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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Holmes and Watson (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
This film wasn't without some laughs. With its witty caption at the very beginning followed by quite an entertaining scene where Holmes and Watson first meet I had some hopes that the feedback I'd been hearing was a little over played. By the end of the film however... well I can count the amount of times I laughed out loud on one hand. As a 90 minute film with two of those laughs coming right at the beginning it's not exactly amazing.
But... there's always a but... I'm not really a fan of repetetive humour. There are a few scenes that rely on the same gag over and over, that's just not my sort of thing. There is certainly an audience out there for this film, it just wasn't me.
I'm not particularly a fan of Will Ferrell or John C Reilly, they produce entertaining characters but they're not generally names that will have me running out straight away to see something. In such a mediocre film though John C Reilly has managed to pull out a great performance. It doesn't feel like he's hamming it up quite as much as Ferrell and for the most part he's great on screen.
There are a few cameo parts involved. Steve Coogan was given quite a good part to play, and Pam Ferris as Queen Victoria seemed to come out of it alright too. It's coming again... but... Hugh Laurie's piece, well it's not what we're used to from him or Mycroft.
One of the things I love is the mid-air mind calculations in Holmes related things and thankfully this film does them in a rather amusing way. We're treated to a few, although my personal favourite came from the mind of Watson. From his solution I'm going to say that there's a little bit of Watson in most of us.
Mini spoiler alert... there's a musical number. I slumped in my seat a bit when it started. Don't panic though, it was actually quite good. I feel like they might be able to get a music video out of it somewhere.
What you should do
My gut reaction is that this sort of film is a bit Marmite. If you enjoy their sort of humour then you'll enjoy it, if not then you'll probably get a handful of laughs out of it like I did. It's definitely a streamer, get some friends over, order some pizza and pour some drinks. In that scenario I think most people would find it amusing.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I would honestly love the picture that Millie draws for Holmes.
But... there's always a but... I'm not really a fan of repetetive humour. There are a few scenes that rely on the same gag over and over, that's just not my sort of thing. There is certainly an audience out there for this film, it just wasn't me.
I'm not particularly a fan of Will Ferrell or John C Reilly, they produce entertaining characters but they're not generally names that will have me running out straight away to see something. In such a mediocre film though John C Reilly has managed to pull out a great performance. It doesn't feel like he's hamming it up quite as much as Ferrell and for the most part he's great on screen.
There are a few cameo parts involved. Steve Coogan was given quite a good part to play, and Pam Ferris as Queen Victoria seemed to come out of it alright too. It's coming again... but... Hugh Laurie's piece, well it's not what we're used to from him or Mycroft.
One of the things I love is the mid-air mind calculations in Holmes related things and thankfully this film does them in a rather amusing way. We're treated to a few, although my personal favourite came from the mind of Watson. From his solution I'm going to say that there's a little bit of Watson in most of us.
Mini spoiler alert... there's a musical number. I slumped in my seat a bit when it started. Don't panic though, it was actually quite good. I feel like they might be able to get a music video out of it somewhere.
What you should do
My gut reaction is that this sort of film is a bit Marmite. If you enjoy their sort of humour then you'll enjoy it, if not then you'll probably get a handful of laughs out of it like I did. It's definitely a streamer, get some friends over, order some pizza and pour some drinks. In that scenario I think most people would find it amusing.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I would honestly love the picture that Millie draws for Holmes.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Stargate SG-1 in TV
Dec 5, 2017
Sci-fi tv at its best
I’m finding it hard to believe that this show has been over since 2007. You’d find it hard to believe that a fairly good but not brilliant film could provide the basis for a fantastic series, but Stargate has done just that.
It’s an action packed sci-fi adventure, full of humour and intrigue with some surprisingly good special effects for the time it was made. The cast and characters are well written and loveable, with Richard Dean Anderson as Jack O’Neill being by far my favourite, full of razor sharp wit and sarcasm. Better played by far than Kurt Russell in the film. The rest of the characters too though are hard not to like despite their differing personalities, and they all make for such a fun and endearing dynamic. Personally I think the characters are what kept this going for so long.
It isn’t without its faults, as sadly i think towards the end it went slightly downhill with some of the main characters disappearing and it’s probably good that it ended when it did.
Still, I have a very fond nostalgic memory of this show as it used to be on Channel 4 on Sunday evenings and I’d sit down to watch it every week without fail with my dad. Fantastic show.
It’s an action packed sci-fi adventure, full of humour and intrigue with some surprisingly good special effects for the time it was made. The cast and characters are well written and loveable, with Richard Dean Anderson as Jack O’Neill being by far my favourite, full of razor sharp wit and sarcasm. Better played by far than Kurt Russell in the film. The rest of the characters too though are hard not to like despite their differing personalities, and they all make for such a fun and endearing dynamic. Personally I think the characters are what kept this going for so long.
It isn’t without its faults, as sadly i think towards the end it went slightly downhill with some of the main characters disappearing and it’s probably good that it ended when it did.
Still, I have a very fond nostalgic memory of this show as it used to be on Channel 4 on Sunday evenings and I’d sit down to watch it every week without fail with my dad. Fantastic show.
Ameeka (131 KP) rated Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) in Movies
Jul 14, 2017
Best Darth Vader scene (4 more)
Cinematography
Special Effects
Characters
Story
Very engrossing film
I was blown away with this movie, I thought this was the best Star Wars prequel and it's the best out of the very disappointing prequels.The plot to Rogue One is very simple, but it's the characters that really take this movie to new heights. The characters make this movie worth watching, and the droid, K-2S0, was able to bring great sources of humour while still being of use. Felicity Jones did a great job as the female lead, she was tough, rebellious and reckless, making her a well-crafted character that has a great backstory.Though Star Wars creates great protagonists, Rogue One's main antagonist Orson Krennic is definitely up there with the best. Ben Mendelsohn is powerful, able to give you a villain that any Star Wars fan would want. The action was spectacular, with the final climatic fight one of the best in the franchises history. Full of wonder and delight, you never drift your eyes away from the screen, with the special effects and digitally recreating some of the characters of the originals. Darth Vader has little screen-time, but he steals the show. One scene in particular was very special, as we see him in action for the first time in years.
Genuine sympathy for Katy Tur
Katy Tur gives you an inside look at the strangest political campaign, maybe in history. Following Donald Trump during his presidential campaign, Tur had the unfortunate task of interviewing Trump or dealing with his chief aids throughout this period.
Tur tells us what it was like reporting on an exhaustive daily basis and of how she felt on a professional basis and personal level. As a female journalist, she became a target for his bullying and outright 'weird' behaviour at times. She shares with us how she felt being singled out at rallies for ridicule and hateful remarks by the then presidential candidate, and of how vulnerable she and her colleagues felt at one particular venue when the behaviour of a baying mob of loyal supporters had been supported and even encouraged by Trump.
Packed amidst the vengeful, rhetoric of Trump's speeches or condemnation of pretty much anyone distasteful to his sensibilities Tur manages to inject a fair amount of humour in the form of her inner dialogue which lightens what could have been an overbearing political tirade.
Intelligently written, fast paced, and intensely compelling, I was engrossed, fascinated and repulsed in equal measure by the book. While it doesn't shed any new light on Trump's character, it vindicates much of what is said in Michael Woolf's controversial book Fire and Fury.
Tur tells us what it was like reporting on an exhaustive daily basis and of how she felt on a professional basis and personal level. As a female journalist, she became a target for his bullying and outright 'weird' behaviour at times. She shares with us how she felt being singled out at rallies for ridicule and hateful remarks by the then presidential candidate, and of how vulnerable she and her colleagues felt at one particular venue when the behaviour of a baying mob of loyal supporters had been supported and even encouraged by Trump.
Packed amidst the vengeful, rhetoric of Trump's speeches or condemnation of pretty much anyone distasteful to his sensibilities Tur manages to inject a fair amount of humour in the form of her inner dialogue which lightens what could have been an overbearing political tirade.
Intelligently written, fast paced, and intensely compelling, I was engrossed, fascinated and repulsed in equal measure by the book. While it doesn't shed any new light on Trump's character, it vindicates much of what is said in Michael Woolf's controversial book Fire and Fury.
A pleasant surprise
This was always going to be up against it, as Stephen King's book is an epic and there's no way the entire book can be put into 2 films. However as a part 1, this film actually does a pretty good job.
Yes there are things missing from the book, this isn't really a surprise. And they have changed some parts of the story too, and although I don't necessarily agree with these changes, the majority of them don't really have a detrimental effect to the story. And a lot of these changes still hint and nod to the book (e.g. Eddie's broken arm, "beep-beep Richie" etc). The kids themselves I mainly loved and they were well cast, the humour was great. Although I do think Beverly looked a little too old? I also liked some of the exposition and explanatory scenes which happened differently in the book, yet still worked in this.
Despite the old school type scares, I actually found myself quite scared and creeped out at times, which I wasn't expecting. My only issue is I didn't like Pennywise's front teeth, I found them really off putting and didn't look very good. And I think some of the CGI was a little over the top.
So all in, a surprisingly good adaptation. Actually can't wait to see the next chapter.
Yes there are things missing from the book, this isn't really a surprise. And they have changed some parts of the story too, and although I don't necessarily agree with these changes, the majority of them don't really have a detrimental effect to the story. And a lot of these changes still hint and nod to the book (e.g. Eddie's broken arm, "beep-beep Richie" etc). The kids themselves I mainly loved and they were well cast, the humour was great. Although I do think Beverly looked a little too old? I also liked some of the exposition and explanatory scenes which happened differently in the book, yet still worked in this.
Despite the old school type scares, I actually found myself quite scared and creeped out at times, which I wasn't expecting. My only issue is I didn't like Pennywise's front teeth, I found them really off putting and didn't look very good. And I think some of the CGI was a little over the top.
So all in, a surprisingly good adaptation. Actually can't wait to see the next chapter.
RəX Regent (349 KP) rated 127 Hours (2010) in Movies
Feb 25, 2019
Probably the best that it could have been...
Contains spoilers, click to show
Danny Boyle is a director with an eye for the modern. visceral styles, sharp editing and the belief that the combination of both will draw the audience into the action, emotion and mood of the situation at hand. There's no doubt that the stunning true story of adventurer Aron Ralston's accident resulting in his right arm becoming trapped under a rock in the middle of nowhere, required a special director and a style as described above.
Did he pull it off? It's a though sell, 90 minutes of a man and rock but I think it was done about as well as it could have been. The story is interesting and told with a sense of humour and a philosophical attitude appropriate for the subject matter, but it all boils down to the moment when he performs his DIY surgery, a plot point that may well sell the film to most people, as it sold news papers back in 2003.
Overall, well told, very well acted by James Franco as Ralston and along with Boyle's signature direction and jukebox soundtrack, whilst not blowing my skirt up, it made my wife cry, myself cringe and was as well conveyed as this story of a man trapped quite literally between as rock and hard place, ever could have been.
Did he pull it off? It's a though sell, 90 minutes of a man and rock but I think it was done about as well as it could have been. The story is interesting and told with a sense of humour and a philosophical attitude appropriate for the subject matter, but it all boils down to the moment when he performs his DIY surgery, a plot point that may well sell the film to most people, as it sold news papers back in 2003.
Overall, well told, very well acted by James Franco as Ralston and along with Boyle's signature direction and jukebox soundtrack, whilst not blowing my skirt up, it made my wife cry, myself cringe and was as well conveyed as this story of a man trapped quite literally between as rock and hard place, ever could have been.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Captain Marvel (2019) in Movies
Mar 13, 2019
Good but nothing special
I feel a little let down by Captain Marvel. It isn't a bad film but neither was it up to the standard of other Marvel films. And I'm not entirely sure why.
Something about this felt a bit meh and lacklustre, especially the first half hour or so. And even when Nick Fury comes in, it still feels like there's something missing at times. Brie Larson is good and I do quite like her, Samuel L Jackson is great as a less serious rookie Fury and the rest of the supporting cast too are good. Although there could have been a little more Jude Law. The star of the show is definitely Goose by far, and this film would've been a lot worse off without him in it. I think the major issue with me is it seemed to be lacking in humour. And when there was jokes and one liners, the majority of these fell flat. It seemed to be lacking a bit if the usual Marvel pizzazz. The soundtrack is pretty good though.
My only other criticism is the weak excuse that has been put forward to explain her absence in the rest of the Marvel universe so far. I've never read any back story or comics etc so I dont know if it's it ties in with them, but it was a little disappointing.
Something about this felt a bit meh and lacklustre, especially the first half hour or so. And even when Nick Fury comes in, it still feels like there's something missing at times. Brie Larson is good and I do quite like her, Samuel L Jackson is great as a less serious rookie Fury and the rest of the supporting cast too are good. Although there could have been a little more Jude Law. The star of the show is definitely Goose by far, and this film would've been a lot worse off without him in it. I think the major issue with me is it seemed to be lacking in humour. And when there was jokes and one liners, the majority of these fell flat. It seemed to be lacking a bit if the usual Marvel pizzazz. The soundtrack is pretty good though.
My only other criticism is the weak excuse that has been put forward to explain her absence in the rest of the Marvel universe so far. I've never read any back story or comics etc so I dont know if it's it ties in with them, but it was a little disappointing.
BobbiesDustyPages (1259 KP) rated A Series of Unfortunate Events - Season 1 in TV
Apr 20, 2019
This is how you adapt a book to a tv show!
A Series of Unfortunate Events is one of my all-time favorite book series and when I found out Netflix was going to be making it into a TV show I'm not going to lie I was excited. The books are just so fun and strange and wonderful that I really wanted to put full faith into them to do a really good adoption and let me tell you I was not let down. From the very first opening of the very first scene you knew they were going to stay true to the book. The set design was absolutely perfection the casting was even better somehow Neil Patrick Harris meet such a perfect Count Olaf and the three actors that played the baudelaire children you're absolutely amazing.
I blew through the first season in the first day in one sitting because I just could not stop watching! I wanted to cry because of just how an amazing of a job adapting the books. It was almost word for word correct abd what was changed was foe the best and I didn't mind at all!
And best of all they kept all the dark humour of the books!
Also they ended on thw perfect book/episode.
I blew through the first season in the first day in one sitting because I just could not stop watching! I wanted to cry because of just how an amazing of a job adapting the books. It was almost word for word correct abd what was changed was foe the best and I didn't mind at all!
And best of all they kept all the dark humour of the books!
Also they ended on thw perfect book/episode.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Coco (2017) in Movies
Jan 24, 2018
Beautifully made
I feel like this is a Pixar film that has really flown under the radar. It's been pretty poorly advertised from what I've seen (or haven't seen more like), and this seemed to be reinforced by the fact that there was only half a dozen people in my peak time showing less than a week after release.
I don't understand why though as this is a really good film. The animation is superb, which shouldn't be a surprise considering it's Disney and Pixar, but it's still a marvel to watch. The amazing detail and vibrant colours. The story itself is interesting although maybe a tad predictable in places, I didn't feel as though there was as much humour as there usually is in a Disney/Pixar film. But Miguel is such a likeable protagonist and Dante the dog is pretty loveable too, but I wanted more from him! It had me almost wanting to dance in my seat at times and then towards the end I was really struggling not to shed a tear. It's an emotional story and a very good one at that. It might not be my favourite of Pixar films, but it's definitely fairly high on the list. It's just a shame it may not reach as many people as it should.
I don't understand why though as this is a really good film. The animation is superb, which shouldn't be a surprise considering it's Disney and Pixar, but it's still a marvel to watch. The amazing detail and vibrant colours. The story itself is interesting although maybe a tad predictable in places, I didn't feel as though there was as much humour as there usually is in a Disney/Pixar film. But Miguel is such a likeable protagonist and Dante the dog is pretty loveable too, but I wanted more from him! It had me almost wanting to dance in my seat at times and then towards the end I was really struggling not to shed a tear. It's an emotional story and a very good one at that. It might not be my favourite of Pixar films, but it's definitely fairly high on the list. It's just a shame it may not reach as many people as it should.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001) in Movies
Feb 17, 2018 (Updated Feb 17, 2018)
Four's a crowd
Twenty-sixth Godzilla movie (also eleventh Mothra movie, eighth Ghidorah movie and third Baragon movie, in case anyone's counting) recruits director Shusuke Kaneko, helmsman of the brilliant 90s Gamera trilogy; results are (perhaps inevitably) disappointing. A new incarnation of Godzilla threatens Japan, but a young tabloid TV journalist encounters a mysterious old man in an equestrian safety helmet who tells her of three legendary Guardian Monsters who will defend the country against this menace (Baragon is also a Guardian Monster but not famous enough to get his name in the title).
Some interesting innovations: first film to address (even obliquely) issues of Japanese culpability for events of the Second World War, first film where King Ghidorah is a good guy, first film with a scene set in Godzilla's intestinal tract. However, the end result is let down by a fatally uncertain tone - seemingly serious scenes of death and carnage are intercut with knockabout cheesy humour and in-jokes (in the English dub at least). The retro feel of the movie, hearkening back to the 60s films of the series, is not unwelcome, but its take on the formula is just plain weird. Most importantly it lacks the mythic grandeur of the Kaneko Gamera trilogy. Still better than the films which immediately preceded it, though.
Some interesting innovations: first film to address (even obliquely) issues of Japanese culpability for events of the Second World War, first film where King Ghidorah is a good guy, first film with a scene set in Godzilla's intestinal tract. However, the end result is let down by a fatally uncertain tone - seemingly serious scenes of death and carnage are intercut with knockabout cheesy humour and in-jokes (in the English dub at least). The retro feel of the movie, hearkening back to the 60s films of the series, is not unwelcome, but its take on the formula is just plain weird. Most importantly it lacks the mythic grandeur of the Kaneko Gamera trilogy. Still better than the films which immediately preceded it, though.