Search
Search results
Life is not going well for Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie). She has recently
split from the Joker and is wallowing in self-pity and trying to find a
new focus in her life. As a further complication; the protection she
enjoyed under the Joker has vanished and now everyone with a grudge is
gunning for her.
Fate has Harley cross paths with a young Pickpocket named Cassandra (Ella
Jay Basco), who comes into possession of a diamond that happens to hold a
very valuable secret. Before Harley knows what has hit her; she is on the
run not only from all manner of thugs but the very dangerous Roman Siona
(Ewan Mc Gregor) has upped the stakes for their heads and will stop at nothing to get it.
Throw in a disgruntled Detective (Rose Perez) a jaded singer (Jurnee
Smollett-Bell), and a mysterious assassin (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and
you have a very interesting and dangerous mix.
Sadly the film becomes jumbled at the start as the film will go down certain paths only to abruptly stop, rewind, go down another path, and resume.
This comes off as a disjointed mess at times and while I took it to help symbolize the mental state of Harley; it made connecting with the character and stories difficult.
This combined with the over the top
characters and routine story underminded the potential of the film.
While it entertained in parts, I do have to wonder if Director Cathy Yan
was in over her head. Yan had previously done four shorts and an Art Film
and seemed to be unsure of the pacing, action, and visual effects at times
as it certainally showed.
It is rumored that the head of the John Wick
stunt team was brought in to oversee reshoots for the film but Yan has
claimed this was simply for Second Unit work.
The film does have a strong theme of empowerment and I liked how it
emphasized that a woman does not need anyone to be strong and that they
have limitless potential. This is a very strong message that worked
wiell. Sadly the story offered no real variation from what we have seen
many times before in action and comic films and underscores how DC and
Warner Bros constantly come up lacking in this genrre where Marvel soars
time and again.
There isome entertainment in the film and Robbie is the perfect embodiyment of the character, sadly this Bird never really takes
flight.
2.5 out of 5
split from the Joker and is wallowing in self-pity and trying to find a
new focus in her life. As a further complication; the protection she
enjoyed under the Joker has vanished and now everyone with a grudge is
gunning for her.
Fate has Harley cross paths with a young Pickpocket named Cassandra (Ella
Jay Basco), who comes into possession of a diamond that happens to hold a
very valuable secret. Before Harley knows what has hit her; she is on the
run not only from all manner of thugs but the very dangerous Roman Siona
(Ewan Mc Gregor) has upped the stakes for their heads and will stop at nothing to get it.
Throw in a disgruntled Detective (Rose Perez) a jaded singer (Jurnee
Smollett-Bell), and a mysterious assassin (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and
you have a very interesting and dangerous mix.
Sadly the film becomes jumbled at the start as the film will go down certain paths only to abruptly stop, rewind, go down another path, and resume.
This comes off as a disjointed mess at times and while I took it to help symbolize the mental state of Harley; it made connecting with the character and stories difficult.
This combined with the over the top
characters and routine story underminded the potential of the film.
While it entertained in parts, I do have to wonder if Director Cathy Yan
was in over her head. Yan had previously done four shorts and an Art Film
and seemed to be unsure of the pacing, action, and visual effects at times
as it certainally showed.
It is rumored that the head of the John Wick
stunt team was brought in to oversee reshoots for the film but Yan has
claimed this was simply for Second Unit work.
The film does have a strong theme of empowerment and I liked how it
emphasized that a woman does not need anyone to be strong and that they
have limitless potential. This is a very strong message that worked
wiell. Sadly the story offered no real variation from what we have seen
many times before in action and comic films and underscores how DC and
Warner Bros constantly come up lacking in this genrre where Marvel soars
time and again.
There isome entertainment in the film and Robbie is the perfect embodiyment of the character, sadly this Bird never really takes
flight.
2.5 out of 5
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Gemini Man (2019) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020
Innovative and Intriguing, Double The Will Smith Fails To Push The Movie From Good To Great
Contains spoilers, click to show
So before I saw this movie I actually saw Will Smith on The Stephen Colbert Show. They rolled a clip from the motorcycle fight scene from the movie and I was taken aback by how fake some of it looked. And not the action of it but the movements of the younger Will Smith clone. On the show Will Smith said that this is the first film where the entire character of the young clone was completely digital and there was no MOCAP or digital de-aging. I'm not sure if it was this new way of having the character there that caused the movement to look so fake but some of the scenes had parts that were downright laughable. Since I knew this already I tried not to go into the movie with too high of expectations. And because of this and really giving it a chance I think I was more able to enjoy it then others who will definitely be turned off by it. I hate that for some people it will hurt there ability to suspend belief because that's one reason we all go to the theater. To get sucked into another world where anything is possible and forget about the real world for an hour or two. This really was a good movie besides that being it's greatest fault. There are even some scenes where it looks totally fine and really good. Most scenes like that are zoomed into his face during dialogue and the amount of detail they did was really fantastic. I mean Will Smith did a great job as this disillusioned assassin, Mary Elizabeth Winstead did a good job as a rookie agent meant to be surveiling him, and Benedict Wong was cool as Baron his friend and ex-colleague. Even Clive Owen did good as Clay Varris, head of a top-secret black ops unit codenamed "Gemini". The plot wasn't very complicated, Will retires and starts learning that people he killed were innocent and then people start trying to kill him before he can learn the truth. He finds out that a younger clone of himself is trying to kill him and he tries not to kill him as he tries to take down the man responsible for this. Nothing remarkable but there were some pretty good action scenes especially the finale where they fight in the town. As I said I give this movie a 6/10.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020) in Movies
Feb 8, 2020 (Updated Feb 12, 2020)
Birds of Prey is a mixed bag, but there's just about enough good there to make it an enjoyable time.
I absolutely hated Suicide Squad, so naturally, didn't have high hopes for this. The film is aesthetically in the same vein, and carries a similar tone, but this time around, it mostly works.
One of the only things I liked in SS was Margot Robbie, so making her front and centre here is a smart move. She is undeniably the star, and even a cynical bastard like me has to admit, that she is a solid embodiment of Harley Quinn
The surrounding cast are unfortunately, under developed and have little impact. It's great to see characters like Black Canary, Huntress and Zsasz finally bought to the big screen, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Jurnee Smollett-Bell so a good job with what they're given, but the plots focus on Harley, and the films relatively brief runtime, leave little room for development past a flashback here and there, which is a shame.
The only character that comes close to matching the leading lady is Ewan McGregor's Roman Sionis aka Black Mask. McGregor obviously relishes in making Sionis seedy, nasty, misogynistic, and flamboyant, and results in one of those villains that you can't wait to get stomped down. The two of them carry the film, no doubt.
The pacing and narrative structure is comparable to Deadpool, with a good chunk of the film being told through various flashbacks. It honestly feels messy for much of the first half, and the truth is, this structure is hiding a fairly thread bare plot.
When the movie catches up with itself, if you will, and moves forward with a more traditional story path, is where there movie started to shine a bit more. The mid section lost me a little bit, with the exception of the odd set piece (the scene in the police station looks incredible), but when Birds of Prey hits it's third act, it's a lot of dumb, beautifully shot fun. The whole final sequence is great, and instead of the overloaded CGI orgies that I've come to expect from the DCEU, we get given fantastically choreographed, practical fight scenes, full of colour, swearing, a surprisingly hard hitting violence.
I left the cinema talking about all the bits that I liked, a stark contrast to the vitriol I felt after seeing Suicide Squad. It's not perfect, it's messy, it's a little cheesy, and is maybe guilty of thinking it's better than it is, but all in all, I can't find too much to complain about.
Also, that car chase scene was ridiculous (in a good way đ)
I absolutely hated Suicide Squad, so naturally, didn't have high hopes for this. The film is aesthetically in the same vein, and carries a similar tone, but this time around, it mostly works.
One of the only things I liked in SS was Margot Robbie, so making her front and centre here is a smart move. She is undeniably the star, and even a cynical bastard like me has to admit, that she is a solid embodiment of Harley Quinn
The surrounding cast are unfortunately, under developed and have little impact. It's great to see characters like Black Canary, Huntress and Zsasz finally bought to the big screen, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Jurnee Smollett-Bell so a good job with what they're given, but the plots focus on Harley, and the films relatively brief runtime, leave little room for development past a flashback here and there, which is a shame.
The only character that comes close to matching the leading lady is Ewan McGregor's Roman Sionis aka Black Mask. McGregor obviously relishes in making Sionis seedy, nasty, misogynistic, and flamboyant, and results in one of those villains that you can't wait to get stomped down. The two of them carry the film, no doubt.
The pacing and narrative structure is comparable to Deadpool, with a good chunk of the film being told through various flashbacks. It honestly feels messy for much of the first half, and the truth is, this structure is hiding a fairly thread bare plot.
When the movie catches up with itself, if you will, and moves forward with a more traditional story path, is where there movie started to shine a bit more. The mid section lost me a little bit, with the exception of the odd set piece (the scene in the police station looks incredible), but when Birds of Prey hits it's third act, it's a lot of dumb, beautifully shot fun. The whole final sequence is great, and instead of the overloaded CGI orgies that I've come to expect from the DCEU, we get given fantastically choreographed, practical fight scenes, full of colour, swearing, a surprisingly hard hitting violence.
I left the cinema talking about all the bits that I liked, a stark contrast to the vitriol I felt after seeing Suicide Squad. It's not perfect, it's messy, it's a little cheesy, and is maybe guilty of thinking it's better than it is, but all in all, I can't find too much to complain about.
Also, that car chase scene was ridiculous (in a good way đ)
Gareth von Kallenbach (965 KP) rated Gemini Man (2019) in Movies
Oct 13, 2019
In the world of Covert Ops; Henry Brogan (Will Smith) is the go to man. He is a highly-skilled assassin who answers the call when he is asked to dispatch dangerous individuals that threaten the peace and stability of the world.
Henry is so skilled that he takes on impossible tasks and completes them as if they were routine as he was recruited from the Military as he stood out as a unique and talented soldier.
When a successful mission does not go as precise as he would have liked; Henry decides to retire much to the chagrin of his supervisor who wishes him well despite being upset over losing such a highly-valued asset.
Henry meets with an old friend from the military who has done very well for himself financially since his service days. He tells Henry that his last target was not a dangerous threat to the population but rather a respected genetics worker. Henry has some misgiving but realizes there may be some truth to what is being told to him and agrees to meet with a contact of the departed scientist in Hungary.
Henryâs meeting does not go unnoticed as he soon has teams of soldiers attacking him and he is forced to flee with his undercover surveillance Danny (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as they are pursued by deadly agents at every turn.
As the pair make their way to Columbia to try to plan their next move; an elite assassin makes a move on Henry and it takes all of his skills to barely survive and encounter which leaves them scrambling for answers. As suspicions mount, Henry and his team look for answers and what the eventually discover rocks the core of their very foundation.
Henry soon finds himself facing his most dangerous enemy yet as his past has come back to haunt him and there may be no escaping the threat it poses.
The film is directed by Ang Lee and while fairly linear in plot and character development and progression; the movie does offer a fresh take on some Science Fiction staples and does raise some interesting questions in the process.
The action sequences are solid and allow for the film at moments to break into a frantic pace before throttling back. The cast is solid and Will Smith continues his impressive comeback and it was nice to see him playing a more hardened and world-weary individual despite the occasional lapses into his normal screen persona.
In the end âGemini Manâ offers some flawed but entertaining escapist entertainment that delivers all the best of what fans have come to expect from Will Smith and more.
3.5 stars out of 5
http://sknr.net/2019/10/11/gemini-man-2/
Henry is so skilled that he takes on impossible tasks and completes them as if they were routine as he was recruited from the Military as he stood out as a unique and talented soldier.
When a successful mission does not go as precise as he would have liked; Henry decides to retire much to the chagrin of his supervisor who wishes him well despite being upset over losing such a highly-valued asset.
Henry meets with an old friend from the military who has done very well for himself financially since his service days. He tells Henry that his last target was not a dangerous threat to the population but rather a respected genetics worker. Henry has some misgiving but realizes there may be some truth to what is being told to him and agrees to meet with a contact of the departed scientist in Hungary.
Henryâs meeting does not go unnoticed as he soon has teams of soldiers attacking him and he is forced to flee with his undercover surveillance Danny (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as they are pursued by deadly agents at every turn.
As the pair make their way to Columbia to try to plan their next move; an elite assassin makes a move on Henry and it takes all of his skills to barely survive and encounter which leaves them scrambling for answers. As suspicions mount, Henry and his team look for answers and what the eventually discover rocks the core of their very foundation.
Henry soon finds himself facing his most dangerous enemy yet as his past has come back to haunt him and there may be no escaping the threat it poses.
The film is directed by Ang Lee and while fairly linear in plot and character development and progression; the movie does offer a fresh take on some Science Fiction staples and does raise some interesting questions in the process.
The action sequences are solid and allow for the film at moments to break into a frantic pace before throttling back. The cast is solid and Will Smith continues his impressive comeback and it was nice to see him playing a more hardened and world-weary individual despite the occasional lapses into his normal screen persona.
In the end âGemini Manâ offers some flawed but entertaining escapist entertainment that delivers all the best of what fans have come to expect from Will Smith and more.
3.5 stars out of 5
http://sknr.net/2019/10/11/gemini-man-2/
Gareth von Kallenbach (965 KP) rated Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) in Movies
Aug 8, 2019
Scott Pilgrim, played by Michael Cera, is a young man whose life is going nowhere fast. At 23, he describes himself as in between jobs and spends his free time playing bass in a struggling band. But Scott does have a girlfriend named Knives Chau (Ellen Wong), never mind that she is still in high school and things are about as chaste as they can get. Undaunted, Scott keeps plugging away despite the supportive taunts of his gay roomie Wallace (Kieran Culkin), and the members of his band.
Things change for Scott when he meets a girl named Ramona (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), at a party. Ramona shows no interest in Scott but heâs inexplicably drawn to her and eventually gets the roller blading delivery girl to go out with him, despite the strong protests of his sister Stacey (Anna Kendrick), and his drummer/ex-girlfriend Kim (Allison Pine). The upswing Scottâs life takes at meeting the girl of his dreams and his bandâs shot at a recording deal is tempered by the complications of choosing between Knives, who is becoming more clingy, and Ramona, who brings with her a lot of angry baggage.
This baggage actually comes in the form of seven evil exes whom Scott must battle and defeat if he wishes to continue dating her. Scott accepts the challenge and finds himself in a life and death battle with some true psychos, all of whom have strange powers and appear out of nowhere to pummel Scott. I will not spoil the surprises but suffice it to say that the exes are played by some great names, and each one brings plenty of humor to go with the action.
Action and music blend well with comedy and romance and the video game-inspired fight sequences complete with numerous inside jokes for gamers are truly a delight. The frantic sequences mix music, and over the top action with cartoonish gags and humor in a winning formula. Seeing Scott take flying leaps across a room to battle for Ramona and rebounding from one pummeling after another is great fun. Scott give as good as he gets, learning at times that brains will win out over brawn.
The film has a frantic pacing that Director Edgar Wright never lets get out of control. Like his great work in Shaun of the Dead, Wright keeps the characters and their relationships at the center of the film, making them not only relatable but easy to root for despite the bizarre scenario the characters find themselves in.
The film is based on a graphic novel by Bryan Lee OâMalley and delivers a fun adventure that should delight fans of the novel as well as video gamers everywhere. The film knows who its audience is and plays the zany plot with a wink and smile and does not get caught up with intricate plotlines and overly complex characters. Instead the movie keeps the attention on the action and the great cast of characters. Cera does his best work yet in the title role and Culkin nearly steals every scene he is in as does Wong. Jason Schwartzman shines as the uber villain Gideon and rounds out the effective cast in this pleasant surprise of the summer.
Things change for Scott when he meets a girl named Ramona (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), at a party. Ramona shows no interest in Scott but heâs inexplicably drawn to her and eventually gets the roller blading delivery girl to go out with him, despite the strong protests of his sister Stacey (Anna Kendrick), and his drummer/ex-girlfriend Kim (Allison Pine). The upswing Scottâs life takes at meeting the girl of his dreams and his bandâs shot at a recording deal is tempered by the complications of choosing between Knives, who is becoming more clingy, and Ramona, who brings with her a lot of angry baggage.
This baggage actually comes in the form of seven evil exes whom Scott must battle and defeat if he wishes to continue dating her. Scott accepts the challenge and finds himself in a life and death battle with some true psychos, all of whom have strange powers and appear out of nowhere to pummel Scott. I will not spoil the surprises but suffice it to say that the exes are played by some great names, and each one brings plenty of humor to go with the action.
Action and music blend well with comedy and romance and the video game-inspired fight sequences complete with numerous inside jokes for gamers are truly a delight. The frantic sequences mix music, and over the top action with cartoonish gags and humor in a winning formula. Seeing Scott take flying leaps across a room to battle for Ramona and rebounding from one pummeling after another is great fun. Scott give as good as he gets, learning at times that brains will win out over brawn.
The film has a frantic pacing that Director Edgar Wright never lets get out of control. Like his great work in Shaun of the Dead, Wright keeps the characters and their relationships at the center of the film, making them not only relatable but easy to root for despite the bizarre scenario the characters find themselves in.
The film is based on a graphic novel by Bryan Lee OâMalley and delivers a fun adventure that should delight fans of the novel as well as video gamers everywhere. The film knows who its audience is and plays the zany plot with a wink and smile and does not get caught up with intricate plotlines and overly complex characters. Instead the movie keeps the attention on the action and the great cast of characters. Cera does his best work yet in the title role and Culkin nearly steals every scene he is in as does Wong. Jason Schwartzman shines as the uber villain Gideon and rounds out the effective cast in this pleasant surprise of the summer.
Lee (2222 KP) rated Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020) in Movies
Feb 8, 2020
Without a doubt, the best thing about the disastrous Suicide Squad movie of 2016 was Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn. With what little she was given to work with, she went all in and truly made the role her own. A return to the character was inevitable really, and thankfully, that return is not in the form of Suicide Squad 2 but Birds of Prey and the fabulous emancipation of one Harley Quinn.
When we join Harley, sheâs just broken up with the Joker. A nice little animated intro, with voiceover from Harley, gives us a quick overview of her life from birth, through childhood and eventually to the point where her and Mr J part ways. She hasnât made it public knowledge just yet though, for fear of what might happen when word gets out that she no longer has the Jokerâs protection. Instead, Harley buys herself a hyena called Bruce, takes part in vicious roller derbys and spends her nights partying at the nightclub of Gotham crime lord Roman Sionis (Ewan McGregor).
Following an explosive public declaration of her relationship status - driving a big truck into Ace Chemicals, the spot where Harley first pledged herself to Mr J - Harley begins to find her life becoming increasingly entwined with that of the other Birds of Prey that will eventually make up the all-women squad. Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez) is a detective, in the process of investigating a series of murders by a crossbow wielding killer named Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) before the chemical factory explosion. Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), a singer at Sionisâ nightclub and packing a voice powerful enough to shatter glass. And finally, young pickpocket Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco). All of these women either have an axe to grind with men that treated them badly, or are currently being hunted by most of Gotham Cityâs bad guys. Their coming together, and subsequent emancipation, forms the basis of the movie.
That initial process involves a lot of time shifting and flashbacks while we are introduced to the key characters and plot points, before jumping back minutes, hours or even days in order to start filling in the narrative blanks. Itâs messy at times and for the most part, it doesnât really work either. Thankfully though, itâs a tactic that is ditched well before the halfway point.
The âBirdsâ all have interesting back stories, and great potential in some cases too, but for the most part itâs Harley who is front and centre, stealing the limelight, and it never really feels as though we get to experience the others very much in comparison. Outside of the female leads, I didnât really think much of Ewan McGregor and didnât feel him to be a very convincing threat at all.
Birds of Prey is jam packed with creatively chaotic action and fight scenes from Chad Stahelski, who was responsible for the John Wick movies. They are confidently executed, at times cartoon-like, and usually accompanied by a kick-ass soundtrack.
I was initially going to give this a 6/10. But then I looked back at my rating for Suicide Squad and saw that was the rating I gave that. Birds of Prey is good, but not great. However, it is definitely a big improvement on Suicide Squad, so for that I give it a 7.
When we join Harley, sheâs just broken up with the Joker. A nice little animated intro, with voiceover from Harley, gives us a quick overview of her life from birth, through childhood and eventually to the point where her and Mr J part ways. She hasnât made it public knowledge just yet though, for fear of what might happen when word gets out that she no longer has the Jokerâs protection. Instead, Harley buys herself a hyena called Bruce, takes part in vicious roller derbys and spends her nights partying at the nightclub of Gotham crime lord Roman Sionis (Ewan McGregor).
Following an explosive public declaration of her relationship status - driving a big truck into Ace Chemicals, the spot where Harley first pledged herself to Mr J - Harley begins to find her life becoming increasingly entwined with that of the other Birds of Prey that will eventually make up the all-women squad. Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez) is a detective, in the process of investigating a series of murders by a crossbow wielding killer named Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) before the chemical factory explosion. Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), a singer at Sionisâ nightclub and packing a voice powerful enough to shatter glass. And finally, young pickpocket Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco). All of these women either have an axe to grind with men that treated them badly, or are currently being hunted by most of Gotham Cityâs bad guys. Their coming together, and subsequent emancipation, forms the basis of the movie.
That initial process involves a lot of time shifting and flashbacks while we are introduced to the key characters and plot points, before jumping back minutes, hours or even days in order to start filling in the narrative blanks. Itâs messy at times and for the most part, it doesnât really work either. Thankfully though, itâs a tactic that is ditched well before the halfway point.
The âBirdsâ all have interesting back stories, and great potential in some cases too, but for the most part itâs Harley who is front and centre, stealing the limelight, and it never really feels as though we get to experience the others very much in comparison. Outside of the female leads, I didnât really think much of Ewan McGregor and didnât feel him to be a very convincing threat at all.
Birds of Prey is jam packed with creatively chaotic action and fight scenes from Chad Stahelski, who was responsible for the John Wick movies. They are confidently executed, at times cartoon-like, and usually accompanied by a kick-ass soundtrack.
I was initially going to give this a 6/10. But then I looked back at my rating for Suicide Squad and saw that was the rating I gave that. Birds of Prey is good, but not great. However, it is definitely a big improvement on Suicide Squad, so for that I give it a 7.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated The Cloverfield Paradox (2018) in Movies
Feb 22, 2018
A fun "who-will-survive" flick
During the Super Bowl, a "surprise" trailer dropped for a new entry in the Cloverfield family of films. The good news is that the film was dropping on Netflix the next day, so fanboys immediately jumped on-line and then started hating on it (again, on-line) because it wasn't exactly what they thought it would be.
Which is too bad, for THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX is a very fun, very well made, very well acted "10 Little Indians" style Sci-Fi film (you know, the type of film where a finite group of folks are marooned someplace - like and island or an isolated, creepy mansion and are picked off one by one). This time, they are on a space station, and when an experiment goes awry, bad things start to happen.
I stated that this film is another entry in the "Cloverfield family of films", so let me explain that. The overseer of these films is none other than JJ Abrams and he has stated that there will be a series of films - very different in style, type and substance - that will (somehow) be related in the Cloverfield Universe. And, so far, he has fulfilled his promise (at least to me) - for those that just want "more of the same", he has alienated.
The first film, CLOVERFIELD, is a "found footage" film about a giant monster (think Godzilla) rampaging through modern day New York City. Of the 3 films,thus far, in the Cloverfield family, this one (for me) was the least effective (especially because I am not a big fan of "found footage" films). The 2nd film was 2016's 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE and was a very effective psychological horror/drama starring John Goodman as a fellow who has rescued/captured (kidnapped?) Mary Elizabeth Winstead and has locked her in his survival bunker in order to - he says - save her from the monster above. The film effectively goes back and forth with wondering what is scarier - the monster above or the monster (Goodman) below. If you haven't seen 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE, I highly recommend it.
The third installment, then, is THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX, a prequel of sorts about a group of scientists aboard a space station conducting a desperate, highly dangerous power experiments to solve the world's energy crisis. When something goes wrong, bad things happen. And since this is in the Cloverfield family, you gotta know it has some connection with how the Cloverfield monster got on Earth.
But this film doesn't really concern itself with the Cloverfield monster - which is what I think is angering the "fanboys" - this film is about the survival of the charismatic, international scientists that are stranded on this space station after the accident. Almost every one of the actors in this film are "oh...that guy" type actors - all very good. From German actor Daniel Bruhl (RUSH) to Chinese actress Ziyi Zhang (CROUCHING TIGER...) to Englishman David Oyelowo (SELMA) to good ol' John Ortiz (a million different things) - the cast is strong, fun to watch and easy to root for. They all are in service to the plot devices (and predicaments they are in) and they serve the plot (and the film) well.
Special notice should be made for Chris O'Dowd (BRIDESMAIDS) who brings some much needed levity via his deadpan humor approach to everything as the ship's handyman and, especially, Gugu Mbatha-Raw (BELLE) as the heroine of the adventure from through who's eyes we encounter the events of the film.
I have stated before that I am a sucker for these types of "10 Little Indians who-will-survive" films and this one is no exception. Go in with no preconceived notions, roll with what the film throws at you and you'll have a good time time, too.
THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX is now streaming on Netflix.
Letter Grade: B (it is the very definition of a "B" movie).
7 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Which is too bad, for THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX is a very fun, very well made, very well acted "10 Little Indians" style Sci-Fi film (you know, the type of film where a finite group of folks are marooned someplace - like and island or an isolated, creepy mansion and are picked off one by one). This time, they are on a space station, and when an experiment goes awry, bad things start to happen.
I stated that this film is another entry in the "Cloverfield family of films", so let me explain that. The overseer of these films is none other than JJ Abrams and he has stated that there will be a series of films - very different in style, type and substance - that will (somehow) be related in the Cloverfield Universe. And, so far, he has fulfilled his promise (at least to me) - for those that just want "more of the same", he has alienated.
The first film, CLOVERFIELD, is a "found footage" film about a giant monster (think Godzilla) rampaging through modern day New York City. Of the 3 films,thus far, in the Cloverfield family, this one (for me) was the least effective (especially because I am not a big fan of "found footage" films). The 2nd film was 2016's 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE and was a very effective psychological horror/drama starring John Goodman as a fellow who has rescued/captured (kidnapped?) Mary Elizabeth Winstead and has locked her in his survival bunker in order to - he says - save her from the monster above. The film effectively goes back and forth with wondering what is scarier - the monster above or the monster (Goodman) below. If you haven't seen 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE, I highly recommend it.
The third installment, then, is THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX, a prequel of sorts about a group of scientists aboard a space station conducting a desperate, highly dangerous power experiments to solve the world's energy crisis. When something goes wrong, bad things happen. And since this is in the Cloverfield family, you gotta know it has some connection with how the Cloverfield monster got on Earth.
But this film doesn't really concern itself with the Cloverfield monster - which is what I think is angering the "fanboys" - this film is about the survival of the charismatic, international scientists that are stranded on this space station after the accident. Almost every one of the actors in this film are "oh...that guy" type actors - all very good. From German actor Daniel Bruhl (RUSH) to Chinese actress Ziyi Zhang (CROUCHING TIGER...) to Englishman David Oyelowo (SELMA) to good ol' John Ortiz (a million different things) - the cast is strong, fun to watch and easy to root for. They all are in service to the plot devices (and predicaments they are in) and they serve the plot (and the film) well.
Special notice should be made for Chris O'Dowd (BRIDESMAIDS) who brings some much needed levity via his deadpan humor approach to everything as the ship's handyman and, especially, Gugu Mbatha-Raw (BELLE) as the heroine of the adventure from through who's eyes we encounter the events of the film.
I have stated before that I am a sucker for these types of "10 Little Indians who-will-survive" films and this one is no exception. Go in with no preconceived notions, roll with what the film throws at you and you'll have a good time time, too.
THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX is now streaming on Netflix.
Letter Grade: B (it is the very definition of a "B" movie).
7 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Better than Suicide Squad
Did you catch the 2016 DCEU disappointment SUICIDE SQUAD with Will Smith as Deadshot and Jared Leto as the Joker? Many people (myself included) thought that that film was "just fine, nothing special" but were impressed with the way Margot Robbie handled the Harley Quinn character and wished for a standalone film that featured the Harley Quinn character.
Be careful what you wish for.
BIRDS OF PREY (AND THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN) is the answer to that wish and while it is slightly better than SUICIDE SQUAD, it still isn't all that....well...Fantabulous... of a film.
BIRDS OF PREY (which I hear is now being relabeled HARLEY QUINN: BIRDS OF PREY) is produced by Margot Robbie's production company and features an all female lead cast (the villain is a male) and a female Writer and a female Director. Consequently, this is a "female empowerment" film where the self-described "tough chicks" band together to defeat the male villain.
I applaud the effort and the idea behind the movie, but as a film, this one didn't quite work for me.
I start with the main focus of this film - Harley Quinn. This is just not a character, I discovered, that I want to spend an entire film with. She is, at it turns out, a very good SUPPORTING character, but not one that is interesting enough (at least for me) to carry a whole movie. I will give Margot Robbie credit...her interpretation of the character is interesting and that performance kept me focused throughout.
The other Birds of Prey are just as interesting. For the first time in I can't tell you, Rosie Perez did not annoy me in her role. She played earnest, frustrated Police Officer Renee Montoya and I found myself rooting for her when she was on the screen. Same goes for Jurnee Smollett-Bell's interpretation of Black Canary a character I knew very little about and was intrigued (though her "Super Power" was suddenly sprung on the audience with very little foreshadowing - foreshadowing that could have helped). And, finally, Mary Elizabeth Winstead almost steals the film as the revenge-seeking Huntress, a character I really enjoyed and hope I see again (though, I'm learning my lesson - let it be as a supporting character in another film and not her own, standalone film).
So, this film has 4 interesting characters at the top, but the issue is that they don't come together as a team until VERY late in the film (in a finale showdown that was the highlight of the film for me), so I really couldn't tell if there was any chemistry between these characters/actresses. I think there MIGHT have been, but no real sample size to tell.
Fairing less well as a character was Ewan McGregor's one-note take on super-narcissistic Roman Sionis/Black Mask. The character was pretty much in front of you at the start of the film and was still the same one-note character at the end. Also not "doing it for me" was Ella Jay Basco as Cassandra Cain, the street kid that becomes the focal point of the bad guys in the film (and the character the Birds of Prey must band together to save). I didn't much care for this character - or the performance - so I had no real emotional investment in whether or not the Birds of Prey could save her.
The Direction by Cathy Yan is professional and competent and the final showdown does show signs of originality and brilliance. I'll give her credit, she caught my attention with the last 1/2 hour of this film - much more so than she did with the first 79 minutes.
A better effort at this type of anti-hero comic book adventure (certainly better than SUICIDE SQUAD) but the DCEU still has not stuck the landing on this.
I encourage them to keep trying.
Letter Grade: B
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Be careful what you wish for.
BIRDS OF PREY (AND THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN) is the answer to that wish and while it is slightly better than SUICIDE SQUAD, it still isn't all that....well...Fantabulous... of a film.
BIRDS OF PREY (which I hear is now being relabeled HARLEY QUINN: BIRDS OF PREY) is produced by Margot Robbie's production company and features an all female lead cast (the villain is a male) and a female Writer and a female Director. Consequently, this is a "female empowerment" film where the self-described "tough chicks" band together to defeat the male villain.
I applaud the effort and the idea behind the movie, but as a film, this one didn't quite work for me.
I start with the main focus of this film - Harley Quinn. This is just not a character, I discovered, that I want to spend an entire film with. She is, at it turns out, a very good SUPPORTING character, but not one that is interesting enough (at least for me) to carry a whole movie. I will give Margot Robbie credit...her interpretation of the character is interesting and that performance kept me focused throughout.
The other Birds of Prey are just as interesting. For the first time in I can't tell you, Rosie Perez did not annoy me in her role. She played earnest, frustrated Police Officer Renee Montoya and I found myself rooting for her when she was on the screen. Same goes for Jurnee Smollett-Bell's interpretation of Black Canary a character I knew very little about and was intrigued (though her "Super Power" was suddenly sprung on the audience with very little foreshadowing - foreshadowing that could have helped). And, finally, Mary Elizabeth Winstead almost steals the film as the revenge-seeking Huntress, a character I really enjoyed and hope I see again (though, I'm learning my lesson - let it be as a supporting character in another film and not her own, standalone film).
So, this film has 4 interesting characters at the top, but the issue is that they don't come together as a team until VERY late in the film (in a finale showdown that was the highlight of the film for me), so I really couldn't tell if there was any chemistry between these characters/actresses. I think there MIGHT have been, but no real sample size to tell.
Fairing less well as a character was Ewan McGregor's one-note take on super-narcissistic Roman Sionis/Black Mask. The character was pretty much in front of you at the start of the film and was still the same one-note character at the end. Also not "doing it for me" was Ella Jay Basco as Cassandra Cain, the street kid that becomes the focal point of the bad guys in the film (and the character the Birds of Prey must band together to save). I didn't much care for this character - or the performance - so I had no real emotional investment in whether or not the Birds of Prey could save her.
The Direction by Cathy Yan is professional and competent and the final showdown does show signs of originality and brilliance. I'll give her credit, she caught my attention with the last 1/2 hour of this film - much more so than she did with the first 79 minutes.
A better effort at this type of anti-hero comic book adventure (certainly better than SUICIDE SQUAD) but the DCEU still has not stuck the landing on this.
I encourage them to keep trying.
Letter Grade: B
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020) in Movies
Feb 15, 2020
A lot of squawking birds
Although not saying much, Margot Robbieâs Harley Quinn was one of the best thing in the lacklustre D.C. outing âSuicide Squadâ of 2016. Now, she returns in her own vehicle. Jared Letoâs Joker is a thing of the past (clearly he wasnât keen on dredging up the past for even a cameo in this one).
Harley had spent years building up a catalog of enemies in Gotham, with no-one daring to lift a finger for fear of âthe big Jâsâ retribution. With that now a thing of the past, the streets are no longer safe for Harley. Whereas most characters have a reason to want to kill Harley, mid-level gangster Roman Sionis (Ewan McGregor) has a list as long as his arm (a blurred list that will probably make freeze-framing of the blu-ray entertaining!). Roman, who has a penchant for having his right-hand man Victor (Chris Messina) de-glove his victimâs faces, has his heart set on obtaining a missing diamond that (McGuffin-alert) is engraved with account details to $billions.
Through a convoluted and messy plot, Harley meets various âbirds of preyâ who are either friend or foe: notably young pickpocket Cassandra (Ella Jay Basco); cop RenĂ©e Montoya (Rosie Perez); the âCrossbow Killerâ (Mary Elizabeth Winstead); and the âBlack Canaryâ (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), who you donât want to let near your best glasses.
As you might expect from your knowledge of Harley Quinnâs character, the movie is bat-shit crazy, with periodic breaking of the 4th wall; much acrobatic kick-boxing; and some random dream sequencesâŠ.. Robbie as Marilyn is particularly entertaining, although at times (the âegg sandwichâ sequence in particular) the gurning made me muse to myself about just what a good film âI, Tonyaâ was.
It all comes across as something of a âDeadpoolâ sequel. Actually, Iâd more describe it as âDeadpool-liteâ since itâs not powered here by the charisma of Ryan Reynolds. However, I did find myself quite enjoying the first reel of the movie.
Unfortunately, it didnât last.
It all just becomes incredibly tiresome. Although Margot Robbie is very good in the role, Harleyâs incessant squawking just gets annoying.
Also in this battle of men vs women, the women always win and are (mostly) completely unscathed. In one particular scene there are 5 or 6 burly men taking on Harley: clearly she whips their sorry asses in improbable fashion. What? Only one at a time guys?
If you were confused by the timeline of âLittle Womenâ, this will blow your mind! It makes Greta Gerwigâs masterpiece look as linear as âNews at Tenâ! Itâs really difficult to follow at times as the timeline flashes forwards and backwards and sideways at random!
Also confusing (for me anyway⊠did I have a nap?) was the finale. Thereâs something to do with a ring which made NO SENSE to me at all? Am I alone in that?
Ewan MacGregor has fun with his role as the gay (I assume?) gangster, but it all turns cartoonish at times. But perhaps, thatâs the point? However while the violence in âDeadpoolâ was cartoonishly funny (as in Tom and Jerry) the violence here is decidedly of the vicious and unpleasant variety, with a vindictive edge. It makes you not particularly like any of the movieâs characters.
The movie is written by Christina Hodson, who is slated to write too more upcoming superhero films: âThe Flashâ and âBatgirlâ. The director is Chinese director Cathy Yan in only her second directorial feature.
Summary: Itâs loud and brash and at 109 minutes it overstays its welcome by about 20 minutes. Less would have been more. Itâs somewhat better than âSuicide Squadâ (which I unfathomably seem to have given 2.5 stars to), but itâs still a movie that I will struggle to remember in a monthâs time.
(For the full graphical review, check out One Mann's Movies here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2020/02/15/one-manns-movies-film-review-birds-of-prey-and-the-fantabulous-emancipation-of-one-harley-quinn-2020/
Harley had spent years building up a catalog of enemies in Gotham, with no-one daring to lift a finger for fear of âthe big Jâsâ retribution. With that now a thing of the past, the streets are no longer safe for Harley. Whereas most characters have a reason to want to kill Harley, mid-level gangster Roman Sionis (Ewan McGregor) has a list as long as his arm (a blurred list that will probably make freeze-framing of the blu-ray entertaining!). Roman, who has a penchant for having his right-hand man Victor (Chris Messina) de-glove his victimâs faces, has his heart set on obtaining a missing diamond that (McGuffin-alert) is engraved with account details to $billions.
Through a convoluted and messy plot, Harley meets various âbirds of preyâ who are either friend or foe: notably young pickpocket Cassandra (Ella Jay Basco); cop RenĂ©e Montoya (Rosie Perez); the âCrossbow Killerâ (Mary Elizabeth Winstead); and the âBlack Canaryâ (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), who you donât want to let near your best glasses.
As you might expect from your knowledge of Harley Quinnâs character, the movie is bat-shit crazy, with periodic breaking of the 4th wall; much acrobatic kick-boxing; and some random dream sequencesâŠ.. Robbie as Marilyn is particularly entertaining, although at times (the âegg sandwichâ sequence in particular) the gurning made me muse to myself about just what a good film âI, Tonyaâ was.
It all comes across as something of a âDeadpoolâ sequel. Actually, Iâd more describe it as âDeadpool-liteâ since itâs not powered here by the charisma of Ryan Reynolds. However, I did find myself quite enjoying the first reel of the movie.
Unfortunately, it didnât last.
It all just becomes incredibly tiresome. Although Margot Robbie is very good in the role, Harleyâs incessant squawking just gets annoying.
Also in this battle of men vs women, the women always win and are (mostly) completely unscathed. In one particular scene there are 5 or 6 burly men taking on Harley: clearly she whips their sorry asses in improbable fashion. What? Only one at a time guys?
If you were confused by the timeline of âLittle Womenâ, this will blow your mind! It makes Greta Gerwigâs masterpiece look as linear as âNews at Tenâ! Itâs really difficult to follow at times as the timeline flashes forwards and backwards and sideways at random!
Also confusing (for me anyway⊠did I have a nap?) was the finale. Thereâs something to do with a ring which made NO SENSE to me at all? Am I alone in that?
Ewan MacGregor has fun with his role as the gay (I assume?) gangster, but it all turns cartoonish at times. But perhaps, thatâs the point? However while the violence in âDeadpoolâ was cartoonishly funny (as in Tom and Jerry) the violence here is decidedly of the vicious and unpleasant variety, with a vindictive edge. It makes you not particularly like any of the movieâs characters.
The movie is written by Christina Hodson, who is slated to write too more upcoming superhero films: âThe Flashâ and âBatgirlâ. The director is Chinese director Cathy Yan in only her second directorial feature.
Summary: Itâs loud and brash and at 109 minutes it overstays its welcome by about 20 minutes. Less would have been more. Itâs somewhat better than âSuicide Squadâ (which I unfathomably seem to have given 2.5 stars to), but itâs still a movie that I will struggle to remember in a monthâs time.
(For the full graphical review, check out One Mann's Movies here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2020/02/15/one-manns-movies-film-review-birds-of-prey-and-the-fantabulous-emancipation-of-one-harley-quinn-2020/
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) in Movies
Jul 24, 2017
The limited cast is great (1 more)
The sound design is amazing
Expect the Unexpected
Contains spoilers, click to show
I remember when the first Cloverfield movie was released, it was made in secret and after the trailer dropped people were really hyped. Then the movie came out and it was okay, but nowhere near as good as the trailer and most people quickly forgot about it and it has kind of faded into obscurity since then, remembered only as an interesting experiment that never really lived up to its full potential. So when a follow up movie set in the same universe was announced at the start of this year, you can imagine the surprise of movie fans. Again this movie was made in secret, not an easy thing to do in this day and age and although it shared a name with the first movie, this isnât necessarily a sequel or a prequel. This review will contain a spoiler free section then a section where I will spoil the hell out of everything in the movie, but donât worry Iâll give you fair warning before I do that.
This movie is an example of why sometimes it is better to have a small, focused team of people working on a restrictive budget towards a collective aim and end product, because what we end up with is a concentrated, purposeful film, in which each aspect has been handled with care. First off, this movie has three characters and thatâs it, so the performances have to be nothing less than stellar for the piece to work. Luckily they are here. Mary Elizabeth Winstead plays a young girl called Michelle who has just left her man, however it is when she is driving away that she has a car accident and wakes up in the basement of Howardâs Doomsday bunker, the character played by John Goodman. As the filmâs traumatising event unfold, she shows resilience, persistence, tenacity and resourcefulness and she pulls it off in a believable way. John Gallagher Jr plays a man called Emmet who has known John Goodmanâs character from before the events of the movie play out. He is the comic relief of the movie, but his character is just as important as the other two and he delivers a spot on performance. However John Goodmanâs performance in this film is of a different class, he runs away with the movie and steals every scene he is in. This film is a great reminder of why he is considered one of the great character actors of our time. it is very rare that I will say that an actor is perfect in a role, to be a perfect performance, the character must have no lines or scenes that I dislike, steal every scene that they are in and make me totally forget about the actor playing the part and only see the character that they are portraying. The last person to successfully pull it off was JK Simmons in Whiplash, that is the level of quality that we are talking about here, definitely Goodmanâs best performance of the last decade.
The other star of this film is the audio, both the score used and the sound effects are so well timed and effective. The various tracks played throughout mixed with the straight up terrifying noises of simple things in the environment, especially the door of Michelleâs room, which honestly sounds like a woman screaming every time it is opened or closed. Also, I donât know if John Goodmanâs breathing was amplified in any way, but it is terrifying. The editing in this movie is also fantastic, best executed during Michelleâs crash at the start of the movie, the abrupt nature of the scenes and sound effects instantly let you know what kind of ride you are in for, for the next 90 minutes.
Okay, from this point on major plot points and twists will be spoiled, you have been warned.
As the film progresses, we learn that Howard had a daughter called Megan, but Emmet and Michelle suspect that he may have killed his daughter or at least some other young girls, so they hatch a plan to break out. Howard finds evidence of the plan and confronts the pair, Emmett takes the blame and what is one of the most shocking scenes I have seen in cinema, Howard shoots him point blank in the head with a thunderous gunshot. After this, Michelle realises he really is crazy and she has to get out, but he also catches her with evidence of the escape plan and chases her around the bunker. Michelle then kicks acid over him and makes for the exit hatch in a terrifying chase sequence. After she gets out the bunker explodes, but she soon realises she isnât in the clear yet. A dog like monster chases her around the garden which she runs from, then a large alien ship lifts her up, but just as it is about to devour her, she makes a Molotov cocktail and throws it into the mouth of the beast blowing it up, she then drives away and the movie ends. People have a problem with the end of this movie after Michelle leaves the bunker, but although I will say that the first half is definitely superior, I still enjoyed the ending and overall this is probably my favourite movie of 2016 so far.
This movie is an example of why sometimes it is better to have a small, focused team of people working on a restrictive budget towards a collective aim and end product, because what we end up with is a concentrated, purposeful film, in which each aspect has been handled with care. First off, this movie has three characters and thatâs it, so the performances have to be nothing less than stellar for the piece to work. Luckily they are here. Mary Elizabeth Winstead plays a young girl called Michelle who has just left her man, however it is when she is driving away that she has a car accident and wakes up in the basement of Howardâs Doomsday bunker, the character played by John Goodman. As the filmâs traumatising event unfold, she shows resilience, persistence, tenacity and resourcefulness and she pulls it off in a believable way. John Gallagher Jr plays a man called Emmet who has known John Goodmanâs character from before the events of the movie play out. He is the comic relief of the movie, but his character is just as important as the other two and he delivers a spot on performance. However John Goodmanâs performance in this film is of a different class, he runs away with the movie and steals every scene he is in. This film is a great reminder of why he is considered one of the great character actors of our time. it is very rare that I will say that an actor is perfect in a role, to be a perfect performance, the character must have no lines or scenes that I dislike, steal every scene that they are in and make me totally forget about the actor playing the part and only see the character that they are portraying. The last person to successfully pull it off was JK Simmons in Whiplash, that is the level of quality that we are talking about here, definitely Goodmanâs best performance of the last decade.
The other star of this film is the audio, both the score used and the sound effects are so well timed and effective. The various tracks played throughout mixed with the straight up terrifying noises of simple things in the environment, especially the door of Michelleâs room, which honestly sounds like a woman screaming every time it is opened or closed. Also, I donât know if John Goodmanâs breathing was amplified in any way, but it is terrifying. The editing in this movie is also fantastic, best executed during Michelleâs crash at the start of the movie, the abrupt nature of the scenes and sound effects instantly let you know what kind of ride you are in for, for the next 90 minutes.
Okay, from this point on major plot points and twists will be spoiled, you have been warned.
As the film progresses, we learn that Howard had a daughter called Megan, but Emmet and Michelle suspect that he may have killed his daughter or at least some other young girls, so they hatch a plan to break out. Howard finds evidence of the plan and confronts the pair, Emmett takes the blame and what is one of the most shocking scenes I have seen in cinema, Howard shoots him point blank in the head with a thunderous gunshot. After this, Michelle realises he really is crazy and she has to get out, but he also catches her with evidence of the escape plan and chases her around the bunker. Michelle then kicks acid over him and makes for the exit hatch in a terrifying chase sequence. After she gets out the bunker explodes, but she soon realises she isnât in the clear yet. A dog like monster chases her around the garden which she runs from, then a large alien ship lifts her up, but just as it is about to devour her, she makes a Molotov cocktail and throws it into the mouth of the beast blowing it up, she then drives away and the movie ends. People have a problem with the end of this movie after Michelle leaves the bunker, but although I will say that the first half is definitely superior, I still enjoyed the ending and overall this is probably my favourite movie of 2016 so far.