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Film and stuff (30 KP) rated Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) in Movies
May 15, 2019 (Updated May 15, 2019)
A great second Avengers outing
Starring: Robert Downey JR, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Rennee, James Spader, Samuel L Jackson and Paul Bettany.
Directed by: Joss Whedon.
Plot - Tony Stark creates an AI that turns psychopathic and is determined to destroy the world. The Avengers must stop the AI known as Ultron.
With spectacular visuals and an amusing villain this is on the surface of things, exactly what you would want a sequel to the excellent Avengers Assemble to be. The way in which the Avengers are reintroduced is quit simply one of the coolest things I've seen for a while.
The issue is that it treads over a great deal of previous material and doesn't feel as original and fresh as the previous.
Surprisingly something that is handled brilliantly is the volume of characters that are in this. Something that many have tried and failed. Huge kudos for this Mr Whedon.
With a great deal more humour, a romance that feels slightly forced and amazing action sequences I would rate this marginally below Avengers Assemble. That being said, I enjoyed it immensely and would definitely recommend seeing it.
Directed by: Joss Whedon.
Plot - Tony Stark creates an AI that turns psychopathic and is determined to destroy the world. The Avengers must stop the AI known as Ultron.
With spectacular visuals and an amusing villain this is on the surface of things, exactly what you would want a sequel to the excellent Avengers Assemble to be. The way in which the Avengers are reintroduced is quit simply one of the coolest things I've seen for a while.
The issue is that it treads over a great deal of previous material and doesn't feel as original and fresh as the previous.
Surprisingly something that is handled brilliantly is the volume of characters that are in this. Something that many have tried and failed. Huge kudos for this Mr Whedon.
With a great deal more humour, a romance that feels slightly forced and amazing action sequences I would rate this marginally below Avengers Assemble. That being said, I enjoyed it immensely and would definitely recommend seeing it.
Film and stuff (30 KP) rated Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015) in Movies
May 15, 2019
Better than prequels. Not so much the originals.
Starring: John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver and Harrison Ford.
With the weight of the entire franchise and fans who have been burnt once before, Abrams had a monumental task to achieve in revitalising the Star Wars saga. Having had a huge amount of success with Star Trek, Abrams was the obvious choice for Disney.
With elements from all three of the original films and completely ignoring the second trilogy in every way it could, it would appear that 'The force Awakens' knew what it was doing, with enough nostalgia to take anyone back to the 70's.
Unfortunately that's where things go wrong.
The film shifts tone with such regularity it just seems confused and panicked as to what needs to be done. Instead of moments of humour and clever nods to the previous films, it vomits bucket loads of both which is more distracting than entertaining.
This is possibly the closest you can get to a remake without calling it a remake, where the ethos just seems to be "make it the same but bigger."
Instead of a continuation of the story, we are offered a setting up film. Don't we have six of those?
With the weight of the entire franchise and fans who have been burnt once before, Abrams had a monumental task to achieve in revitalising the Star Wars saga. Having had a huge amount of success with Star Trek, Abrams was the obvious choice for Disney.
With elements from all three of the original films and completely ignoring the second trilogy in every way it could, it would appear that 'The force Awakens' knew what it was doing, with enough nostalgia to take anyone back to the 70's.
Unfortunately that's where things go wrong.
The film shifts tone with such regularity it just seems confused and panicked as to what needs to be done. Instead of moments of humour and clever nods to the previous films, it vomits bucket loads of both which is more distracting than entertaining.
This is possibly the closest you can get to a remake without calling it a remake, where the ethos just seems to be "make it the same but bigger."
Instead of a continuation of the story, we are offered a setting up film. Don't we have six of those?
Madbatdan82 (341 KP) rated Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019) in Movies
May 26, 2019
I'm a 36 year old man child and I dont care!!!!
I normally post complete reviews where I take into account all aspects of cinema - acting, script, cinematography, tone etc. This review contains none of that as this film is scored on how it made me feel. I'm a pokemon fan and have been since I was a child. This film perfectly shows a world where pokemon live and co exist with people - a better world for sure. That said I'm not giving it a 10 score purely for nostalgia. The acting is good and story is also good with enough twists along the way to keep non poke fans interested. Visually it's great with the pokemon blending into the world perfectly. The star of the show is Ryan Reynolds though as Pikachu. Reynolds has made a career of just being himself onscreen and he does it again here. Yes the language from say Deadpool, Waiting, Van Wilder or Blade Trinity is toned down but the same brand of humour is on display giving adults something to laugh at as well as kids. Others probably wud give this a 7 or 8 - I give it 10 because I'm a man child who loves pokemon and Ryan Reynolds....so there!!!
Sarah (7800 KP) rated The Cloverfield Paradox (2018) in Movies
Feb 11, 2018
Totally unnecessary
What have we done to deserve yet another Cloverfield film? The first one was a surprise hit, but all these sequels/spin offs or whatever you want to call them are doing is cheapening the original.
This has a great cast, who are sadly very mis-used. The majority of the characters are undeveloped and those that aren't have slightly vague and irrational motivations. The sfx are okay although i think some of the physical props and costumes could have been better. The main issue with this film though is the plot. It is a little bit ridiculous and very confused. It uses alternate dimensions and realities as a general explanation for a load of weird things going on, which is such a poor justification and doesn't work. It seems to throw in as many sci-fi film cliches as it possibly can along with some oddly placed humour.
And the link to Cloverfield itself is there, albeit inferred until right at the end. And it doesn't quite go so far as explaining how this fits with the original film timeline wise and just isn't necessary. This is yet another stunning example of a completely pointless sequel/spin off.
This has a great cast, who are sadly very mis-used. The majority of the characters are undeveloped and those that aren't have slightly vague and irrational motivations. The sfx are okay although i think some of the physical props and costumes could have been better. The main issue with this film though is the plot. It is a little bit ridiculous and very confused. It uses alternate dimensions and realities as a general explanation for a load of weird things going on, which is such a poor justification and doesn't work. It seems to throw in as many sci-fi film cliches as it possibly can along with some oddly placed humour.
And the link to Cloverfield itself is there, albeit inferred until right at the end. And it doesn't quite go so far as explaining how this fits with the original film timeline wise and just isn't necessary. This is yet another stunning example of a completely pointless sequel/spin off.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018) in Movies
Oct 3, 2018
Could've been so much more
I knew relatively nothing about this film but having been impressed by the recent Goosebumps films (not the new sequel), I had fairly high expectations. Sadly it didn't live up to them.
For me this film seemed to be nothing new. I was bored for the most of this and there were only a few parts that I really enjoyed. A lot of the humour and banter between the characters seemed a little too ott and forced and made me cringe more than it made me smile. The effects were alright and there were some truly creepy scenes, just not enough. Cate Blanchett probably saved this, as even Jack Black couldn't bring back the magic he had with RL Stine. And the evil warlock wasn't particularly scary or threatening, and the whole ending was lacking any sort of menacing terror or suspense.
I also spent the entire film thinking the kid was the one from Room (Jacob Tremblay), and wondering why on earth his acting was so bad. The kid was one of the problems in this, I won't lie and his crying was particularly horrendous. And then when the credits rolled I realised it wasn't him after all...
For me this film seemed to be nothing new. I was bored for the most of this and there were only a few parts that I really enjoyed. A lot of the humour and banter between the characters seemed a little too ott and forced and made me cringe more than it made me smile. The effects were alright and there were some truly creepy scenes, just not enough. Cate Blanchett probably saved this, as even Jack Black couldn't bring back the magic he had with RL Stine. And the evil warlock wasn't particularly scary or threatening, and the whole ending was lacking any sort of menacing terror or suspense.
I also spent the entire film thinking the kid was the one from Room (Jacob Tremblay), and wondering why on earth his acting was so bad. The kid was one of the problems in this, I won't lie and his crying was particularly horrendous. And then when the credits rolled I realised it wasn't him after all...
Sarah (7800 KP) rated A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) in Movies
Oct 19, 2018
Completely unnecessary
The original Nightmare on a Elm Street is a classic, so a reboot was always going to be a risky choice. There are parts of this that are actually not too bad, it’s just a shame the rest of the film is a mess.
So story wise, this does have a few nods to the original but yet also expands on the back story behind Freddy, which is definitely a good thing. The amount of gore is still very much present and a lot of the special effects are quite good, although there is a few dodgy patches of CGI. They’ve made Freddy very scary and creepy in this, and gotten rid of the jokes and humour, which really does work. The problem is that Jackie Earle Haley just isn’t Freddy. There was something about him, his look, that really didn’t work for me. And the rest of the casting wasn’t great either - I have no idea what Rooney Mara was doing in this but she was not likeable at all as Nancy. The story faltered too in the second half and dragged on, to the point where it became very boring. And the ending wasn’t a surprise. Yet another unnecessary reboot.
So story wise, this does have a few nods to the original but yet also expands on the back story behind Freddy, which is definitely a good thing. The amount of gore is still very much present and a lot of the special effects are quite good, although there is a few dodgy patches of CGI. They’ve made Freddy very scary and creepy in this, and gotten rid of the jokes and humour, which really does work. The problem is that Jackie Earle Haley just isn’t Freddy. There was something about him, his look, that really didn’t work for me. And the rest of the casting wasn’t great either - I have no idea what Rooney Mara was doing in this but she was not likeable at all as Nancy. The story faltered too in the second half and dragged on, to the point where it became very boring. And the ending wasn’t a surprise. Yet another unnecessary reboot.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated The Incredibles 2 (2018) in Movies
Nov 10, 2018
A good sequel
I’ll be honest, the first Incredibles film was one of my least favourite Pixar films. Not because it was bad, but like Cars it never really appealed to me very much. But I’m pleased to say that I actually enjoyed the sequel much more than the original.
The plot itself is very similar to the original but with dad Bob being left at home to look after the kids. And for me, this is where most of the enjoyment and humour comes from this film. Watching Bob deal with the kids and Jack-Jack’s uncontrollable powers, and getting increasingly more frazzled, is a delight to watch. Indeed it’s Jack-Jack who is the star of this film and without him, this film would have actually been quite dull. Don’t get me wrong, the animation is top notch as you’d expect from Pixar, but the rest of the plot is a little bit predictable and unfortunately there have been far too many superhero films lately and this doesn’t feel like anything new.
That said, this is still a Pixar film and ultimately good, and will always be a lot more enjoyable than watching one of the latest DC films...
The plot itself is very similar to the original but with dad Bob being left at home to look after the kids. And for me, this is where most of the enjoyment and humour comes from this film. Watching Bob deal with the kids and Jack-Jack’s uncontrollable powers, and getting increasingly more frazzled, is a delight to watch. Indeed it’s Jack-Jack who is the star of this film and without him, this film would have actually been quite dull. Don’t get me wrong, the animation is top notch as you’d expect from Pixar, but the rest of the plot is a little bit predictable and unfortunately there have been far too many superhero films lately and this doesn’t feel like anything new.
That said, this is still a Pixar film and ultimately good, and will always be a lot more enjoyable than watching one of the latest DC films...
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Toy Story 4 (2019) in Movies
Jun 23, 2019
Animation (1 more)
Voicework
Fun for kids and adults alike
The animation is absolutely exquisite and probably the best to have ever graced the big screen. With this and How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, animated films have never looked better and the bar has been set very high indeed. Everything from the glisten in Woody’s eyes to the rope-like fabric of Jessie’s hair is astounding and needs to be seen on the biggest screen possible. There are shots here that wouldn’t look out of place on your living room wall, they are breath-taking.
Of course, the main test of a good Pixar movie is how it makes you feel. And Toy Story 4 delivers heart and humour in spades with a witty script and beautiful send-off to these beloved characters. If Disney makes good on its promise that this IS the final part of a quadrilogy, then they’ve created something very special indeed. We may have lost two animated series’ in 2019, but boy did they go out with a bang.
Now pass me the tissues for god’s sake.
More at: https://moviemetropolis.net/2019/06/21/toy-story-4-review-this-is-the-end/
Of course, the main test of a good Pixar movie is how it makes you feel. And Toy Story 4 delivers heart and humour in spades with a witty script and beautiful send-off to these beloved characters. If Disney makes good on its promise that this IS the final part of a quadrilogy, then they’ve created something very special indeed. We may have lost two animated series’ in 2019, but boy did they go out with a bang.
Now pass me the tissues for god’s sake.
More at: https://moviemetropolis.net/2019/06/21/toy-story-4-review-this-is-the-end/
ClareR (5885 KP) rated Keep Clear: My Adventures With Aspergers in Books
Oct 29, 2019
An honest account of Aspergers.
Keep Clear was such an interesting, informative and frank book. It gives a look into the life of Tom Cutler as he receives his Aspergers diagnosis. Immediately, he realises why he has always struggled in social situations and why people consider him to be rude and inappropriate. He then goes on to tell the story of his life and how Aspergers influenced it.
I really enjoyed this book as it gave me a lot to think about. It wasn’t all scientific based information - although that was there too. The anecdotes were sad at times, particularly his loneliness and depression when he started at university, but there was also great humour and the ability to laugh at himself.
Actually, I think there are a lot of people out there who could do with reading this. It explains so well that ‘high functioning’ doesn’t mean ‘easily able to cope’, that those with Aspergers need as much consideration as anyone else on the autism spectrum.
I will definitely be using what I’ve learnt in this book at work, as well as in everyday life. Thanks to the Pigeonhole for introducing me to such a great book, and to Tom for reading along with us and answering questions.
I really enjoyed this book as it gave me a lot to think about. It wasn’t all scientific based information - although that was there too. The anecdotes were sad at times, particularly his loneliness and depression when he started at university, but there was also great humour and the ability to laugh at himself.
Actually, I think there are a lot of people out there who could do with reading this. It explains so well that ‘high functioning’ doesn’t mean ‘easily able to cope’, that those with Aspergers need as much consideration as anyone else on the autism spectrum.
I will definitely be using what I’ve learnt in this book at work, as well as in everyday life. Thanks to the Pigeonhole for introducing me to such a great book, and to Tom for reading along with us and answering questions.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Toy Story 4 (2019) in Movies
Jul 16, 2019
Good, but not necessary
I love the Toy Story films and really think that the third film was a fitting end to the trilogy. Or what we thought was the end of the trilogy. Instead they decided to bring out another film 9 years later and having seen it, I’m not entirely convinced this was the best idea.
Don’t get me wrong, this is still a Pixar film so as an animation goes it’s still pretty good and is a million times better than the other half boiled animations they release nowadays. I mean the animation itself is truly superb, but I suppose you’d expect nothing less from Pixar. The problem is with the story itself. Toy Story 3 left off on such a nice, sad emotional ending, and I feel like this film has spoilt it a little. The plot feels a little weaker, the new characters introduced are much weaker than previous films and even the humour isn’t quite as on point. There are a few funny moments, but nowhere near as much as I was expecting.
Overall this is nice sweet and well made animation, but I just feel like it’s lacking the usual Toy Story and Pixar magic. I really hope this is the last Toy Story film we’ll ever see.
Don’t get me wrong, this is still a Pixar film so as an animation goes it’s still pretty good and is a million times better than the other half boiled animations they release nowadays. I mean the animation itself is truly superb, but I suppose you’d expect nothing less from Pixar. The problem is with the story itself. Toy Story 3 left off on such a nice, sad emotional ending, and I feel like this film has spoilt it a little. The plot feels a little weaker, the new characters introduced are much weaker than previous films and even the humour isn’t quite as on point. There are a few funny moments, but nowhere near as much as I was expecting.
Overall this is nice sweet and well made animation, but I just feel like it’s lacking the usual Toy Story and Pixar magic. I really hope this is the last Toy Story film we’ll ever see.