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Andy K (10821 KP) rated Bone Tomahawk (2015) in Movies
Feb 25, 2018
The Citizen Kane of horror westerns
First of all, any time a movie combines two of my favorite things, in this case, a western and Kurt Russell, you have a recipe for success.
Certainly not for the squeamish or faint of heart, the horribly awesome brutality in this film rivals any I have seen in my life and that's saying a lot.
The plot is your basic four men set out to find and rescue several townspeople who have been kidnapped by horrible cave-dwelling "Indians" who no one seems to know anything about. Along the way, they have to face the elements of the weather, their own injuries and the eminent threat of encountering the ferocious beats that they are always on edge.
Patrick Wilson, Richard Jenkins and Matthew Fox are all also wonderful as the men who set off with Russell on their rescue quest.
For what the movie sets out to do, it succeeds wholeheartedly. Thoroughly engaging throughout, I was glued to my seat the entire time and the 135 minute runtime goes by in a flash.
In reading about it afterwards, it is unbelievable to me the movie was shot in only 21 days and for only $1.8 million.
Who says creativity is dead in Hollywood? Just takes great writing. I'd watch this before Iron Man 12 anytime.
Certainly not for the squeamish or faint of heart, the horribly awesome brutality in this film rivals any I have seen in my life and that's saying a lot.
The plot is your basic four men set out to find and rescue several townspeople who have been kidnapped by horrible cave-dwelling "Indians" who no one seems to know anything about. Along the way, they have to face the elements of the weather, their own injuries and the eminent threat of encountering the ferocious beats that they are always on edge.
Patrick Wilson, Richard Jenkins and Matthew Fox are all also wonderful as the men who set off with Russell on their rescue quest.
For what the movie sets out to do, it succeeds wholeheartedly. Thoroughly engaging throughout, I was glued to my seat the entire time and the 135 minute runtime goes by in a flash.
In reading about it afterwards, it is unbelievable to me the movie was shot in only 21 days and for only $1.8 million.
Who says creativity is dead in Hollywood? Just takes great writing. I'd watch this before Iron Man 12 anytime.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated The Mean Season (1985) in Movies
Feb 10, 2021
The Killer Calls
The Mean Season- is a great suspense thiller.
The plot: After reporting on the murder of a teenage girl, journalist Malcolm Anderson (Kurt Russell) is contacted by the killer (Richard Jordan) known as the "Numbers Murderer," who offers exclusive information about the deaths. With the cooperation of the police, who tape the killer's phone calls, Malcolm agrees and soon becomes famous. Jealous of the attention the journalist is receiving for his coverage, the Numbers Murderer kidnaps Malcolm's girlfriend, Christine (Mariel Hemingway).
The film was named after the term of the same name that refers to a pattern of weather that occurs in Florida during the late summer months. In order to achieve accuracy for the scenes that take place in the busy newsroom, the filmmakers used Miami Herald reporters as on-set consultants and extras and shot in the actual newsroom as opposed to recreating it on a soundstage.
Its a great crime thriller.
The plot: After reporting on the murder of a teenage girl, journalist Malcolm Anderson (Kurt Russell) is contacted by the killer (Richard Jordan) known as the "Numbers Murderer," who offers exclusive information about the deaths. With the cooperation of the police, who tape the killer's phone calls, Malcolm agrees and soon becomes famous. Jealous of the attention the journalist is receiving for his coverage, the Numbers Murderer kidnaps Malcolm's girlfriend, Christine (Mariel Hemingway).
The film was named after the term of the same name that refers to a pattern of weather that occurs in Florida during the late summer months. In order to achieve accuracy for the scenes that take place in the busy newsroom, the filmmakers used Miami Herald reporters as on-set consultants and extras and shot in the actual newsroom as opposed to recreating it on a soundstage.
Its a great crime thriller.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated The Fox and the Hound (1981) in Movies
Mar 9, 2020
Fox and Hound
The Fox and the Hound- I remember watching movie as a kid. Had the VHS tape, as a kid and remember watching it. Now watching it as adult, its so different. You watch it as a adult, its different than watching it as a kid. Cause you understand more about whats happening, you understand more about the plot and whats going on during the story than as a kid.
The plot: After his mother is killed, Tod the fox (Mickey Rooney) is taken in by the kindly Widow Tweed (Jeanette Nolan). He soon befriends the neighbor's new hound dog, Copper (Kurt Russell). The two are inseparable, but their friendship is hampered by their masters and by the fact that they are, by nature, enemies. They grow apart as they grow older; Copper has become a strong hunting dog and Tod a wild fox. The pair must overcome their inherent differences in order to salvage their friendship.
Its a story about friendship, betrayal, overcoming nature and getting older.
Its a great movie and classic.
The plot: After his mother is killed, Tod the fox (Mickey Rooney) is taken in by the kindly Widow Tweed (Jeanette Nolan). He soon befriends the neighbor's new hound dog, Copper (Kurt Russell). The two are inseparable, but their friendship is hampered by their masters and by the fact that they are, by nature, enemies. They grow apart as they grow older; Copper has become a strong hunting dog and Tod a wild fox. The pair must overcome their inherent differences in order to salvage their friendship.
Its a story about friendship, betrayal, overcoming nature and getting older.
Its a great movie and classic.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Deepwater Horizon (2016) in Movies
May 23, 2019
True-life disaster movie permits the audience to feel good about paying their respects to victims of a genuine tragedy while still having all the fun of watching tons of stuff blow up. Marky Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell and his moustache, and various other characters head off to the titular rig, where evil corporate suits in pursuit of the bottom line (boo!) force them to cut costs, imperil safety standards, and so on. Sure enough, something important eventually goes boom.
I don't mean to sound glib about events in which nearly a dozen people died, but the fact is that this is a pretty glib movie - structured like a thriller, clearly designed to entertain, and making full use of its factual basis to include stuff you just wouldn't believe in a work of fiction (one character gets an award for his safety record literally an hour before his oil rig explodes). Capably done and exciting entertainment, but at the same time you are (on some level) watching real people die - I know many people don't have an issue with that, but it makes me uncomfortable, no matter how gravely reverential the film tries to be.
I don't mean to sound glib about events in which nearly a dozen people died, but the fact is that this is a pretty glib movie - structured like a thriller, clearly designed to entertain, and making full use of its factual basis to include stuff you just wouldn't believe in a work of fiction (one character gets an award for his safety record literally an hour before his oil rig explodes). Capably done and exciting entertainment, but at the same time you are (on some level) watching real people die - I know many people don't have an issue with that, but it makes me uncomfortable, no matter how gravely reverential the film tries to be.
Ryan Hill (152 KP) rated Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) in Movies
May 10, 2019
"He may have been your father boy but he wasn't your daddy"
The follow-up chapter to Guardians of the Galaxy and fifteenth instalment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is bigger in both scale & scope and continues the journey of this oddball gang of extra-terrestrial misfits while also bringing more figures from their past into the spotlight and although its vibrant use of colour palette & another tightly curated soundtrack are notable highlights, the film as a whole lacks the freshness of the original.
The story of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 finds Peter Quill, Gamora, Drax, Rocket & Baby Groot embracing their new roles of the Guardians as they are hired by a galactic race to save a valuable item from an inter-dimensional beast, a mission they successfully accomplish, but when Rocket steals some of the very items they just fought to protect, they're attacked by a fleet of drones and crash-land on a planet where they meet a mysterious figure who may have answers to Quill's true origin.
Written & directed by James Gunn, the film opens with a flashback but it is the main title sequence where it gets into the groove and wholeheartedly evokes the pleasant delights of the original. And while there are more flashes of it down the line, Gunn's writing & direction falls short of achieving the same feat twice, for not all attempts at humour hit the right spot this time and one can easily tell that the director is trying a tad too hard to match the consistent vibe & free-flowing wit of its predecessor.
The set pieces are more extravagant than last time and they are beautifully designed & gorgeously rendered on the screen. Cinematography makes vivid use of all existing colours and the resulting frames flourish with radiant hues from start to finish. Pacing isn't a big issue but Editing does lack the smoothness of its predecessor. Every moment in the movie relies heavily on visual effects and the VFX team leaves no stone unturned to make sure there is nothing to complain about, whether it's the celestial bodies or CGI characters or any set piece.
Coming to the performances, Guardians of the Galaxies Vol. 2 features Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Michael Rooker & Karen Gillan in their reprising roles while new additions include Kurt Russell & Pom Klementieff. But of all the big names, it's Rooker who impresses the most and his character of Yondu easily stands out as a show-stealer. One of the best things about the first film was its eclectic soundtrack and this sequel delivers in that field yet again with another awesome mix that seamlessly blends into the narrative.
On an overall scale, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 may not be a better film than its predecessor but it is still a worthy sequel that offers its own set of thrills & amusement, and happens to be just as much fun & entertaining an experience, if not more. It certainly earns its spot in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and its colourful images, dazzling visuals & first-rate soundtrack, in addition to its witty plot, idiosyncratic characters & wonderful performances, puts it right up there with Marvel Studios' better sequels. Enjoyable, entertaining & a whole lot of fun, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is definitely a solid summer blockbuster extravaganza.
The story of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 finds Peter Quill, Gamora, Drax, Rocket & Baby Groot embracing their new roles of the Guardians as they are hired by a galactic race to save a valuable item from an inter-dimensional beast, a mission they successfully accomplish, but when Rocket steals some of the very items they just fought to protect, they're attacked by a fleet of drones and crash-land on a planet where they meet a mysterious figure who may have answers to Quill's true origin.
Written & directed by James Gunn, the film opens with a flashback but it is the main title sequence where it gets into the groove and wholeheartedly evokes the pleasant delights of the original. And while there are more flashes of it down the line, Gunn's writing & direction falls short of achieving the same feat twice, for not all attempts at humour hit the right spot this time and one can easily tell that the director is trying a tad too hard to match the consistent vibe & free-flowing wit of its predecessor.
The set pieces are more extravagant than last time and they are beautifully designed & gorgeously rendered on the screen. Cinematography makes vivid use of all existing colours and the resulting frames flourish with radiant hues from start to finish. Pacing isn't a big issue but Editing does lack the smoothness of its predecessor. Every moment in the movie relies heavily on visual effects and the VFX team leaves no stone unturned to make sure there is nothing to complain about, whether it's the celestial bodies or CGI characters or any set piece.
Coming to the performances, Guardians of the Galaxies Vol. 2 features Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Michael Rooker & Karen Gillan in their reprising roles while new additions include Kurt Russell & Pom Klementieff. But of all the big names, it's Rooker who impresses the most and his character of Yondu easily stands out as a show-stealer. One of the best things about the first film was its eclectic soundtrack and this sequel delivers in that field yet again with another awesome mix that seamlessly blends into the narrative.
On an overall scale, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 may not be a better film than its predecessor but it is still a worthy sequel that offers its own set of thrills & amusement, and happens to be just as much fun & entertaining an experience, if not more. It certainly earns its spot in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and its colourful images, dazzling visuals & first-rate soundtrack, in addition to its witty plot, idiosyncratic characters & wonderful performances, puts it right up there with Marvel Studios' better sequels. Enjoyable, entertaining & a whole lot of fun, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is definitely a solid summer blockbuster extravaganza.
Lee (2222 KP) rated The Christmas Chronicles (2018) in Movies
Nov 25, 2018
Kurt Russell is Santa Claus!!!
My wife and daughter started watching Christmas movies a few weeks back now, far too early in my opinion. But when the trailer first came out for The Christmas Chronicles on Netflix, it definitely got me in the Christmas spirit and I just couldn't wait to see it. So, on a lazy Sunday morning, cold and wet outside, all snuggled up in bed and with a cat and a dog spread out on top of us, we decided to watch it. Perfect.
Teddy and Kate Pierce have had a tough year. We see home movies of most of their Christmas's growing up, showing the good fun times with their parents. And then we see this Christmas. They've lost their dad, mum going out to work while Kate helps around the house and Teddy going out with friends, stealing cars and getting into trouble. When mum has to work on Christmas Eve night, the kids are left home alone and Christmas looks like being very different from previous years. While Kate watches those old Christmas movies, she notices a mysterious arm briefly appearing in the corner of the screen and is convinced they'd captured Santa Claus on camera. Enlisting the help of brother Teddy, they decide to try and catch Santa on camera once more. Things don't end up going quite according to plan though and they end up crash landing with Santa somewhere in Chicago. The reindeer came loose during their descent and are lost in the city. Santa's hat, which helps him zip around and teleport down chimneys, also blew off during the fall. Christmas is in jeopardy and Santa and his two new helpers need to fix it. We get car chases, badass little elves and Santa in jail wearing shades while playing the piano and belting out Christmas tunes, accompanied by backing singers!
As with any Christmas film that's introducing us to a new Santa and a new vision of the world he lives in, it takes a little while to get used to. Luckily, this one doesn't take long, and Kurt Russell is a very believable and enjoyable Santa who doesn't do ho-ho-ho's. The one thing that worried me from the trailer were the elves, who looked like they were going to be annoying little CGI characters. Luckily, they're used sparingly but effectively and were a lot of fun.
The whole Christmas in jeopardy plot is a fairly familiar one, having been done time and again over the years. But I actually really enjoyed this latest spin. Good fun, a bit of emotional stuff at the end and a nice surprise cameo to finish things off. Definitely got me in the Christmas spirit
Teddy and Kate Pierce have had a tough year. We see home movies of most of their Christmas's growing up, showing the good fun times with their parents. And then we see this Christmas. They've lost their dad, mum going out to work while Kate helps around the house and Teddy going out with friends, stealing cars and getting into trouble. When mum has to work on Christmas Eve night, the kids are left home alone and Christmas looks like being very different from previous years. While Kate watches those old Christmas movies, she notices a mysterious arm briefly appearing in the corner of the screen and is convinced they'd captured Santa Claus on camera. Enlisting the help of brother Teddy, they decide to try and catch Santa on camera once more. Things don't end up going quite according to plan though and they end up crash landing with Santa somewhere in Chicago. The reindeer came loose during their descent and are lost in the city. Santa's hat, which helps him zip around and teleport down chimneys, also blew off during the fall. Christmas is in jeopardy and Santa and his two new helpers need to fix it. We get car chases, badass little elves and Santa in jail wearing shades while playing the piano and belting out Christmas tunes, accompanied by backing singers!
As with any Christmas film that's introducing us to a new Santa and a new vision of the world he lives in, it takes a little while to get used to. Luckily, this one doesn't take long, and Kurt Russell is a very believable and enjoyable Santa who doesn't do ho-ho-ho's. The one thing that worried me from the trailer were the elves, who looked like they were going to be annoying little CGI characters. Luckily, they're used sparingly but effectively and were a lot of fun.
The whole Christmas in jeopardy plot is a fairly familiar one, having been done time and again over the years. But I actually really enjoyed this latest spin. Good fun, a bit of emotional stuff at the end and a nice surprise cameo to finish things off. Definitely got me in the Christmas spirit
Sarah (7798 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.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated The Thing (1982) in Movies
Feb 6, 2020
In my many years of enjoying movies, I've yet to come across anything quite like John Carpenter's The Thing.
It's quite simply, a horror masterpiece!
The imagery and monsters bought to the screen feel like they're straight out of hell. All these years later, and The Thing, and it's many disturbing forms, remains arguably the most terrifying movie monster out there.
The incredible use of practical effects ensures that the films visceral and horrible imagery still remains to this day, and is a testament to the amazing work put by the art and make up crews.
The isolated and snowy setting is almost iconic as the titular alien, and adds an eery atmosphere from the opening scene.
Kurt Russell is a fine lead, as his character McCready drives the narrative forward at a fast and manic pace. The story if one dripping with paranoia and tension, and the whole cast do a great job at conveying this.
The plots conclusion is different from what you might expect of the genre at the time, and it's lack of a 'final girl' shows that The Thing was not afraid to go against the grain when it came to horror.
It's probably my top horror movie of all time, with the original Halloween coming a close second. Long live John Carpenter.
It's quite simply, a horror masterpiece!
The imagery and monsters bought to the screen feel like they're straight out of hell. All these years later, and The Thing, and it's many disturbing forms, remains arguably the most terrifying movie monster out there.
The incredible use of practical effects ensures that the films visceral and horrible imagery still remains to this day, and is a testament to the amazing work put by the art and make up crews.
The isolated and snowy setting is almost iconic as the titular alien, and adds an eery atmosphere from the opening scene.
Kurt Russell is a fine lead, as his character McCready drives the narrative forward at a fast and manic pace. The story if one dripping with paranoia and tension, and the whole cast do a great job at conveying this.
The plots conclusion is different from what you might expect of the genre at the time, and it's lack of a 'final girl' shows that The Thing was not afraid to go against the grain when it came to horror.
It's probably my top horror movie of all time, with the original Halloween coming a close second. Long live John Carpenter.
Evie (10 KP) rated Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) in Movies
Dec 7, 2017
Soundtrack (3 more)
Kurt Russell
Yondu
Baby Groot
Chris Pratt (1 more)
Gold Bitches
A soundtrack with a bonus movie
Following on from the success of the first movie (from which I became a Marvel converter), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 had big breeches to fill. And they, somewhat filled them.
I still prefer Vol 1, however I feel that most sequel's don't usually live up to the first movie. But that doesn't mean they didn't try. Vol 2 hit us with another kickass soundtrack that leaves us foot tapping for weeks post-movie. Any movie that includes 'The Chain' by Fleetwood Mac can never be THAT bad in my opinion.
The movie missed the mark slightly in terms of acting. Chris Pratt was charismatic and funny in Vol 1, but in Vol 2 I found that I spent more time cringing at his acting rather than enjoying it. This was disappointing as I always deemed the first film to be Star Lord ft. everyone else, but this film felt more like everyone else ft. Star Lord.
Karen Gillan was also fairly vapid in her acting, which was disappointing as she was given a much larger role in this movie. Nebula was a fairly interesting character in Vol 1, but I just wanted her to leave my screen in Vol 2.
Great work with the relationship between Rocket and Yondu, I was pleasantly surprised by this addition and found it the most interesting plotline of the movie.
I still prefer Vol 1, however I feel that most sequel's don't usually live up to the first movie. But that doesn't mean they didn't try. Vol 2 hit us with another kickass soundtrack that leaves us foot tapping for weeks post-movie. Any movie that includes 'The Chain' by Fleetwood Mac can never be THAT bad in my opinion.
The movie missed the mark slightly in terms of acting. Chris Pratt was charismatic and funny in Vol 1, but in Vol 2 I found that I spent more time cringing at his acting rather than enjoying it. This was disappointing as I always deemed the first film to be Star Lord ft. everyone else, but this film felt more like everyone else ft. Star Lord.
Karen Gillan was also fairly vapid in her acting, which was disappointing as she was given a much larger role in this movie. Nebula was a fairly interesting character in Vol 1, but I just wanted her to leave my screen in Vol 2.
Great work with the relationship between Rocket and Yondu, I was pleasantly surprised by this addition and found it the most interesting plotline of the movie.
RəX Regent (349 KP) rated Deepwater Horizon (2016) in Movies
Feb 18, 2019
Based on the true and tragic events on April 2010, Director Peter Berg takes the helm of this re-enactment of the explosive ‘blow-out’ which destroyed the eponymous exploration rig off the coast of Louisiana. We follow Mike Williams (Mark Walberg) and the rig’s Manager Jimmy Harrell (Kurt Russell) as they butt heads with the profit hungry BP executives who are more concerned with the fact that the operation is 43 days behind schedule than safety and have began to cut corners.
Berg builds and maintains the tension expertly, as this procedural disaster movie takes shape, but this is no Titanic (1997) or Poseidon Adventure (1976). The disaster itself only takes up about 30 minutes of the 107 minute run time as we are taken through the technicalities of America’s worst ever oil disaster, one which claimed 11 lives and spilled 210 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
The tension is palpable, the disaster is terrifying yet exiting and whilst wearing its roughneck Vs. company man heart on its sleeve, you are left feeling that we are given a much greater understanding of the subject as well as the newsworthy disaster.
This is helped along by the great visuals and sound design, as well as art direction and visual effects, which along with the great performances, not least BP man, Vidrine (John Malkovich), makes this a must see.
Berg builds and maintains the tension expertly, as this procedural disaster movie takes shape, but this is no Titanic (1997) or Poseidon Adventure (1976). The disaster itself only takes up about 30 minutes of the 107 minute run time as we are taken through the technicalities of America’s worst ever oil disaster, one which claimed 11 lives and spilled 210 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
The tension is palpable, the disaster is terrifying yet exiting and whilst wearing its roughneck Vs. company man heart on its sleeve, you are left feeling that we are given a much greater understanding of the subject as well as the newsworthy disaster.
This is helped along by the great visuals and sound design, as well as art direction and visual effects, which along with the great performances, not least BP man, Vidrine (John Malkovich), makes this a must see.