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Tomorrow is D-Day: The Remarkable War Story of Supermarine's First Draughtswoman
Book
At 10.15 a.m. on Saturday 3 June 1944, a shaft of sunlight fell across my board, sending a brilliant...
The Deal: Inside the World of a Super Agent
Book
'Excellent ...an in-depth excavation of the murky and mysterious world of football business. Smith's...
TD
The Deal: Inside the World of a Super-Agent
Book
'Excellent ...an in-depth excavation of the murky and mysterious world of football business. Smith's...
RWBY
7.6
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TV Show
Team RWBY (Ruby, Weiss, Belladonna and Yang) trains at Beacon Academy, to fight crime and monsters...
Rooster Teeth RWBY Grimm
Art and Text
Aimee Selby, Dave Beech, Charles Harrison and Will Hill
Book
The use of text can be seen in some of the most avant-garde artwork of the twentieth century; Rene...
From Jack Johnson to Lebron James: Sports, Media, and the Color Line
Book
The campaign for racial equality in sports has both reflected and affected the campaign for racial...
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Bad Boys for Life (2020) in Movies
Jan 18, 2020
Entertaining "shoot-em-up" with 2 charismatic leads
Okay - I gotta admit, I never saw the first two BAD BOYS films starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, but I pretty much got the gist of it through the advertisements, so when these 2 re-united for a 3rd film (set 17 years after BAD BOYS II), I figured I would skip this one as well. But...as life would have it...I ended up attending this film - with a giant attitude of "this is gonna stink" to accompany me.
And...I was wrong. I was really, really entertained by this film.
BAD BOYS FOR LIFE presents Martin Lawrence's Det. Marcus Burnett and Will Smith's Det. Mike Lowry still "in the game". One wants to keep working and the other is looking to retire (if you take a look at the picture, you can figure out which one is which). The two battle like an old married couple while taking on some crooks in "shoot 'em up" action scenes.
And...what's not to like about that? Smith and Lawrence still have strong chemistry on the screen and the action scenes - staged by new (to me) Directors Adil and Bilall - keep things moving at a quick enough pace, not too fast that you get a headache, but not too slow that you start punching a hole in the plot.
And...as is typical of these types of films...the plot is paper thin and just is a reason to have these 2 banter and to have shoot-em-up scenes.
But that doesn't matter.
Ably helping the boys out is their put-upon Captain (the always watchable Joe Pantaliano reprising his role from the previous 2 films) and the members of the "AMMO SQUAD". These are young cops who are set up to replace our 2 heroes. Normally, this band of youngsters would be arrogant a-holes who end up being too cocky and are outwitted by our heroes, but this film puts that convention on it's ear and the "Ammo Squad" are actually a pretty good addition to this film series.
The filmmakers left the door wide open for BAD BOYS 4 and...I can't believe I'm saying this...I'm actually looking forward to it! Certainly not an Oscar contender, but an entertaining "blow-em-up" with 2 charismatic leads that play off each other well. Everyone involved knew exactly what type of film they were making - so they made that movie, with no apologies.
Letter Grade: a solid B
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
And...I was wrong. I was really, really entertained by this film.
BAD BOYS FOR LIFE presents Martin Lawrence's Det. Marcus Burnett and Will Smith's Det. Mike Lowry still "in the game". One wants to keep working and the other is looking to retire (if you take a look at the picture, you can figure out which one is which). The two battle like an old married couple while taking on some crooks in "shoot 'em up" action scenes.
And...what's not to like about that? Smith and Lawrence still have strong chemistry on the screen and the action scenes - staged by new (to me) Directors Adil and Bilall - keep things moving at a quick enough pace, not too fast that you get a headache, but not too slow that you start punching a hole in the plot.
And...as is typical of these types of films...the plot is paper thin and just is a reason to have these 2 banter and to have shoot-em-up scenes.
But that doesn't matter.
Ably helping the boys out is their put-upon Captain (the always watchable Joe Pantaliano reprising his role from the previous 2 films) and the members of the "AMMO SQUAD". These are young cops who are set up to replace our 2 heroes. Normally, this band of youngsters would be arrogant a-holes who end up being too cocky and are outwitted by our heroes, but this film puts that convention on it's ear and the "Ammo Squad" are actually a pretty good addition to this film series.
The filmmakers left the door wide open for BAD BOYS 4 and...I can't believe I'm saying this...I'm actually looking forward to it! Certainly not an Oscar contender, but an entertaining "blow-em-up" with 2 charismatic leads that play off each other well. Everyone involved knew exactly what type of film they were making - so they made that movie, with no apologies.
Letter Grade: a solid B
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Putting It On: The West End Theatre of Michael Codron
Michael Codron and Alan Strachan
2.0
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Book
Michael Codron is undoubtedly the leading producer of postwar British theatre. Still active after an...
JT (287 KP) rated The A-Team (2010) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
It might be seen as a risk to make a film off the back of a successful T.V. show, especially if you take Transformers as the prime example of poor execution, but the A-Team was the big budget blockbuster that everyone expected it to be.
The back story is still pretty much the same, four decorated soldiers are framed for a crime they didn’t commit are out on the run to clear their names. The opening sequence allows for all the characters to be introduced in their own unique way.
Gruff talking Liam Neeson as Col. Hannibal Smith, Smooth talking Bradley Cooper as Lt. Templeton ‘Faceman’ Peck, Rough talking Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson as the iconic mohawk styled B.A. Baracus and the crazy talking Sharlto Copley as howling mad Murdoch. It really couldn’t be a more perfectly cast ensemble, only Jessica Biel’s Charissa Sosa proves to be the weak link in the chain.
Director Joe Carnahan is no stranger to full bloodied action scenes having previously helmed Smokin Aces, but with the A-Team he got the chance to push the envelope even further on the non believable. From a falling tank to a finale that does to a container ship what an iceberg did to the Titanic. It’s a balls out testosterone filled epic that is surely not going to cause any disappointment.
Its a film in its own right, of course everything and anything can be drawn to the original and long running T.V. series but as a plot goes it’s quite an entertaining script, with some of the trademark A-Team mechanical inventions…you know in the garage queue the music, and a few cheeky cameos you’ll do well to spot.
Talk of a sequel has been mooted, whether that actually happens would be anyone’s guess but the rumour mill is always churning and we should never say never. I do love it when a plan come together!
The back story is still pretty much the same, four decorated soldiers are framed for a crime they didn’t commit are out on the run to clear their names. The opening sequence allows for all the characters to be introduced in their own unique way.
Gruff talking Liam Neeson as Col. Hannibal Smith, Smooth talking Bradley Cooper as Lt. Templeton ‘Faceman’ Peck, Rough talking Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson as the iconic mohawk styled B.A. Baracus and the crazy talking Sharlto Copley as howling mad Murdoch. It really couldn’t be a more perfectly cast ensemble, only Jessica Biel’s Charissa Sosa proves to be the weak link in the chain.
Director Joe Carnahan is no stranger to full bloodied action scenes having previously helmed Smokin Aces, but with the A-Team he got the chance to push the envelope even further on the non believable. From a falling tank to a finale that does to a container ship what an iceberg did to the Titanic. It’s a balls out testosterone filled epic that is surely not going to cause any disappointment.
Its a film in its own right, of course everything and anything can be drawn to the original and long running T.V. series but as a plot goes it’s quite an entertaining script, with some of the trademark A-Team mechanical inventions…you know in the garage queue the music, and a few cheeky cameos you’ll do well to spot.
Talk of a sequel has been mooted, whether that actually happens would be anyone’s guess but the rumour mill is always churning and we should never say never. I do love it when a plan come together!
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Bad Boys II (2003) in Movies
Apr 2, 2020
Decent but Definitely the Worst of the Trilogy
Narcotics detectives Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) are back getting into a heap of shit as they try and take down an ecstasy ring.
Acting: 9
You have to love the performances of Lawrence and Smith as they know how to carry a movie between the two of them. Their chemistry is amazing and they do a wonderful job of balancing each other out, particularly in this film were Smith is more of a shoot-first type while Lawrence’s role is about finding peace and zen. Joe Pantoliano makes a return as Captain Howard, making me crack up everytime he opens his mouth to yell at Lowrey and Burnett for screwing up yet again.
The one role I just couldn’t let sneak past was Jordi Molla playing Johnny Tapia. Terrible doesn’t even begin to describe his performance. It feels too cliche and way overdone, detracting from important scenes at times. Wasn’t a fan in the slightest.
Beginning: 7
While I did appreciate the action at the beginning of the movie, there was just too much going on for me to really settle in and get into it. It’s hard to really understand up from down in the first ten minutes which carries on as the movie progresses as well. Less can be more sometimes, but it feels like in this instance, director Michael Bay called for more of everything.
Characters: 9
Cinematography/Visuals: 6
Bad Boys II has its moments cinematically. The mortuary scene and the scene in the abandoned house are two that really stand out for me. They were shot in such a way that they are hard to forget. From an overall standpoint, I am not a fan of the overdose of slowmo that Bay loves to do. It becomes tedious to the brain and drags the movie out longer than it needs to be. And this movie already has enough time constraints as it is.
Conflict: 10
Action abounds in this second installment from shootouts to car chases to explosions on top of explosions. If you are an action junky, this movie will not disappoint. As much as I rag on Bay (and, no he’s not my favorite director), he knows how to make a scene pop and make traditional action sets feel extremely original. Even as I’m typing this, I can’t forget the highway scene where the bad guys have hijacked a car-carrying truck and they start to release the cars as they speed down the highway. It’s absolute calamity.
Entertainment Value: 7
Memorability: 8
Pace: 7
Bay does his best to keep things fresh, but it’s hard to hide from the fact that this is all about action then dialogue then right back to action. It gets a bit repetitive at times, but I will also admit that it may have something to do with the fact that I’ve watched a shit ton of movies recently (what else is new?). When Cuba gets mentioned and you realize the movie is only two thirds of the way over when it should be finished, that’s when things really slowed down for me even more. You can absolutely cut thirty minutes from this movie and it would be phenomenal, possibly a classic.
Plot: 6
Decent enough story, but nothing that’s going to win an Oscar. I felt corners were cut in spots as there were times where I was trying to figure out, “Why the hell is this happening now?” I also didn’t appreciate some of the cheats, which is a term I use to refer to spots in the movie that conveniently happen for the sake of it being a good scene. Again, cut a half hour of this movie and I might be feeling differently overall.
Resolution: 4
The end was not only mad corny, but it didn’t feel like a real resolution. Not sure what they were going for here, but it didn’t work. The end didn’t really justify the length of what it took to get there.
Overall: 73
I know I know. You read through this review and it almost sounds like I hated Bad Boys II. Truth is, it wasn’t terrible. Would it be the first action movie I recommend? Absolutely not. On the flipside, I can definitely think of many that were worse. At the risk of losing all credibility (as if I had any to begin with), I actually enjoyed this movie more than I did The French Connection. Fight me.
Acting: 9
You have to love the performances of Lawrence and Smith as they know how to carry a movie between the two of them. Their chemistry is amazing and they do a wonderful job of balancing each other out, particularly in this film were Smith is more of a shoot-first type while Lawrence’s role is about finding peace and zen. Joe Pantoliano makes a return as Captain Howard, making me crack up everytime he opens his mouth to yell at Lowrey and Burnett for screwing up yet again.
The one role I just couldn’t let sneak past was Jordi Molla playing Johnny Tapia. Terrible doesn’t even begin to describe his performance. It feels too cliche and way overdone, detracting from important scenes at times. Wasn’t a fan in the slightest.
Beginning: 7
While I did appreciate the action at the beginning of the movie, there was just too much going on for me to really settle in and get into it. It’s hard to really understand up from down in the first ten minutes which carries on as the movie progresses as well. Less can be more sometimes, but it feels like in this instance, director Michael Bay called for more of everything.
Characters: 9
Cinematography/Visuals: 6
Bad Boys II has its moments cinematically. The mortuary scene and the scene in the abandoned house are two that really stand out for me. They were shot in such a way that they are hard to forget. From an overall standpoint, I am not a fan of the overdose of slowmo that Bay loves to do. It becomes tedious to the brain and drags the movie out longer than it needs to be. And this movie already has enough time constraints as it is.
Conflict: 10
Action abounds in this second installment from shootouts to car chases to explosions on top of explosions. If you are an action junky, this movie will not disappoint. As much as I rag on Bay (and, no he’s not my favorite director), he knows how to make a scene pop and make traditional action sets feel extremely original. Even as I’m typing this, I can’t forget the highway scene where the bad guys have hijacked a car-carrying truck and they start to release the cars as they speed down the highway. It’s absolute calamity.
Entertainment Value: 7
Memorability: 8
Pace: 7
Bay does his best to keep things fresh, but it’s hard to hide from the fact that this is all about action then dialogue then right back to action. It gets a bit repetitive at times, but I will also admit that it may have something to do with the fact that I’ve watched a shit ton of movies recently (what else is new?). When Cuba gets mentioned and you realize the movie is only two thirds of the way over when it should be finished, that’s when things really slowed down for me even more. You can absolutely cut thirty minutes from this movie and it would be phenomenal, possibly a classic.
Plot: 6
Decent enough story, but nothing that’s going to win an Oscar. I felt corners were cut in spots as there were times where I was trying to figure out, “Why the hell is this happening now?” I also didn’t appreciate some of the cheats, which is a term I use to refer to spots in the movie that conveniently happen for the sake of it being a good scene. Again, cut a half hour of this movie and I might be feeling differently overall.
Resolution: 4
The end was not only mad corny, but it didn’t feel like a real resolution. Not sure what they were going for here, but it didn’t work. The end didn’t really justify the length of what it took to get there.
Overall: 73
I know I know. You read through this review and it almost sounds like I hated Bad Boys II. Truth is, it wasn’t terrible. Would it be the first action movie I recommend? Absolutely not. On the flipside, I can definitely think of many that were worse. At the risk of losing all credibility (as if I had any to begin with), I actually enjoyed this movie more than I did The French Connection. Fight me.
Lee (2222 KP) Jan 18, 2020