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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Bumblebee (2018) in Movies
Jul 2, 2019
Like most kids growing up in the 80’s the Transformers always held a special place in my heart. I didn’t have a huge collection because the die-cast/plastic vehicles that transformed into robots could get a little expensive. Thankfully the morning cartoons and comic books filled in the spaces where I lacked the toys. When I heard there would be a live action movie based on the characters that had been such a integral part of my childhood, I couldn’t help but feel excited. I had seen some of the previews of the original Transformers movie by Michael Bay, the characters looked different than I imagined, but how bad could it be. The movie started, and heart break ensued, the first one was ok, the second was worse, and so on and so forth to a point where I still have not brought myself to watch the last installment of the Michael Bay franchise. Fast Forward to the first glimpse I had of Bumblebee, a prequel/reboot of the Transformers franchise, and that feeling of trepidation lingered. The first glimmer of hope was when the previews began to show images of the Transformers that I remembered, now referred to as G1 (Generation One), these transformers were recognizable. Still, the stories have always been lacking, so while I held out a glimmer of hope, I was sure to guard my heart closely…after all, we’ve been down this road before.
Bumblebee begins on Cybertron, where the Autobots and Decepticons are battling for control of what is left of the planet. The visuals are stunning, and as I stated before, here our all our favorites from the G1 universe in their recognizable forms. Once I saw Wheeljack, a personal favorite of mine, I felt I was in for something special. The Autobots are losing control to the evil Decepticons and are forced to evacuate Cybertron to regroup. Bumblebee is sent to Earth, a planet where Optimus Prime feels that the Autobots can rendezvous, but also tasked to protect the planet from any encroachment of the Decepticons.
Bumblebee unfortunately crash lands in the middle of a military training exercise and is quickly engaged by the armed forces there. While Bumblebee alone is a match for the Humvees and small arms fire, the battle is quickly joined by a Decepticon who has followed Bumblebee to Earth. He is completely out matched and outgunned it is not long before Bumblebee is defeated and barely escapes with his life. It is here that he is “saved” by Charlie Watson (Hailee Steinfeld) who finds the battered and broken beetle in a junkyard on her birthday, and a deep bond between the two is formed.
Bumblebee does not disappoint in its amazing visuals. The robots are as big as ever, yet now retain a more familiar look. The story still has explosions, and epic one-on-one robot battles that fans of the Michael Bay franchise can enjoy, but it’s the deep and meaningful story where Bumblebee truly shines. Written by Christina Hodson (Shut In/Unforgetable) and Directed by Travis Knight (Kudo and the Two Strings/Paranorman) we are finally given a story with a plot that fans of the series can get behind and enjoy. It’s not to say that the story is perfect, there are still the occasional lines that fall into groan-worthy territory, but to say that Bumblebee surpasses the previous live action movies is an understatement.
You don’t have to be a fan (or have any familiarity at all) with the Transformer toys, cartoon, or live action movies to enjoy it. However, for those who have been fortunate (or unfortunate) to experience them all will appreciate the subtle nods to previous films. The audience clapped and cheered when Stan Bush’s well-known Transformer song The Touch exploded on screen. Sure, it’s a spoiler, but for those who are still reluctant to see it based on previous films, maybe it’s exactly what’s needed. The film is littered with such nods and die-hard Transformer fans are in for a real treat.
The acting in the film is top-notch, not only by Hailee Steinfeld and Jorge Lendeborg Jr who are the main human characters, but by the supporting characters as well. John Cena brings his witty one-liners and Peter Cullen once again reprises his role of the now infamous Optimus Prime. For a movie that seems more at home as a summer blockbuster, it carries with it a tremendous amount of heart. Even Bumblebee who rarely utters a word throughout the entire film, brings out emotion in his facial expressions, or movements.
I’ll admit that going into Bumblebee I had my reservations and for those who have been burned by previous iterations of the series it’s a completely understandable concern. I’ll say it here though, Bumblebee is a terrific Transformers movie, easily on-par with the animated film, which to date had been the only Transformer movie worth talking about. Fans of the franchise will not be disappointed, and probably like myself, will be naming the numerous Transformers on the screen, by how they look…not by what they are called. In the famous words of Optimus Prime…Autobots Roll-out, and go see Bumblebee, coming to theaters on December 21st.
Bumblebee begins on Cybertron, where the Autobots and Decepticons are battling for control of what is left of the planet. The visuals are stunning, and as I stated before, here our all our favorites from the G1 universe in their recognizable forms. Once I saw Wheeljack, a personal favorite of mine, I felt I was in for something special. The Autobots are losing control to the evil Decepticons and are forced to evacuate Cybertron to regroup. Bumblebee is sent to Earth, a planet where Optimus Prime feels that the Autobots can rendezvous, but also tasked to protect the planet from any encroachment of the Decepticons.
Bumblebee unfortunately crash lands in the middle of a military training exercise and is quickly engaged by the armed forces there. While Bumblebee alone is a match for the Humvees and small arms fire, the battle is quickly joined by a Decepticon who has followed Bumblebee to Earth. He is completely out matched and outgunned it is not long before Bumblebee is defeated and barely escapes with his life. It is here that he is “saved” by Charlie Watson (Hailee Steinfeld) who finds the battered and broken beetle in a junkyard on her birthday, and a deep bond between the two is formed.
Bumblebee does not disappoint in its amazing visuals. The robots are as big as ever, yet now retain a more familiar look. The story still has explosions, and epic one-on-one robot battles that fans of the Michael Bay franchise can enjoy, but it’s the deep and meaningful story where Bumblebee truly shines. Written by Christina Hodson (Shut In/Unforgetable) and Directed by Travis Knight (Kudo and the Two Strings/Paranorman) we are finally given a story with a plot that fans of the series can get behind and enjoy. It’s not to say that the story is perfect, there are still the occasional lines that fall into groan-worthy territory, but to say that Bumblebee surpasses the previous live action movies is an understatement.
You don’t have to be a fan (or have any familiarity at all) with the Transformer toys, cartoon, or live action movies to enjoy it. However, for those who have been fortunate (or unfortunate) to experience them all will appreciate the subtle nods to previous films. The audience clapped and cheered when Stan Bush’s well-known Transformer song The Touch exploded on screen. Sure, it’s a spoiler, but for those who are still reluctant to see it based on previous films, maybe it’s exactly what’s needed. The film is littered with such nods and die-hard Transformer fans are in for a real treat.
The acting in the film is top-notch, not only by Hailee Steinfeld and Jorge Lendeborg Jr who are the main human characters, but by the supporting characters as well. John Cena brings his witty one-liners and Peter Cullen once again reprises his role of the now infamous Optimus Prime. For a movie that seems more at home as a summer blockbuster, it carries with it a tremendous amount of heart. Even Bumblebee who rarely utters a word throughout the entire film, brings out emotion in his facial expressions, or movements.
I’ll admit that going into Bumblebee I had my reservations and for those who have been burned by previous iterations of the series it’s a completely understandable concern. I’ll say it here though, Bumblebee is a terrific Transformers movie, easily on-par with the animated film, which to date had been the only Transformer movie worth talking about. Fans of the franchise will not be disappointed, and probably like myself, will be naming the numerous Transformers on the screen, by how they look…not by what they are called. In the famous words of Optimus Prime…Autobots Roll-out, and go see Bumblebee, coming to theaters on December 21st.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated No Time to Die (2021) in Movies
Oct 7, 2021 (Updated Oct 10, 2021)
What a wait it’s been for Bond 25! But Daniel Craig’s last outing as Bond is finally here and I thought it was great! It has all the elements of Bond… but perhaps not as we traditionally know it.
Plot Summary:
We pick up immediately after the ending of “Spectre“, with Bond (Daniel Craig) and Madeleine (Léa Seydoux) all loved up and driving off into the sunset together. But their romantic getaway to Italy is rudely broken short by Spectre as elements of Madeleine’s past emerge to haunt the couple.
One element of that past – the horribly disfigured Lyutsifer Safin (Rami Malek) has a plan to make his mark on mankind with a biochemical weapon. And the retired Bond teams with the CIA’s Felix Leiter (a very welcome return of Jeffrey Wright) in a mission to Jamaica to combat it.
Certification:
US: PG-13. UK: 12A.
Talent:
Starring: Daniel Craig, Léa Seydoux, Rami Malek, Lashana Lynch, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Ana de Armas.
Directed by: Cary Joji Fukunaga.
Written by: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Cary Joji Fukunaga and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. (From a story by Purvis, Wade and Fukunaga).
Positives:
- The script has all the trappings of Bond: exotic locations; great stunts; thrilling action sequences; and more gadgets on show than in recent times. Yet it’s a real character piece too, delving far more into Bond’s emotions. The story running through it with Madeleine is both deep and emotional: something we haven’t seen since the Bond and Tracy romance in OHMSS. (And with Craig’s acting, he manages to pull this off far better than George Lazenby ever could!).
- I found the finale to be magnificent, bold and surprising. We’re back to the megalomaniac owning an island lair, à la Dr No. It even has its own submarine pen (a nod to Austin Power’s “Goldmember” perhaps!?). For me, the production design harks back to the superbly over-the-top Ken Adams creations of the Connery years. There are no sharks with frickin’ laser beams… but there could have been. (The set is a rather obvious redressing of the 007 stage at Pinewood, created of course for the tanker scenes in “The Spy Who Loved Me”. It even re-uses of the gantry level control room.)
- Craig is magnificent in his swan-song performance. There’s a scene, during the extended pre-credits sequence, where he’s sat in his bullet-ridden Aston just glowering for an extended period. I thought this was Craig’s acting at its best. I thought this again in a dramatic showdown scene with Rami Malek. Malek is not given a huge amount to do in the film, But what he does he does wonderfully, particularly in that electrifying scene with Craig.
- The film has a great deal more female empowerment than any previous Bond, with the tell-tale signs (although this might be a sexist presumption) of Phoebe Waller-Bridge on the script. Newcomer Lashana Lynch acquits herself well as the first female 00-agent, getting not just kick-ass action sequences but also her fair share of quips. But stealing the show is Ana de Armas (reunited with Craig of course from “Knives Out“). Her scenes in Cuba are brief but memorable, delivering a delicious mixture of action and comedy that makes you think “cast HER as the next Bond”!
- The music by Hans Zimmer! It’s a glorious soundtrack that pays deference not only to the action style of recent composers, like David Arnold and Thomas Newman, but particularly to the classic scores of John Barry. It actually incorporates not one but two classic themes from “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”, directly into the film. I’m even starting to warm to the Billie Eilish theme song, although I think it’s too similar in style to the Sam Smith offering from “Spectre“.
- The cinematography from Linus Sandgren (who did “La La Land“) is gorgeous: in turns colourful and vibrant for the Italian and Cuban scenes and cool and blue for the tense Norwegian action sequences.
Negatives:
- My main criticism is not of the film, but of the trailer(s). There are so many of the money shots from the film (particularly from the Matera-based action of the pre-title sequence) included in the trailers that I had an “OK, move on, seen this” attitude. Why did they have to spoil the movie so much? IT’S A NEW BOND… OF COURSE WE’RE GOING TO SEE IT. All you EVER needed for this is a 20-second teaser trailer. Just put white “Bond is Back” text on a black background and the Craig tunnel shot to the camera. Job done. It really infuriates me. B arbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson, PLEASE take note!
- At 163 minutes it’s the longest Bond ever and a bit of a bladder tester. But, having said that, there are no more than a few minutes here and there that I would want to trim. To do more you’d need to cut out whole episodes, and leaving Ana de Armas on the cutting room floor would have been criminal. As the illustrious Mrs Movie Man commented, “I wish they’d bring in the half time Intermission card like they used to do in the old days”. I agree. Everyone would have been a whole lot more comfortable and less fidgety.
Summary Thoughts on “No Time to Die”: Reading the comments on IMDB for the movie, I’m perplexed at the diatribe coming from supposed ‘Bond fans’ on this one. One-star review after one-star review (despite, I note, the overall film getting an overall 7.8/10 at the time of writing). In this regard, I class myself as very much a Bond fan. (My first film at the cinema was the release of “Live and Let Die” in 1973, but I then binge-watched all the other Bond films at the cinema: they used to do repeated double-features in those days). And I thought this was a fabulous Bond film. Full of drama, action, humour and deep-seated emotion. Couldn’t be better for me, and certainly on a par with “Casino Royale” and “Skyfall” for me as my favourite Craig outings.
As the end of the end credits said – “James Bond Will Return”. Who will they cast as the next Bond? And where will they take the story from here? Two of the most intriguing movie questions to take into 2022.
(For the full graphical review and video review, please search for @onemannsmovies. Thanks.)
Plot Summary:
We pick up immediately after the ending of “Spectre“, with Bond (Daniel Craig) and Madeleine (Léa Seydoux) all loved up and driving off into the sunset together. But their romantic getaway to Italy is rudely broken short by Spectre as elements of Madeleine’s past emerge to haunt the couple.
One element of that past – the horribly disfigured Lyutsifer Safin (Rami Malek) has a plan to make his mark on mankind with a biochemical weapon. And the retired Bond teams with the CIA’s Felix Leiter (a very welcome return of Jeffrey Wright) in a mission to Jamaica to combat it.
Certification:
US: PG-13. UK: 12A.
Talent:
Starring: Daniel Craig, Léa Seydoux, Rami Malek, Lashana Lynch, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Ana de Armas.
Directed by: Cary Joji Fukunaga.
Written by: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Cary Joji Fukunaga and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. (From a story by Purvis, Wade and Fukunaga).
Positives:
- The script has all the trappings of Bond: exotic locations; great stunts; thrilling action sequences; and more gadgets on show than in recent times. Yet it’s a real character piece too, delving far more into Bond’s emotions. The story running through it with Madeleine is both deep and emotional: something we haven’t seen since the Bond and Tracy romance in OHMSS. (And with Craig’s acting, he manages to pull this off far better than George Lazenby ever could!).
- I found the finale to be magnificent, bold and surprising. We’re back to the megalomaniac owning an island lair, à la Dr No. It even has its own submarine pen (a nod to Austin Power’s “Goldmember” perhaps!?). For me, the production design harks back to the superbly over-the-top Ken Adams creations of the Connery years. There are no sharks with frickin’ laser beams… but there could have been. (The set is a rather obvious redressing of the 007 stage at Pinewood, created of course for the tanker scenes in “The Spy Who Loved Me”. It even re-uses of the gantry level control room.)
- Craig is magnificent in his swan-song performance. There’s a scene, during the extended pre-credits sequence, where he’s sat in his bullet-ridden Aston just glowering for an extended period. I thought this was Craig’s acting at its best. I thought this again in a dramatic showdown scene with Rami Malek. Malek is not given a huge amount to do in the film, But what he does he does wonderfully, particularly in that electrifying scene with Craig.
- The film has a great deal more female empowerment than any previous Bond, with the tell-tale signs (although this might be a sexist presumption) of Phoebe Waller-Bridge on the script. Newcomer Lashana Lynch acquits herself well as the first female 00-agent, getting not just kick-ass action sequences but also her fair share of quips. But stealing the show is Ana de Armas (reunited with Craig of course from “Knives Out“). Her scenes in Cuba are brief but memorable, delivering a delicious mixture of action and comedy that makes you think “cast HER as the next Bond”!
- The music by Hans Zimmer! It’s a glorious soundtrack that pays deference not only to the action style of recent composers, like David Arnold and Thomas Newman, but particularly to the classic scores of John Barry. It actually incorporates not one but two classic themes from “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”, directly into the film. I’m even starting to warm to the Billie Eilish theme song, although I think it’s too similar in style to the Sam Smith offering from “Spectre“.
- The cinematography from Linus Sandgren (who did “La La Land“) is gorgeous: in turns colourful and vibrant for the Italian and Cuban scenes and cool and blue for the tense Norwegian action sequences.
Negatives:
- My main criticism is not of the film, but of the trailer(s). There are so many of the money shots from the film (particularly from the Matera-based action of the pre-title sequence) included in the trailers that I had an “OK, move on, seen this” attitude. Why did they have to spoil the movie so much? IT’S A NEW BOND… OF COURSE WE’RE GOING TO SEE IT. All you EVER needed for this is a 20-second teaser trailer. Just put white “Bond is Back” text on a black background and the Craig tunnel shot to the camera. Job done. It really infuriates me. B arbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson, PLEASE take note!
- At 163 minutes it’s the longest Bond ever and a bit of a bladder tester. But, having said that, there are no more than a few minutes here and there that I would want to trim. To do more you’d need to cut out whole episodes, and leaving Ana de Armas on the cutting room floor would have been criminal. As the illustrious Mrs Movie Man commented, “I wish they’d bring in the half time Intermission card like they used to do in the old days”. I agree. Everyone would have been a whole lot more comfortable and less fidgety.
Summary Thoughts on “No Time to Die”: Reading the comments on IMDB for the movie, I’m perplexed at the diatribe coming from supposed ‘Bond fans’ on this one. One-star review after one-star review (despite, I note, the overall film getting an overall 7.8/10 at the time of writing). In this regard, I class myself as very much a Bond fan. (My first film at the cinema was the release of “Live and Let Die” in 1973, but I then binge-watched all the other Bond films at the cinema: they used to do repeated double-features in those days). And I thought this was a fabulous Bond film. Full of drama, action, humour and deep-seated emotion. Couldn’t be better for me, and certainly on a par with “Casino Royale” and “Skyfall” for me as my favourite Craig outings.
As the end of the end credits said – “James Bond Will Return”. Who will they cast as the next Bond? And where will they take the story from here? Two of the most intriguing movie questions to take into 2022.
(For the full graphical review and video review, please search for @onemannsmovies. Thanks.)
Merissa (12358 KP) rated Twell and the Army of Powers (Como Chronicles #1) in Books
Jun 21, 2017
Twell and the Army of Powers (Como Chronicles #1) by Kate O'Leary
Twell and the Army of Powers is the first book in the Como Chronicles. It gives us an in-depth view into the lives of those who live there, how their lives are regulated, what is forbidden, and what isn't. Twell is the main character, and the story is told from her perspective, and yet is still rounded out enough that you don't feel like you are missing out on anything.
Twell is a bit of a brat at the start of the book, and I mean that in the nicest possible way. Her character grows in ways unforeseen, by her own actions and by the 'gentle' advice from her friends. All of the characters have grit though, whether you like them or not. There is not a weak character amongst them, and they all grow and change throughout the book.
There is so much I want to say about this book, but won't in case of spoilers. Things happened that I never saw coming; my heart was broken on more than one occasion; it jumped into my mouth as I desperately held onto hope (even knowing that the author wouldn't make it so easy). The story is concise and gripping, thrilling and action-packed, ending on a cliffhanger that had me shouting out "NO!" even though I had already suspected the outcome!
This is a fantastic Young Adult Dystopian story with a dash of romance, that is guaranteed to enthral the reader. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Twell is a bit of a brat at the start of the book, and I mean that in the nicest possible way. Her character grows in ways unforeseen, by her own actions and by the 'gentle' advice from her friends. All of the characters have grit though, whether you like them or not. There is not a weak character amongst them, and they all grow and change throughout the book.
There is so much I want to say about this book, but won't in case of spoilers. Things happened that I never saw coming; my heart was broken on more than one occasion; it jumped into my mouth as I desperately held onto hope (even knowing that the author wouldn't make it so easy). The story is concise and gripping, thrilling and action-packed, ending on a cliffhanger that had me shouting out "NO!" even though I had already suspected the outcome!
This is a fantastic Young Adult Dystopian story with a dash of romance, that is guaranteed to enthral the reader. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Immortalis Carpe Noctem (Immortalis, #1) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Alyssa never asked to become a vampire, but when handsome Lysander changes her in order to save her from two brutal rapists and murderers, she is forced to live with his decision. She soon learns the history of her new kind, her new abilities, and starts falling head over heels for her handsome savior. But just when things look like they can't be all that bad, the strongest known coven--whose leader has been holding a grudge against Lysander--and the most dangerous group of vampire hunters on earth show up. Now Alyssa has to use her newly found skills to save herself--and the man she loves.
I really enjoyed Imortalis Carpe Noctem. I tore through it in a few hours, and regretted having to put it down. It was very addicting and fast paced, especially the action scenes at the end, quite entertaining, and not to over-dramatic.
Imortalis was, in some ways, a typical vampire novel: having to escape would-be-vamp-rulers, running from vampire hunters, falling in love with a handsome vampire. The thing that made it worth reading was the characters and their emotions. They had so much character to them, and Alyssa's feelings were so real and—pardon me, human—that they were incredibly relatable. I felt like I was Alyssa, I could feel her pain and her joy, her love and her loss.
The writing was pretty good, except there was some careless editing and misuse of comas. They were everywhere they shouldn't be for some reason, as if the computer put them in willy-nilly. It wasn't so much of a distraction that I couldn't enjoy the book, however.
I am anxiously awaiting the sequel Imortalis: Hunter & Prey as well as Salidas' other upcoming novels.
Content: little language, some sex.
Recommendation: Ages 18+
I really enjoyed Imortalis Carpe Noctem. I tore through it in a few hours, and regretted having to put it down. It was very addicting and fast paced, especially the action scenes at the end, quite entertaining, and not to over-dramatic.
Imortalis was, in some ways, a typical vampire novel: having to escape would-be-vamp-rulers, running from vampire hunters, falling in love with a handsome vampire. The thing that made it worth reading was the characters and their emotions. They had so much character to them, and Alyssa's feelings were so real and—pardon me, human—that they were incredibly relatable. I felt like I was Alyssa, I could feel her pain and her joy, her love and her loss.
The writing was pretty good, except there was some careless editing and misuse of comas. They were everywhere they shouldn't be for some reason, as if the computer put them in willy-nilly. It wasn't so much of a distraction that I couldn't enjoy the book, however.
I am anxiously awaiting the sequel Imortalis: Hunter & Prey as well as Salidas' other upcoming novels.
Content: little language, some sex.
Recommendation: Ages 18+
Fred (860 KP) rated Avengers: Infinity War (2018) in Movies
May 3, 2018
Special effects are great, except Bruce Banner's head in the Hulkbuster suit. (4 more)
Great action scenes.
Great seeing just about all the Marvel characters.
PETER DINKLAGE!
Josh Brolin is great as Thanos.
Too talky at points. (5 more)
Some weird, illogical, wtf parts.
Guardians seemed out of place acting so serious.
Wasn't moved by the ending. Was kind of like, "Okay...so what? This is a comic-book movie."
Too long to introduce everyone.
Not funny.
Hype says it's better than it actually is
I knew this movie wasn't going to live up to the hype. Just like Black Panther, it's just an okay movie. Just like every other movie made these days, it starts strong, gets boring, then ends strong. Except it doesn't end too strong. It sort of ends with a whimper. I see memes where people were devastated at the ending. I felt like it was meaningless, as we know this is a comic book movie & all will be put right in the next installment.
I feel one of the main problems of the movie was the humor. When you have great Marvel movies, like The Guardians of the Galaxy films, and Thor: Ragnarok, which relied on a lot of humor and then are intertwined with a movie so dark, so deathly serious & try to keep the humor of those films, it just doesn't work. The Guardians, Thor & Bruce Banner were all throwing out jokes, but they mostly fell flat. It's hard to smile when Thanos is being an absolute terror.
All this being said, I did like the movie. Where I probably wouldn't watch Black Panther again, I would definitely watch this again. I actually have BP a 7, just like this film, I would probably change my score to a 5, as this movie was better, but doesn't deserve higher than a 7.
I feel one of the main problems of the movie was the humor. When you have great Marvel movies, like The Guardians of the Galaxy films, and Thor: Ragnarok, which relied on a lot of humor and then are intertwined with a movie so dark, so deathly serious & try to keep the humor of those films, it just doesn't work. The Guardians, Thor & Bruce Banner were all throwing out jokes, but they mostly fell flat. It's hard to smile when Thanos is being an absolute terror.
All this being said, I did like the movie. Where I probably wouldn't watch Black Panther again, I would definitely watch this again. I actually have BP a 7, just like this film, I would probably change my score to a 5, as this movie was better, but doesn't deserve higher than a 7.
Sarah (7799 KP) rated Aladdin (2019) in Movies
Jun 3, 2019
Not as bad as expected
I can't lie, when I heard Will Smith was playing the genie in this I pretty much wrote this film off for good. Whilst it isnt quite the car crash I'd expected, it pales in comparison to the original animated version.
Naomi Scott is great as Jasmine and has a fantastic voice, and she outperforms everyone else in this film. Mena Massoud is enjoyable to watch but lacking in a bit of Aladdin's charm. Strangely I didn't hate Will Smith as the genie. Don't get me wrong I didn't love him either but I didn't want to cry everytime he was on screen (although I did cringe a few times). In fact the worst person in this film was Jafar. I really don't know what they were thinking, he isn't sinister or slimy, he's just laughable. Not a villain youd be afraid of.
The film itself follows the original plot fairly well, with a lot of nods and quotes to the original too. I do think the ending and final stand off against Jafar was a little poor. Whilst I wasn't expecting them to completely follow the original, there are some bits that I'm disappointed weren't included. And of course there's the songs. The songs really make this watchable although sadly they don't have quite the magic of the animated version. It also made me laugh that Guy Ritchie couldn't resist throwing in some of his trademark slow motion and camera angles. Not many, admittedly he has toned it down a lot but there's still a few Ritchie moments.
This isnt a bad live action film, but sadly it isnt a great one either. But all things considered it could have been much worse!
Naomi Scott is great as Jasmine and has a fantastic voice, and she outperforms everyone else in this film. Mena Massoud is enjoyable to watch but lacking in a bit of Aladdin's charm. Strangely I didn't hate Will Smith as the genie. Don't get me wrong I didn't love him either but I didn't want to cry everytime he was on screen (although I did cringe a few times). In fact the worst person in this film was Jafar. I really don't know what they were thinking, he isn't sinister or slimy, he's just laughable. Not a villain youd be afraid of.
The film itself follows the original plot fairly well, with a lot of nods and quotes to the original too. I do think the ending and final stand off against Jafar was a little poor. Whilst I wasn't expecting them to completely follow the original, there are some bits that I'm disappointed weren't included. And of course there's the songs. The songs really make this watchable although sadly they don't have quite the magic of the animated version. It also made me laugh that Guy Ritchie couldn't resist throwing in some of his trademark slow motion and camera angles. Not many, admittedly he has toned it down a lot but there's still a few Ritchie moments.
This isnt a bad live action film, but sadly it isnt a great one either. But all things considered it could have been much worse!
Kyera (8 KP) rated Requiem (Delirium, #3) in Books
Jan 31, 2018
Requiem switches between Hana's and Lena's points-of-view. It gives us perspectives of the world and its current events through the eyes of a girl in the Wilds and one in society. Hana has chosen her path and it is different from Lena's. The action comes to a head and their existences are thrust together again.
While I enjoyed this book, it wasn't quite as good as the previous two. The book ended and I wasn't quite sure how I felt. In some ways, I was satisfied. There were no little questions or loose ends that should have been tied up. Lena has chosen her love, even if we don't see the effects of it. When you think of the immediate story everything seems good, but then you wonder about the world at large. The Resistance attacked and seemingly brought down the walls (both literally and we assume legally) in Portland. Success! But.. what happened in the rest of the world? Were those attacks conducted simultaneously across the United States? If they weren't, then the book ends with Portland no longer under government control and seemingly a new safe space for the Resistance/Invalids to live... but they're still in a world where love is a disease and the government will come for them. What happens to the people? The last we see of Hana, she's running off into the woods. I personally would like to know what happens to her. The more I think about the book, the more questions I'm faced with.
I loved the series and highly recommend reading it. Just a warning that there are more curse words in the novel than in the first. It's a great young adult series set in a world similar to our own, about learning more about yourself, growing and learning to love.
While I enjoyed this book, it wasn't quite as good as the previous two. The book ended and I wasn't quite sure how I felt. In some ways, I was satisfied. There were no little questions or loose ends that should have been tied up. Lena has chosen her love, even if we don't see the effects of it. When you think of the immediate story everything seems good, but then you wonder about the world at large. The Resistance attacked and seemingly brought down the walls (both literally and we assume legally) in Portland. Success! But.. what happened in the rest of the world? Were those attacks conducted simultaneously across the United States? If they weren't, then the book ends with Portland no longer under government control and seemingly a new safe space for the Resistance/Invalids to live... but they're still in a world where love is a disease and the government will come for them. What happens to the people? The last we see of Hana, she's running off into the woods. I personally would like to know what happens to her. The more I think about the book, the more questions I'm faced with.
I loved the series and highly recommend reading it. Just a warning that there are more curse words in the novel than in the first. It's a great young adult series set in a world similar to our own, about learning more about yourself, growing and learning to love.
Fred (860 KP) rated Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) in Movies
Jun 7, 2018
Han & Chewie's first meeting (7 more)
Don Glover as Lando
Ehrenreich as Han
Suotamo as Chewbacca
Woody as Beckett
The Kessel Run
The "HOLY SH*T!" cameo
The train robbery scene
Movie is very dark. And I mean dark, like "Put on the lights!" dark (1 more)
Music not as good as other Star Wars movies
Almost perfect Star Wars movie
I think people didn't like The Last Jedi & so, they didn't even want to give this a chance. Well, they're missing out, because Solo was awesome! As you can tell from my positives, I thought the actors were perfect for their roles. We get all of Solo's back story here. The first meeting of Han & Chewbacca. The meeting of Han & Lando. The "introduction" of the Millennium Falcon. The infamous Kessel Run, as well as the spice mines. Now I know why C-3PO was scared to be sent there.
The action scenes in this film are some of the best I've seen in a Star Wars movie. somewhat Maybe my favorite was the train robbery scene. It was intense! And the Falcon really takes a pounding in this one.
Like all prequels, there is the problem where we know nothing is going to happen to the main characters, since we know they live long enough to have been in the later films. But somehow, it doesn't matter with this film. I still felt suspense as Chewbacca hung on for dear life. If I have one problem, it's that the movie was very dark & I found it hard to see what was going on in some scenes. The focus was somewhat soft too. Not sure if that was the theater's problem though. I will definitely have to buy this when it comes out on Blu-ray.
If you haven't seen it yet, give yourselves a treat and see it when you can. Very fun!
The action scenes in this film are some of the best I've seen in a Star Wars movie. somewhat Maybe my favorite was the train robbery scene. It was intense! And the Falcon really takes a pounding in this one.
Like all prequels, there is the problem where we know nothing is going to happen to the main characters, since we know they live long enough to have been in the later films. But somehow, it doesn't matter with this film. I still felt suspense as Chewbacca hung on for dear life. If I have one problem, it's that the movie was very dark & I found it hard to see what was going on in some scenes. The focus was somewhat soft too. Not sure if that was the theater's problem though. I will definitely have to buy this when it comes out on Blu-ray.
If you haven't seen it yet, give yourselves a treat and see it when you can. Very fun!
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Where the Wild Things Are (2009) in Movies
Aug 9, 2019
A film adaptation of Maurice Sandak’s beloved childhood tale of the same name, “Where the Wild Things Are” brings to life the worlds of Max a very imaginative child coming to grips with the emotional changes in his life. From his mom’s new boyfriend to his sister’s move into the teen years, Max is feeling very alone and runs away to a place where his needs are the first priority. In his world, Max is crowned king and he begins to deal with the issues of his real life through interaction and play with a variety of wildly imaginative monsters.
Taking a short children’s book and turning it into a compelling full-length film was the job of screenplay writers, David Eggers and Spike Jonzes, who also directed the picture. Among the film’s producers was Sandak and it shows. The film is seamlessly consistent with the original book while providing new and exciting content.
The roles are strongly cast from the lead of Max played by the up and coming Max Records, to that of the monster Carol voiced by James Gandolfini. The visual fantasy presented combines real and digital elements smoothly enough to accurately depict Max’s imagination while remaining realistic to the point of believability. Additionally, the fun yet abstract soundtrack manages to highlight the ups and downs of childhood exploration.
Seeming more like a masterpiece from Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki than an American created live action children’s film, the detailed crafting and imaginatively honest perspective created by “Where the Wild Things Are” takes viewers back into their youth. A delight that is enjoyable, heartfelt and true to the spirit of the book, “Where the Wild Things Are”, is a must see film for any child inside or out.
Taking a short children’s book and turning it into a compelling full-length film was the job of screenplay writers, David Eggers and Spike Jonzes, who also directed the picture. Among the film’s producers was Sandak and it shows. The film is seamlessly consistent with the original book while providing new and exciting content.
The roles are strongly cast from the lead of Max played by the up and coming Max Records, to that of the monster Carol voiced by James Gandolfini. The visual fantasy presented combines real and digital elements smoothly enough to accurately depict Max’s imagination while remaining realistic to the point of believability. Additionally, the fun yet abstract soundtrack manages to highlight the ups and downs of childhood exploration.
Seeming more like a masterpiece from Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki than an American created live action children’s film, the detailed crafting and imaginatively honest perspective created by “Where the Wild Things Are” takes viewers back into their youth. A delight that is enjoyable, heartfelt and true to the spirit of the book, “Where the Wild Things Are”, is a must see film for any child inside or out.
Lenard (726 KP) rated The Lion King (2019) in Movies
Jul 28, 2019
The short review: This film is a crowd pleasing movie for fans of the original animated film. This hits all the highlights you love about the first version.
The longer version: It does bring up an interesting point. Mufasa teaches Simba about the Circle of Life where the death of the lions replenishes the savanna with nutrients. The movie shows a circle of life by beginning with the birth of a lion prince cub and ends with the birth of the cub prince of the original cub. In the middle of the movie, the pride of African prey, meerkat, warthog, galago (one of my favorite animals), aardvark, etc., talk about how they only see food and predator. This illustrates that the animals in the middle of a food web can only see the linear relations that affect their life. Only the apex predator have any perspective of the complete circle, the prey/secondary predators have a more limited view of life.
Secondly, the soundtrack is so iconic that when "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" started, I had completely forgotten that oh yeah this is the song that actually won the Academy Award. However, I never once believed this part of the film. It seemed that the filmmakers had to put it here, but they had not earned the major plot point. I did not believe that Simba and Nala were starting to fall into love with each other. Maybe I had started to drift off into a timeline of the songs that had won Best Original Song, but still this is a major moment in the film and it needs to cohere. Unfortunately, though the film is beautiful and has great cinematography from Caleb Deschanel, it needed a much better story to work in "live action."
The longer version: It does bring up an interesting point. Mufasa teaches Simba about the Circle of Life where the death of the lions replenishes the savanna with nutrients. The movie shows a circle of life by beginning with the birth of a lion prince cub and ends with the birth of the cub prince of the original cub. In the middle of the movie, the pride of African prey, meerkat, warthog, galago (one of my favorite animals), aardvark, etc., talk about how they only see food and predator. This illustrates that the animals in the middle of a food web can only see the linear relations that affect their life. Only the apex predator have any perspective of the complete circle, the prey/secondary predators have a more limited view of life.
Secondly, the soundtrack is so iconic that when "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" started, I had completely forgotten that oh yeah this is the song that actually won the Academy Award. However, I never once believed this part of the film. It seemed that the filmmakers had to put it here, but they had not earned the major plot point. I did not believe that Simba and Nala were starting to fall into love with each other. Maybe I had started to drift off into a timeline of the songs that had won Best Original Song, but still this is a major moment in the film and it needs to cohere. Unfortunately, though the film is beautiful and has great cinematography from Caleb Deschanel, it needed a much better story to work in "live action."