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Dean (6927 KP) rated No Strings Attached (2011) in Movies

Jul 3, 2018  
No Strings Attached (2011)
No Strings Attached (2011)
2011 | Comedy
6
4.6 (5 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
A slightly above average Rom-Com, good to see a modern take on the genre for a change. It has it's funny moments, silly at times, a good all round cast. Although why "Ludacris" is in a Rom-Com I'm not sure? It's enjoyable enough, but still suffers from the typical cuteness at times and being a predictable Hollywood Rom-com in the end. If you like this also check out A lot like love with Kutcher and Peet in the lead roles.
  
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Dean (6927 KP) rated Fast Five (2011) in Movies

Feb 11, 2018  
Fast Five (2011)
Fast Five (2011)
2011 | Action, Drama, Mystery
10
8.1 (14 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
Fast Five star! The series has gone full circle and this one breathes new life into the series which got stronger with the 4th installment and is bettered by this one! We have even more of the cast from the earlier films including Ludacris and Tyrese Gibson from the second. Not to mention another surprise cameo after the credits to hint at a 6th film!
This one goes from street racing to heist film, but there are plenty of big stunts, fights, sexy girls, humour, a cool soundtrack and of course a range of awesome cars. I love that there are so many ties with the cast and events to the previous films. The Rock is a great addition to the series as the extreme FBI hunter sent to capture them. You couldn't ask for more from an action film!
  
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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Show Dogs (2018) in Movies

Jul 8, 2019  
Show Dogs (2018)
Show Dogs (2018)
2018 | Comedy
8
6.7 (3 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Will Arnet stars as FBI agent Frank who takes up a partnership with a
Rottweiler named Max (voiced by Ludacris), To his chagrin, Frank is
assigned to crack a case with Max. Both are forced to go undercover in the
world’s most prestigious dog show competition to find out who is
responsible for kidnapping pandas and selling them for millions.

After finding out that the winner of the dog show would be kidnapped by
the same criminals involved in the panda trafficking, Max must do
everything possible to win 1st place and lead them to the same facility
housing the stolen pandas.

Director Raja Gosnell is no stranger to talking dog movies, with such
popular family favorite comedies under his belt like “Beverly Hills
Chihuahua,” and “Scooby-Doo.” He delivers a fun movie with just the right
amount of crude humor, human/dog antics, ghetto-esque quips, as well as
hilarious slapstick one liner moments. For those that enjoy dog-human
buddy cop movies, you’ll have a great time watching Show Dogs.
  
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LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Fast & Furious 9 (2021) in Movies

Jun 26, 2021  
Fast & Furious 9 (2021)
Fast & Furious 9 (2021)
2021 | Action, Adventure, Crime
6
6.5 (18 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
Jesus Christ, this is definitely in the running for the silliest film I've ever seen.
F9 contains everything you would expect from this franchise - big set pieces, defiant feats of physics, obnoxious music intervals, Vin Diesel inaudibly talking about family, increasingly Bond-level villains, a tiny bit of actual racing, a character who is dead not actually being dead, barbeques and Corona, and vague references to what Paul Walker's character is currently up to off screen.
It goes bigger on almost every aspect than it has before, and it's once again a mixed bag. Some of the action scenes are so, so ridiculous, especially a scene during the big finale that involves Ludacris and Tyrese Gibson (no spoilers here), but these moments are bogged down by a whole lot of nothing, providing an unnecessarily padded out runtime that makes the movie feel like a drag on more than one occasion. It overestimates how much the audience actually cares about the characters. But not to worry, at one point Vin Diesel downs a plane by throwing a truck at it, so you know, swings and roundabouts.

There's a whole heap of nonsense absolutely caking what is an enjoyable enough Fast & Furious movie. Nowhere near the best in the series, but a fun time if you can stay awake until the final third.
(2)   
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Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Furious 7 (2015) in Movies

Jun 11, 2019  
Furious 7 (2015)
Furious 7 (2015)
2015 | Action, Mystery
7
7.5 (23 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
A Guilty Pleasure
Everyone needs a guilty pleasure and since 2001, audiences from across the globe have flocked to see The Fast & Furious franchise in all its over-the-top glory.

However, filming on the latest instalment, Fast & Furious 7, was delayed after the tragic death of lead actor Paul Walker, so does his untimely passing hurt the resulting movie?

Fast 7 continues after the events of Tokyo Drift and features the usual loveable rogues returning in their respective roles, including a beefed up part for Jason Statham who made a cameo in the sixth film.

Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Lucas Black and Ludacris all reprise their characters as they do battle against Statham’s villain, Deckard Shaw, who fans will remember is the brother of Owen Shaw from Fast 6.

The premise remains as simple as in previous instalments but continues the series’ trend for over-the-top action pieces that border on the ridiculous. Despite this, Fast 7 is the most watchable of the entire franchise with stunning locations, brilliant practical effects and surprising emotional heft.

James Wan directs what looks like a tourist information film for LA, Abu Dhabi and Tokyo but manages to keep the story flowing throughout the slightly overlong 137 minute running time. The fast cars and beautiful women are thrown at the audience thick and fast and the brakes aren’t applied until ten minutes before the end credits roll.

Thankfully, this is exactly what the series has become known for and the gorgeous settings are brilliantly juxtaposed with action-packed sequences including the much marketed mountain plane drop in Azerbaijan that is an absolute wonder to behold despite its use in the film’s trailers.

Vin Diesel’s Dom is what has grounded the series over the last 14 years but here it is Paul Walker’s Brian O’Conner that we find the most intriguing and it’s really no surprise. Ever since his death, fans were worried how tasteful the film would be, but there is no need to worry.

Despite the action, the fights and the sunshine, Fast 7 manages to provide a rollercoaster of emotion as the cameras linger on Walker’s face or put him at the forefront of each scene. As the final 10 minutes approach it’s clear that the movie is going to end on a deeply gut-wrenching tribute to him and there were a few tears in the cinema.

Nevertheless, it’s obvious a film that focuses on supercars isn’t going to have much of a plot but director James Wan, who comes to the franchise for the first time, should be commended for fashioning a half-coherent story despite going into the production with numerous delays and seven films in.

Overall, Fast 7 is a great slice of popcorn entertainment and should definitely rank high up as one of the better films in the series. However, the tragic circumstances surrounding its production make it so much more.

Yes it won’t be winning any awards for originality or acting prowess, but its emotional resonance means it’s worth a watch for fans of the series and newcomers alike.

https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/04/05/a-guilty-pleasure-fast-furious-7-review/
(1)   
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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Max Payne (2008) in Movies

Aug 14, 2019  
Max Payne (2008)
Max Payne (2008)
2008 | Action, Drama, Mystery
7
5.5 (4 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Against the gritty, snow covered, and crime ridden streets of New York, one man is waging a battle for redemption and revenge. The man in Detective Max Payne (Mark Wahlberg), and following the murder of his wife and infant son, Payne has seen his life and career spin down an ever deepening black hole to the point where he is relegated to a basement office working on cold cases.
Max has become a creature of the night, and spends his off hours patrolling the grimy sections of the city looking for clues about the death of his wife and taking on all manner of the cities criminal elements to get to the truth which has so long eluded him.

While attempting to gain information from a former snitch, Max is introduced to the Natasha Sax (Olga Kurylenko), and her sister Mona (Mila Kunis). The fact that Mona is suspicious of Max from the start is of little concern to Natasha who follows Max back to his apartment and attempts to seduce him. Max quickly spurns her advances which causes Natasha to leave his apartment angry and unbeknownst to Max, steals his wallet in the process. Shortly after leaving Max’s apartment, Natasha is brutally murdered and when Max’s wallet is found at the scene, he becomes the lead suspect in the murder.
Soon after learning from his former partner that Natasha’s dead may be linked to the death of Max’s wife, Max becomes the subject of a city wide manhunt when his partner turns up dead which is attributed to Max going over the edge.

In a race against time, Max must get to the bottom of the deaths as well as solve his family’s murder and clear his good name. This will not be easy as Max must face the resources of a gigantic corporation as well as a crazed drug lord, and his colleagues on the police force.

Based on the popular video games series from Remedy Entertainment and 3D Realms, Max Payne takes some of the games more prominent characters and themes and creates a new storyline. The bullet time ability that Max had in the game has been omitted and replaced with a few gun battles that are shot at times in slow motion, such as a well staged battle in an office building.

While the storyline and character development may be lacking, the film does a decent job of capturing the look and tone of the games, and Wahlberg is solid as the tormented lead character.

Backed by a solid supporting cast which includes Beau Bridges, Chris O’Donnell, and Ludacris, “Max Payne” is an enjoyable if flawed movie experience that makes up for its shortcomings with solid visuals and some great gun battles that come late in the film.

The picture and sound quality of the movie are very crisp and if you have the chance to enjoy the film in surround sound and HDTV I would highly suggest it.

The bonus features are very good and there is a great graphic book feature that delves more into the character of Max Payne’s wife and the events leading up to her murder.
  
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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Fast & Furious 9 (2021) in Movies

Jul 11, 2021  
Fast & Furious 9 (2021)
Fast & Furious 9 (2021)
2021 | Action, Adventure, Crime
7
6.5 (18 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
I might not be obsessed with this series but I can't argue with its ridiculous action. I had a catch up on the others as it had been a while, though I discovered I watched them in the wrong order... never mind! Here's a bit of a rundown.

The Fast and the Furious - good
2 Fast 2 Furious - meh
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift - too peoply, not enough cars
Fast & Furious - good
Fast Five - my favourite
Fast & Furious 6 - good
Furious 7 - good
The Fate of the Furious - good
F9...

Who really needs an extended synopsis on this one? Cars, family, Corona, space the final frontier. And does it even need any comments on the plot? At this point it's very much random bits of chaos and ridiculous things with cars. Quite honestly, that's the reason I enjoy the films more now they lean into it. Although this one may have become a little too self-aware... in an amusing way.

It wasn't until I did the rewatch that I noticed how much they ignore the concept of genetics when it comes to adding family members. Here we have John Cena playing Jakob, Dom and Mia's brother. It's not the most unbelievable thing in the movie, but it's well up there. Cena has grown on me as an actor, I enjoyed him in The Marine, Bumblebee, and his comedy stylings in Blockers... but we don't talk about Playing With Fire... we never talk about Playing With Fire. He can do funny and he can do serious, but I'm not convinced he was the best choice to combine the two here. His performance was okay, but his style didn't really fit with any of the others. I don't know who I might have put in this role instead, but I think they could have gone with recognisable but not quite as high profile/

As for the other cast members, well, same sh*t different day as they say! Gibson and Ludacris have the same fun dynamic and bring their comedic element to the proceedings. Vin Diesel says the requisite amount of "family" throughout the films, and everyone else does their thing.

Doing the rewatch made me surprisingly emotional when they did the Paul Walker send-off, and there was a nice out to keep the legacy intact. And while it's nice that they keep him in the films, maybe it should just be something that's accepted and not talked about. There's a moment in the film where they say Dom's son is with Brian, and my first thought was horror because I forgot Brian is alive in the franchise, and the look on Dom's face didn't help in that moment either.

F9 has some even whackier action, and it is entirely satisfying to watch. Though unsurprisingly it doesn't take them long to defy the laws of physics... spectacular destruction nevertheless. We know we're in for a tenth instalment, we can only hope for a musical or LEGO version... that last one would be my approved choice.

(I have so many spoiler comments t make about this, but I don't want to ruin the fun of discovering them all for yourself.)

Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/07/f9-fast-saga-movie-review.html
  
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Bob Mann (459 KP) rated The Fate of the Furious (2017) in Movies

Sep 29, 2021  
The Fate of the Furious (2017)
The Fate of the Furious (2017)
2017 | Action
4
7.4 (72 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
Blood is thicker than Diesel.
All work and no play makes bob-the-movie-man a tardy reviewer. Still, what better way to break the fast than with “Fast and Furious 8” (aka “The Fate of the Furious”)?

Well, quite a lot of things actually!

Now, I have a confession to make (and I know for some this will be the equivalent of an appalling statement like “I’ve never seen Star Wars”). I have actually never ever seen Fast and Furious 1 through 7! (If it’s any mitigation to this cinematic crime, I did see the F-and-F wannabe “Need for Speed“).

So I was going to be completely lost with the “plot” right? Well actually, no. It was pretty easy to jump in and follow as a piece of popcorn nonsense.


The M25 water main burst was a real bitch for the Monday morning rush-hour.

For nonsense it is (hence the “rabbit ears” round the word “plot” above). The story isn’t just a bit far-fetched. It’s bat-shit crazy where the bat in question has downed a questionable vindaloo two hours earlier!
Dom (Vin Diesel) has turned on his “family”, including his squeeze, the lovely Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), and Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson, “San Andreas“), to team with the above-the-law (and above the clouds) cyber-super-terrorist Cipher (Charlize Theron, “Mad Max: Fury Road“). They have teamed up, apparently, for no other reason than to allow Cipher to ‘kick some global ass’ with a nuclear threat. But given his caring and sharing side, why the sudden betrayal of his nearest and dearest by Dom?


Ice Queen Metallica fan Theron, showing off her hardware.

Where do you begin with the nonsensical story? Jumping from Cuba (with some admittedly fun scenes, but shamelessly objectifying scantily-clad women) via Berlin and New York to the icy wastes of Siberia, it’s just an excuse to show fast cars doing ludicrously unlikely things. There is zero logic within any of the script. Here are just a handful of examples:

the team know (through enormous jumps of speculation) to be present at a particular location in the world and at exactly the time that Dom is there (arrive, look through binoculars, “Oh, there he is”!);
all cars can be automatically hijacked and remotely driven (who knew), but NOT those of the team (obviously);
fast cars/tanks/etc can be magicked from New York to Siberia (wot, no Hertz Siberia available?);
Russian nuclear codes are stolen, so obviously they can’t be changed?
a nuclear submarine is out of the water on wooden blocks, but spin the propeller really REALLY fast and it can suddenly be sailing away.

Muscle for muscle it never looked like being a fair fight.

I appreciate I am being enormously po-faced about this, and this is designed as pure escapism. But is there REALLY any need for this to be such mindless escapism? The director (Gary Gray, “The Italian Job”) and writer (Chris Morgan, responsible for parts 6 and 7) should credit their audience with rather more in the way of intelligence.

Diesel and Johnson are never going to set the acting ablaze, but Rodriquez (“Lost”) is as watchable as ever. Theron has fun with her villainy and the supporting turns by Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris are enjoyable. Nathalie Emmanuel though as Ramsey seems as uncomfortable with her “sexy English” stereotype as she should be.


A long way from Brookside. Nathalie Emmanuel uncomfortable as “the sexy one”.

Luke Evans (“The Hobbit“), Kurt Russell (“Deepwater Horizon“) and Helen Mirren (“Eye in the Sky“) turn up in entertaining but underused cameos, but it is Jason Statham as Deckard that has the most fun in the whole film, and his scenes – done largely for comic effect – are the best part of the movie. (But “math” Jason? “MATH”?? I hope your old maths teacher back in London doesn’t get to see this film).


Parking enforcement by the City Council was getting more and more stringent.

If you’re willing to park your brain at the door for two hours then it has some fun moments. But I felt the damage to my IQ might not have been worth the risk, and this really didn’t fill my cinematic tank.