tension. But the resulting final act in which the remainder of the party run haplessly about being chased by some unwelcome guests is poor. Slamming doors here, screaming there does little to satisfy the imagination.
The ending falls flat but you could see it coming, if only more had been done to elaborate on the back story it might have given the overall plot a bit more credibility. This was Bradley Parker’s debut directorial role after cutting his teeth in visual effects through-out his career.
While he might have done a credible job with some aspects of this film visually, once again he becomes another director in a long line who fail to deliver on tension and suspense.
JT (287 KP) rated The Raid (2011) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
As a big fan of action I always look for a film that really holds your attention as well as capture the imagination.We all know that there is a sense of unbelievability that is needed for some action films, and The Raid will certainly check those two points off the list.
The film follows Rama (Uwais) a rookie cop who is part of a S.W.A.T team sent into a tower block to bring down drug lord Tama (Sahetapy), who is holed up surrounded by a army of psychopathic knife wielding maniacs. This is a man that is not to be messed with as we see him viciously execute five men at close range. When he runs out of bullets on the last man we think he’ll let him go. Not so, as he goes to the desk draw, in it are a couple of bullets and a hammer….he takes the hammer.
Meanwhile as the team arrive at the building it’s clear that they are not going to get it all their own way as the majority of them are picked off one by one leaving only a few survivors trapped on the seventh floor. With seemingly nowhere to go, the small band of brothers agree to finish what they started, and go get Tama. The action is explosive, right from the moment the cops set foot inside the carnage begins and doesn’t really let itself catch breath for the 90 minutes.
The fight scenes in-particular are brilliantly choreographed, the climatic fight at the end just seems to keep going and going. A lot of work has gone into getting them just right, in fact the character Mad Dog who is played by Yayan Ruhian had a big part to play in orchestrating them.
There might be the risk that seeing one Indonesian getting the shit kicked out of them one after another may become boring, but that is not the case. Director Gareth Evans has immersed us fully in the action, with wide angled shots giving us a a beautiful picture to look at.
It’s a fully enjoyable film that will have you wincing in pleasure, there must be something about the tower block that attracts, but Evans has taken the action genre to great heights with this one.
The film follows Rama (Uwais) a rookie cop who is part of a S.W.A.T team sent into a tower block to bring down drug lord Tama (Sahetapy), who is holed up surrounded by a army of psychopathic knife wielding maniacs. This is a man that is not to be messed with as we see him viciously execute five men at close range. When he runs out of bullets on the last man we think he’ll let him go. Not so, as he goes to the desk draw, in it are a couple of bullets and a hammer….he takes the hammer.
Meanwhile as the team arrive at the building it’s clear that they are not going to get it all their own way as the majority of them are picked off one by one leaving only a few survivors trapped on the seventh floor. With seemingly nowhere to go, the small band of brothers agree to finish what they started, and go get Tama. The action is explosive, right from the moment the cops set foot inside the carnage begins and doesn’t really let itself catch breath for the 90 minutes.
The fight scenes in-particular are brilliantly choreographed, the climatic fight at the end just seems to keep going and going. A lot of work has gone into getting them just right, in fact the character Mad Dog who is played by Yayan Ruhian had a big part to play in orchestrating them.
There might be the risk that seeing one Indonesian getting the shit kicked out of them one after another may become boring, but that is not the case. Director Gareth Evans has immersed us fully in the action, with wide angled shots giving us a a beautiful picture to look at.
It’s a fully enjoyable film that will have you wincing in pleasure, there must be something about the tower block that attracts, but Evans has taken the action genre to great heights with this one.
JT (287 KP) rated Rabbit Hole (2010) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
Anyone with children will surely feel the pain in this film which is disheartening right to the core. It’s emotionally draining with great central performances from Kidman and Eckhart.
Set eight months after the death of their son, Becca (Nicole Kidman) and Howie (Aaron Eckhart) are trying to come to terms with him not being in their lives anymore and both have a different way of dealing with it. Howie prefers to relive the past by watching videos on his phone late at night, while Becca wants to eradicate his memory altogether by giving away his clothes, removing his paintings from the fridge and cleaning his room so that all traces are gone.
The pair try to seek solace in counselling, talking with other couples who regale their grieving process. This doesn’t sit well with Becca but Howie tries to stick with it. He even becomes close, too close in fact, with one of the other wives when he realises that the bond he has with his own wife might be slipping away. Their cause is not helped by the fact that Becca’s slightly rebellious sister falls pregnant or that her Mum, Nat, is still hurting from the death of her own son, a drug user. This only angers Becca more when Nat compares the two.
The cause of the death is slowly discovered when Becca spots the culprit on a school bus and it is revealed that Jason (Miles Teller) was behind the wheel of the car. The pair engage in secret meetings, as if having some kind of affair but simply sit to talk and reflect on each others lives and the accident itself.
Pain never goes away, it’s something that is carried around with you forever, people seem to tread lightly around you, and life will never be the same again. It’s certainly a tear jerker, there are plenty of moments to choose from in this but for me the film is all about the acting of which there is much to enjoy.
Kidman is at her best and Eckhart who was hand picked by Kidman to be her leading man is sublime and yet explosive in a number of highly charged scenes. The ending shot is one of hope, amid the shattered pieces of their lives scattered all over the place you feel that they might have crossed the road to a happier future.
Set eight months after the death of their son, Becca (Nicole Kidman) and Howie (Aaron Eckhart) are trying to come to terms with him not being in their lives anymore and both have a different way of dealing with it. Howie prefers to relive the past by watching videos on his phone late at night, while Becca wants to eradicate his memory altogether by giving away his clothes, removing his paintings from the fridge and cleaning his room so that all traces are gone.
The pair try to seek solace in counselling, talking with other couples who regale their grieving process. This doesn’t sit well with Becca but Howie tries to stick with it. He even becomes close, too close in fact, with one of the other wives when he realises that the bond he has with his own wife might be slipping away. Their cause is not helped by the fact that Becca’s slightly rebellious sister falls pregnant or that her Mum, Nat, is still hurting from the death of her own son, a drug user. This only angers Becca more when Nat compares the two.
The cause of the death is slowly discovered when Becca spots the culprit on a school bus and it is revealed that Jason (Miles Teller) was behind the wheel of the car. The pair engage in secret meetings, as if having some kind of affair but simply sit to talk and reflect on each others lives and the accident itself.
Pain never goes away, it’s something that is carried around with you forever, people seem to tread lightly around you, and life will never be the same again. It’s certainly a tear jerker, there are plenty of moments to choose from in this but for me the film is all about the acting of which there is much to enjoy.
Kidman is at her best and Eckhart who was hand picked by Kidman to be her leading man is sublime and yet explosive in a number of highly charged scenes. The ending shot is one of hope, amid the shattered pieces of their lives scattered all over the place you feel that they might have crossed the road to a happier future.