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Erika (17788 KP) rated Chappaquiddick (2017) in Movies
Apr 14, 2018 (Updated Apr 14, 2018)
So, I'm not sure if I was supposed to by sympathetic towards Teddy Kennedy with everything surrounding this whole incident... But I'm not. It didn't change my thoughts on him at all. Dirtbag. Jason Clarke did well as Ted, and with the mannerisms and everything. I loved Ed Helms in this film. He was legitimately the only thing interesting.
I know they were billing this as the 'unknown story' and everything, maybe for people that know absolutely nothing about it.
The 5 is for Ed Helms alone.
I know they were billing this as the 'unknown story' and everything, maybe for people that know absolutely nothing about it.
The 5 is for Ed Helms alone.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Aftermath (2019) in Movies
Mar 14, 2019
Yet another Keira Knightley costume drama about well-brought-up people grappling with their repressed emotions. This one is set in post-war Germany where KK is an army wife reunited with her officer husband (Jason Clarke doing an English accent), but she ends up knocking off the German widower (Alexander Skarsgard) whose house they have commandeered.
Decent production values but the performances aren't good enough to lift a story which feels trite, hackneyed and inconsequential. No sense of passion or danger, hard to care about anyone or anything in the movie; it's just incredibly dull and predictable.
Decent production values but the performances aren't good enough to lift a story which feels trite, hackneyed and inconsequential. No sense of passion or danger, hard to care about anyone or anything in the movie; it's just incredibly dull and predictable.
Kevin Phillipson (9961 KP) rated Pet Sematary (2019) in Movies
Mar 3, 2022
Jason Clarke (2 more)
John lithgow
Jete Laurence
Watched last night as I’ve read the Stephen king novel and watched the original film so going into the remake will it be any good it’s okay not as good as the original there are some changes in this version from the original the main being the daughter being brought from the dead and not the son.and there’s John lithgow who usually plays crazy characters actually plays a normal character which is a change for him but for me definitely star in the has to be jete Laurence who plays the daughter and plays both versions of her character brilliant overall okay film still prefer the original
Russ Troutt (291 KP) rated The Devil All the Time (2020) in Movies
Sep 23, 2020
Brothers and sisters, let me preach to ya for just a moment, and give praise to The Devil All The Time. I haven't read the good book, that the screenplay is based off of, but I can tell you the movie is great; one of my favorites I have been able to bear witness to this year. Amazing perfromances from the killer cast of Tom Holland, Bill Skarsgard, Haley Bennett, Kristin Griffith, Jason Clarke, Riley Keough, Robert Pattinson, Sebastian Stan, and many more. There may be a lot of no-good sons of bitches out there in this world, but I can tell you who's not not one of them and that's Antonio Campos, the director of The Devil All The Time. He photographed one helluva movie and I cannot wait to see more of his work.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Pet Sematary (2019) in Movies
Apr 9, 2019 (Updated Apr 9, 2019)
Stephen King adaptation is a serviceable tale warning against meddling with the primal forces of life and death; also about the importance of correct spelling. Starts with the usual horror film trope of a nice family moving to the peaceful countryside and having horrible experiences; this time they concern an ancient burial ground out the back of the house with the power to reanimate corpses buried there - sounds great for when the family pet gets run over, but is it really such a good idea?
Benefits greatly from a strong performance from Jason Clarke as one of King's Everyman protagonists, driven into very bad choices; John Lithgow is also good value as the neighbourhood's Creepy Exposition Yokel. The pacing is a bit skewed, but the film digs profitably into ideas of grief and madness, although some may find it tough to watch in a not-very-fun way due to some of the subject matter. A competent and enjoyable piece of high-class schlock.
Benefits greatly from a strong performance from Jason Clarke as one of King's Everyman protagonists, driven into very bad choices; John Lithgow is also good value as the neighbourhood's Creepy Exposition Yokel. The pacing is a bit skewed, but the film digs profitably into ideas of grief and madness, although some may find it tough to watch in a not-very-fun way due to some of the subject matter. A competent and enjoyable piece of high-class schlock.
Erika (17788 KP) rated Serenity (2019) in Movies
Jan 26, 2019
WHAT did I just watch??????
I am very torn on this film, and I can't decide whether to just rate it as ok or good. The film weirdo inside of me kind of dug it, but I don't think most audiences will.The critics also hate it, but maybe this will be one of those cult classic things.
The trailer gives the general outline, Matthew McConaughey's character is a fisherman, obsessed by this fish, and Anne Hathaway's character asks him to kill her abusive husband, Jason Clarke (who is now being cast in absolutely everything nowadays). BUT, what is actually going on isn't really clear in the beginning. I feel like it gave hints to its twist fairly early.
Who is actually seeking serenity in the film? That's what you'll be thinking about the entire film.
The twist will most likely be a groaner for most people, as this sort of twist isn't really widely liked.
The trailer gives the general outline, Matthew McConaughey's character is a fisherman, obsessed by this fish, and Anne Hathaway's character asks him to kill her abusive husband, Jason Clarke (who is now being cast in absolutely everything nowadays). BUT, what is actually going on isn't really clear in the beginning. I feel like it gave hints to its twist fairly early.
Who is actually seeking serenity in the film? That's what you'll be thinking about the entire film.
The twist will most likely be a groaner for most people, as this sort of twist isn't really widely liked.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Terminator: Dark Fate (2019) in Movies
Oct 25, 2019 (Updated Oct 25, 2019)
Expectations for this sixth Terminator movie were so low that even with a breathe-on-it-and-it-collapses plot, this is an startlingly effective sequel. A young girl finds herself the target of an assassination machine from the future, but a cyborg soldier has also been sent back to protect her. But this is not the first time round the time loop, and survivors from a previous version of this story find themselves drawn into the conflict...
So, yes, the plot only just manages to hold together, and the film is saddled with a leadenly reductionist message to put across - but it smartly identifies the one reproducible element of Terminator 2 that was really distinctive (Sarah Connor's transformation into an unhinged bad-ass) and plays that for all it's worth, accompanying it with some cracking action and fight sequences. Arnie doesn't show up until quite late on, but is so effective when he does it really unbalances the film (he plays the comedy inherent in his role as a Terminator who's been living undercover in suburbia for decades with great aplomb). Still not exactly brilliant, but streets ahead of the ones with Christian Bale and Jason Clarke.
So, yes, the plot only just manages to hold together, and the film is saddled with a leadenly reductionist message to put across - but it smartly identifies the one reproducible element of Terminator 2 that was really distinctive (Sarah Connor's transformation into an unhinged bad-ass) and plays that for all it's worth, accompanying it with some cracking action and fight sequences. Arnie doesn't show up until quite late on, but is so effective when he does it really unbalances the film (he plays the comedy inherent in his role as a Terminator who's been living undercover in suburbia for decades with great aplomb). Still not exactly brilliant, but streets ahead of the ones with Christian Bale and Jason Clarke.
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Terminator Genisys (2015) in Movies
Jun 11, 2019
Not a complete disaster
Sequels and reboots are making up the bulk of 2015’s cinematic offerings. With films added to franchises like Jurassic Park, Star Wars and James Bond, it was always going to be tough for others to make much of a dent.
It’s been six years since Christian Bale took over lead billing from Arnold Schwarzenegger in the Terminator series in the critically panned Terminator Salvation. But director Alan Taylor (Thor: the Dark World), a newcomer to the sci-fi adventure series, resurrects the franchise with Terminator Genisys. But is it worth a watch?
Acting as a reboot and a sequel, the film follows the story of a young Kyle Reece (Jai Courtney), sent back in time by John Connor (Jason Clarke) to protect his mother Sarah, played by Game of Thrones’ Emilia Clarke. His aim is to stop the war before it even begins.
The duo are joined on their travels by the naturally charismatic Arnold Schwarzenegger who is one of the only highlights in a film full of soulless set-pieces, meaningless dialogue and a sickening sense of nostalgia.
Genisys constantly reminds you of the brilliance radiating from James Cameron’s first two films. Herein lies the problem, this sequel has none of the soul or charm of its predecessors with the homages coming across as insulting attempts to cash in on the series.
Even the iconic “I’ll be back” phrase is shoehorned into an awkward position where it doesn’t really make much sense.
And there we move onto the second issue. It makes hardly any sense at all. With continuity errors abound, Genisys relies on your knowledge of Terminator and Judgement Day being in tip-top shape, and after more than two decades it’s safe to say the majority of people will need a refresher course first.
The set pieces are, on the whole, glorious and despite being slightly overlong at 126 minutes, Genisys is a well-paced film without a boring moment to its name. It’s just a shame the plot doesn’t make more of an impact.
It feels like the characters are stuck in a video game, with a climactic action piece signalling the next level, moving on up until the obligatory big-boss fight that makes a further sequel seem incredibly likely.
Emilia Clarke is well-worth noting however. Despite being more used to being in the company of dragons rather than robots, she plays her character well and steps into Linda Hamilton’s shoes with ease. The casting is spot on here with Clarke having more than a whiff of Hamilton in her appearance.
The rest of the cast, bar Schwarzenegger fail to make an impression with Jai Courtney’s character proving particularly dull.
Overall, Terminator Genisys isn’t a complete disaster but comes close to being a write off. The action pieces are thrilling but a lack of soul, comprehension and individuality ensures it’ll end up being forgotten once 2015 is over.
With a sequel almost definitely on the cards, all fans of the franchise can hope for is a film worthy of James Cameron’s brilliant original – and this is not it.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/07/05/not-a-complete-disaster-terminator-genisys-review/
It’s been six years since Christian Bale took over lead billing from Arnold Schwarzenegger in the Terminator series in the critically panned Terminator Salvation. But director Alan Taylor (Thor: the Dark World), a newcomer to the sci-fi adventure series, resurrects the franchise with Terminator Genisys. But is it worth a watch?
Acting as a reboot and a sequel, the film follows the story of a young Kyle Reece (Jai Courtney), sent back in time by John Connor (Jason Clarke) to protect his mother Sarah, played by Game of Thrones’ Emilia Clarke. His aim is to stop the war before it even begins.
The duo are joined on their travels by the naturally charismatic Arnold Schwarzenegger who is one of the only highlights in a film full of soulless set-pieces, meaningless dialogue and a sickening sense of nostalgia.
Genisys constantly reminds you of the brilliance radiating from James Cameron’s first two films. Herein lies the problem, this sequel has none of the soul or charm of its predecessors with the homages coming across as insulting attempts to cash in on the series.
Even the iconic “I’ll be back” phrase is shoehorned into an awkward position where it doesn’t really make much sense.
And there we move onto the second issue. It makes hardly any sense at all. With continuity errors abound, Genisys relies on your knowledge of Terminator and Judgement Day being in tip-top shape, and after more than two decades it’s safe to say the majority of people will need a refresher course first.
The set pieces are, on the whole, glorious and despite being slightly overlong at 126 minutes, Genisys is a well-paced film without a boring moment to its name. It’s just a shame the plot doesn’t make more of an impact.
It feels like the characters are stuck in a video game, with a climactic action piece signalling the next level, moving on up until the obligatory big-boss fight that makes a further sequel seem incredibly likely.
Emilia Clarke is well-worth noting however. Despite being more used to being in the company of dragons rather than robots, she plays her character well and steps into Linda Hamilton’s shoes with ease. The casting is spot on here with Clarke having more than a whiff of Hamilton in her appearance.
The rest of the cast, bar Schwarzenegger fail to make an impression with Jai Courtney’s character proving particularly dull.
Overall, Terminator Genisys isn’t a complete disaster but comes close to being a write off. The action pieces are thrilling but a lack of soul, comprehension and individuality ensures it’ll end up being forgotten once 2015 is over.
With a sequel almost definitely on the cards, all fans of the franchise can hope for is a film worthy of James Cameron’s brilliant original – and this is not it.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/07/05/not-a-complete-disaster-terminator-genisys-review/
Lilyn G - Sci-Fi & Scary (91 KP) rated Winchester: The House That Ghosts Built (2018) in Movies
Feb 2, 2018
It was okay. Nothing more, nothing less.
So, when I saw the trailer for Winchester, I was a little intrigued. Not a lot, but a little. A bit more so when I realized that Helen Mirren was in it. Though I can’t say I could name anything else she’s been in off-hand, I did recognize that she had a bit of weight behind her name. Her presence, combined with Jason Clarke (who I recognize more as a “Hey, it’s that guy” than actually recognize) gave me some hope for the movie. Hence stealing away on a Friday afternoon, paying entirely too much money for a ticket and popcorn to get the big-screen experience.
Winchester could have been good, if it didn’t feel like they were scared to go outside the realm of jump-scares. (Though, I will give the directors credit for surprising me and putting a different spin on the typical mirror scare.) Most of the acting was decent-to-solid, but the actors were sorely limited by a distinctly yawn-worthy script.
In regards to the Winchester cast: Clarke has an undeniable charisma. The way Mirren portrayed Sara Winchester, she had that haughty, truth-speaking old lady thing going on that I appreciated and thought I was in for a treat. I was wrong, unfortunately. I felt very much like Mirren’s heart wasn’t in her role at all, and hiding her behind a veil was sometimes the only way to disguise the blue cardboard of her eyes. Sarah Snook reminded me a bit of Maggie Smith, and she had a way of keeping your attention on her. However, Henry, played by Finn Scicluna-O’Prey was barely worth noticing. Scicluna-O’Prey’s ability to command attention on the screen was pretty much solely limited to the well-light scenes featuring his brilliant red hair. (I feel really mean saying that about a younger actor, but it’s the truth.)
The pacing was middling. I definitely got the fidgets a few times during the movie. The dialogue had it’s moments. (There’s a scene between Mirren and Clarke that’ll have you snickering.) The action, such as it was, was bland and cliched. The ending scene had me rolling my eyes.
Overall, Winchester wasn’t god-awful, but it wasn’t something your average horror-movie watcher hasn’t seen 999 times before. It’s one to rent at your local Redbox, or when it his Amazon, but not worth paying movie theatre prices for right now.
Winchester could have been good, if it didn’t feel like they were scared to go outside the realm of jump-scares. (Though, I will give the directors credit for surprising me and putting a different spin on the typical mirror scare.) Most of the acting was decent-to-solid, but the actors were sorely limited by a distinctly yawn-worthy script.
In regards to the Winchester cast: Clarke has an undeniable charisma. The way Mirren portrayed Sara Winchester, she had that haughty, truth-speaking old lady thing going on that I appreciated and thought I was in for a treat. I was wrong, unfortunately. I felt very much like Mirren’s heart wasn’t in her role at all, and hiding her behind a veil was sometimes the only way to disguise the blue cardboard of her eyes. Sarah Snook reminded me a bit of Maggie Smith, and she had a way of keeping your attention on her. However, Henry, played by Finn Scicluna-O’Prey was barely worth noticing. Scicluna-O’Prey’s ability to command attention on the screen was pretty much solely limited to the well-light scenes featuring his brilliant red hair. (I feel really mean saying that about a younger actor, but it’s the truth.)
The pacing was middling. I definitely got the fidgets a few times during the movie. The dialogue had it’s moments. (There’s a scene between Mirren and Clarke that’ll have you snickering.) The action, such as it was, was bland and cliched. The ending scene had me rolling my eyes.
Overall, Winchester wasn’t god-awful, but it wasn’t something your average horror-movie watcher hasn’t seen 999 times before. It’s one to rent at your local Redbox, or when it his Amazon, but not worth paying movie theatre prices for right now.
Bostonian916 (449 KP) rated Zero Dark Thirty (2013) in Movies
Jul 19, 2020
So I have been putting off seeing this movie since it was released. Well, not really. I just never made it a priority. There was always something else to watch or capture my time. I wish I wouldn't have waited so long to see it.
I was under the false impression that Joel Edgerton and Chris Pratt would be primary characters in the story line. They played their roles, but the true ownership of the script has to go to Jessica Chastain (whom I have a newfound respect for) with a side of Jason Clarke. To be honest, I hadn't read much about the movie either. Mainly just had an idea of it being about the assault on Bin Laden.
There is a level of mental anguish during the movie that I didn't expect. You come to terms with the reality that these people are living trying to fulfill their duty while being able to sleep at night and having a need to protect their families and loved ones.
Zero Dark Thirty isn't an outright action movie as expected. There are some action sequences and those are done well, but the real strength of the movie is the mental gymnastics endured by all involved.
I was under the false impression that Joel Edgerton and Chris Pratt would be primary characters in the story line. They played their roles, but the true ownership of the script has to go to Jessica Chastain (whom I have a newfound respect for) with a side of Jason Clarke. To be honest, I hadn't read much about the movie either. Mainly just had an idea of it being about the assault on Bin Laden.
There is a level of mental anguish during the movie that I didn't expect. You come to terms with the reality that these people are living trying to fulfill their duty while being able to sleep at night and having a need to protect their families and loved ones.
Zero Dark Thirty isn't an outright action movie as expected. There are some action sequences and those are done well, but the real strength of the movie is the mental gymnastics endured by all involved.