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Gareth von Kallenbach (968 KP) rated The Proposal (2009) in Movies
Aug 9, 2019
If you have ever had an awful boss you will commiserate with Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds) executive assistant to fiendish editor Margret Tate (Sandra Bullock). A Canadian, Margret is about to loose her Visa and prestigious job when she devises a plan to stay in the country by marrying Andrew. Realizing that Margret’s deportation also means he will loose his dream chance at becoming an editor, Andrew unhappily agrees.
To make matters worse a tenacious immigration clerk suspects the false conspiracy and threatens fines and felony charges if the bond is not truly romantic. In an effort to make their rouse seem more convincing the two not-so-in-love birds decide to visit Andrew’s family in Alaska.
Through a variety of comedic events and heart to heart discussions their relationship grows. But this new understanding of one another, and appearance of Andrew’s ex-girlfriend, threaten the marriage ploy.
While it is a cute movie the preposterous premise is the core obstacle with the film. Can anyone actually believe a person would ever fall in love with a boss so heinous that the office instant messages warnings of her arrival?
Further detracting from the film’s romantic attempts is the use of disjointed screwball comedy. These scenes, ranging from Ramone’s (Oscar Nuñez) bachelorette strip tease to Grandma Annie’s (Betty White) dancing in the wilderness, would have been more appropriate in “Animal House” than a romantic comedy.
Still the film does have some redeeming qualities; Ryan Reynolds’ bold delivery combines well with Sandra Bullock’s awkward appeal. Also the meritorious supporting cast will surely make you laugh. But if you are looking to be enchantingly swept away this is not the right film.
More funny than romantic the problematic premise makes “The Proposal” simply an OK comedy.
To make matters worse a tenacious immigration clerk suspects the false conspiracy and threatens fines and felony charges if the bond is not truly romantic. In an effort to make their rouse seem more convincing the two not-so-in-love birds decide to visit Andrew’s family in Alaska.
Through a variety of comedic events and heart to heart discussions their relationship grows. But this new understanding of one another, and appearance of Andrew’s ex-girlfriend, threaten the marriage ploy.
While it is a cute movie the preposterous premise is the core obstacle with the film. Can anyone actually believe a person would ever fall in love with a boss so heinous that the office instant messages warnings of her arrival?
Further detracting from the film’s romantic attempts is the use of disjointed screwball comedy. These scenes, ranging from Ramone’s (Oscar Nuñez) bachelorette strip tease to Grandma Annie’s (Betty White) dancing in the wilderness, would have been more appropriate in “Animal House” than a romantic comedy.
Still the film does have some redeeming qualities; Ryan Reynolds’ bold delivery combines well with Sandra Bullock’s awkward appeal. Also the meritorious supporting cast will surely make you laugh. But if you are looking to be enchantingly swept away this is not the right film.
More funny than romantic the problematic premise makes “The Proposal” simply an OK comedy.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated X-Men Origins - Wolverine (2009) in Movies
Jul 10, 2019
A low point for the X-Men franchise
X-Men Origins: Wolverine is an awful awful film, for many reasons.
Firstly - no one really seems to be too enthusiastic about what they're doing. Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, and Danny Huston do the best with the piss-poor script, but everyone else just seems to be going through the motions.
Secondly - the characters. This movie contains not one, but two fan favourite X-Men characters, making their big screen debut, just to be thrown under the bus. Gambit for starters, is a shadow of the character he is in the comic - Taylor Kitsch just being himself, whilst getting one very brief action scene that hardly shows off his powers.
The other character is of course Deadpool - Ryan Reynolds is entertaining enough throughout the opening scene - but when we're introduced to the proper Deadpool near the climax of the film... Words truly fail me, it's just embarrassing.
Thirdly - what the hell on Earth is going on with the CGI in this movie? This is the fourth X-Men film and the effects are worse than ever. Wolverines claws look like a child had just drawn over the film.
It's just terrible from start to finish. The fact that the following X-Men Origins: Magneto got cancelled almost immediately after this was released is a example of just how much of a misstep this film was.
There are a few positives though - the opening montage of Logan fighting in different wars throughout history was pretty cool, Liev Schreiber is a welcome addition as Sabretooth after Tyler Mane in the original X-Men movie, and the best thing about this film? The adaption of Deadpool was so abysmal that Ryan Reynolds took it upon himself to eventually get a proper Deadpool movie rolling.
Final thought - please don't let Will.I.Am near anymore movie sets, thanks.
Firstly - no one really seems to be too enthusiastic about what they're doing. Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, and Danny Huston do the best with the piss-poor script, but everyone else just seems to be going through the motions.
Secondly - the characters. This movie contains not one, but two fan favourite X-Men characters, making their big screen debut, just to be thrown under the bus. Gambit for starters, is a shadow of the character he is in the comic - Taylor Kitsch just being himself, whilst getting one very brief action scene that hardly shows off his powers.
The other character is of course Deadpool - Ryan Reynolds is entertaining enough throughout the opening scene - but when we're introduced to the proper Deadpool near the climax of the film... Words truly fail me, it's just embarrassing.
Thirdly - what the hell on Earth is going on with the CGI in this movie? This is the fourth X-Men film and the effects are worse than ever. Wolverines claws look like a child had just drawn over the film.
It's just terrible from start to finish. The fact that the following X-Men Origins: Magneto got cancelled almost immediately after this was released is a example of just how much of a misstep this film was.
There are a few positives though - the opening montage of Logan fighting in different wars throughout history was pretty cool, Liev Schreiber is a welcome addition as Sabretooth after Tyler Mane in the original X-Men movie, and the best thing about this film? The adaption of Deadpool was so abysmal that Ryan Reynolds took it upon himself to eventually get a proper Deadpool movie rolling.
Final thought - please don't let Will.I.Am near anymore movie sets, thanks.
Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated Life (2017) in Movies
Aug 30, 2017
Curiosity killed the...
Okay, so the concept has been done a hundreds times before. It's Alien meets Gravity. Except the creature itself is not even remotely close to the beauty that was Giger's original alien, this seems to be mass of white gloop with a face of some kind. I did have to keep fast forwarding bits, because predictably there was a bit of G-force-related bloodshed. The acting from the usual A-listers Jake Gyllenhaal and Ryan Reynolds was obviously as good as expected. But the storyline was ultra thin, to the point that I had forgotten where the creature had randomly appeared from. There is a twist at the end - however, it's pretty foreseeable given how much emphasis is put on the "final plan". Not going to go down in any sci-fi history books, that's for certain.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Deadpool (2016) in Movies
Feb 19, 2018
Not the first R-rated superhero movie, nor the first superhero comedy film, nor even the first movie to feature Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson, but it does a good job of appearing to do something new and different, and has lots of good jokes. Garrulous mercenary volunteers for special procedure in attempt to fend off terminal illness; basically ends up with cancer as a super-power.
The plot is really very secondary to the style of the film, anyway, which is all about being very irreverent and transgressive towards the perceived conventions of the superhero movie; there's a bit of a straw man argument being made here, but the action is well staged and it is, as mentioned, very funny. Not the future of the genre, no matter what people may say, but a well-crafted piece of entertainment nevertheless.
The plot is really very secondary to the style of the film, anyway, which is all about being very irreverent and transgressive towards the perceived conventions of the superhero movie; there's a bit of a straw man argument being made here, but the action is well staged and it is, as mentioned, very funny. Not the future of the genre, no matter what people may say, but a well-crafted piece of entertainment nevertheless.
Gareth von Kallenbach (968 KP) rated 6 Underground (2019) in Movies
Dec 15, 2019
It’s a Michael Bay film. It’s going to have so many car crashes, explosions, stunts and more of the same. Seriously. It’s Michael Bay…AND Ryan Reynolds. With the script by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, who both have worked on Zombieland, Deadpool 1 & 2. Just to clarify, this IS an action movie. It surprises me that it was released at this time of year. I would have thought the typical release would head off the summer blockbuster season. However, Netflix has been sending out an eclectic group of movies to premiere in theaters prior to its streaming release.
The premise that we are set up for: super rich billionaire, Number One (Ryan Reynolds) has curated a team with members that each have a specific set of skills. The small team of specialists are all ghosts in the real world. The work that they do requires the anonymity of nonexistence. Each member of the six -person team have been chosen by Number One. Number Two (Melanie Laurent) is a former CIA Operative, Number Three (Manuel Garcia Rulfo) the very talented assassin, Number Four (Adria Arjona) is the Doctor. She is the one who can remove a bullet while the car is dodging through the traffic at breakneck speed. Number five (Ben Hardy, last seen in Bohemian Rhapsody as Roger Taylor) who is the parkour king. Rounding out the team is Number Six (Dave Franco) the Driver.
To say some parts of the film was subdued would have some people raise their collective eyebrows. However, the characters (Numbers Two to Six), have taken on the witty quips that we, as an audience have long associated with Ryan Reynolds. The writers have dispersed the wit and sarcasm to the other team members. This also helps to provide the comradery and establish the “family” concept that bonds the disparate backgrounds of each member. We are privy to a little bit of information of each team member, but I would have liked to see a little bit more history of each to fill in the personal motivation.
I enjoyed all the car chases, explosions, stunts and the international sites. It’s definitely not the typical fare of the holiday season in the theaters, but it is a very fun action movie that shoots the viewer through the story. The pacing is steady, the humor is a little sarcastic with a side of gentle familial teasing.
If you have had enough of the warm and fuzzies that the season provides in plentitude, Six Underground is a welcomed palate cleanser in this time of Yule. I certainly hope we get to see more of this team in a sequel.
4 out of 5 stars
The premise that we are set up for: super rich billionaire, Number One (Ryan Reynolds) has curated a team with members that each have a specific set of skills. The small team of specialists are all ghosts in the real world. The work that they do requires the anonymity of nonexistence. Each member of the six -person team have been chosen by Number One. Number Two (Melanie Laurent) is a former CIA Operative, Number Three (Manuel Garcia Rulfo) the very talented assassin, Number Four (Adria Arjona) is the Doctor. She is the one who can remove a bullet while the car is dodging through the traffic at breakneck speed. Number five (Ben Hardy, last seen in Bohemian Rhapsody as Roger Taylor) who is the parkour king. Rounding out the team is Number Six (Dave Franco) the Driver.
To say some parts of the film was subdued would have some people raise their collective eyebrows. However, the characters (Numbers Two to Six), have taken on the witty quips that we, as an audience have long associated with Ryan Reynolds. The writers have dispersed the wit and sarcasm to the other team members. This also helps to provide the comradery and establish the “family” concept that bonds the disparate backgrounds of each member. We are privy to a little bit of information of each team member, but I would have liked to see a little bit more history of each to fill in the personal motivation.
I enjoyed all the car chases, explosions, stunts and the international sites. It’s definitely not the typical fare of the holiday season in the theaters, but it is a very fun action movie that shoots the viewer through the story. The pacing is steady, the humor is a little sarcastic with a side of gentle familial teasing.
If you have had enough of the warm and fuzzies that the season provides in plentitude, Six Underground is a welcomed palate cleanser in this time of Yule. I certainly hope we get to see more of this team in a sequel.
4 out of 5 stars
Smokin' Aces (2007)
6.6
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Mob boss Primo Sparazza has taken out a hefty contract on Buddy "Aces" Israel, a sleazy magician who...
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Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated The Nines (2007) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019 (Updated Jun 22, 2019)
The Nines tells the story of Gary, Gavin, and Gabriel with each character given a specific segment in the film. The first segment tells the story of Gary, an actor who has more than a few issues. The second introduces us to Gavin as we're given a reality TV show look behind the scenes as he tries to get his show onto the air. The final segment is about Gabriel, a married man who designs video games. All of the segments are related and focus around the number 9. Discovering the truth about these characters and what they really are is what really makes the film worth watching.
I had been wanting to see this for awhile and I finally got around to seeing it today. It was actually better than I was expecting it to be. I haven't seen a film tie together multiple segments like this in a long time. Everything comes together quite well and it's pretty satisfying once all the cards are put on the table. Ryan Reynolds proves once again that his acting is quite strong and has more to him than being the casual funny man. Melissa McCarthy is also worth mentioning. She starts off being kind of irritating, but turns out being incredibly charming once the credits roll. Hope Davis was the last piece of the puzzle and is crucial to the overall story. At first, she just seems like the typical jealous and conniving female character who didn't get what she wanted. As the film progresses, however, her role becomes more interesting and it's revealed how important she is in Gary/Gavin/Gabriel's path to discovering what's really going on.
The Nines deserves a watch from anyone looking for something a little different. It'll definitely satisfy Ryan Reynolds fans and it'll probably meet or exceed what you expect from the film once it's all said and done. It surprised me quite a bit with a strong story, a great cast, and an incredibly solid script.
I had been wanting to see this for awhile and I finally got around to seeing it today. It was actually better than I was expecting it to be. I haven't seen a film tie together multiple segments like this in a long time. Everything comes together quite well and it's pretty satisfying once all the cards are put on the table. Ryan Reynolds proves once again that his acting is quite strong and has more to him than being the casual funny man. Melissa McCarthy is also worth mentioning. She starts off being kind of irritating, but turns out being incredibly charming once the credits roll. Hope Davis was the last piece of the puzzle and is crucial to the overall story. At first, she just seems like the typical jealous and conniving female character who didn't get what she wanted. As the film progresses, however, her role becomes more interesting and it's revealed how important she is in Gary/Gavin/Gabriel's path to discovering what's really going on.
The Nines deserves a watch from anyone looking for something a little different. It'll definitely satisfy Ryan Reynolds fans and it'll probably meet or exceed what you expect from the film once it's all said and done. It surprised me quite a bit with a strong story, a great cast, and an incredibly solid script.
Callum John Hunter (0 KP) rated Deadpool (2016) in Movies
Sep 20, 2017
We got what we asked for.
Well the film has been out for over a year now but I won't say any spoilers for anyone who has yet to watch it and if that is the case (where have you been!) I myself and many of my friends had waited for a Deadpool film for a long time and when we got the news we were all eager to see how well it would do, safe to say I was not disappointed one bit by the films direction I cannot fault it the only gripe I do have is that I wish it had been longer but apart from that I loved it and the comedy in it was well written along with breaking the fourth wall.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Haywire (2012) in Movies
Feb 20, 2018 (Updated Feb 20, 2018)
'You should not think of her as a woman. That would be a mistake.'
Rousing action thriller looks on paper like another Besson movie, is actually typically classy Steven Soderbergh genre pastiche. Basically a vehicle for delicate flower of women's MMA Gina Carano to batter the living daylights out of an array of A-list leading men, which she does with aplomb and charisma.
The script is sympathetically structured so Carano doesn't have to do more than the minimal amount of actual acting, but the plot is competently twisty-turny and Soderbergh puts an impressive cast around his star. Some first-class fight sequences and chases, as you would expect. At the time I had my fingers crossed for a new subgenre of pro-celebrity martial arts movies with Carano proceeding to kick in Jude Law, Orlando Bloom, Ryan Reynolds, etc, in subsequent outings, but it never happened. Shame; notable careers have been built on considerably less potential than Carano showed in this film.
The script is sympathetically structured so Carano doesn't have to do more than the minimal amount of actual acting, but the plot is competently twisty-turny and Soderbergh puts an impressive cast around his star. Some first-class fight sequences and chases, as you would expect. At the time I had my fingers crossed for a new subgenre of pro-celebrity martial arts movies with Carano proceeding to kick in Jude Law, Orlando Bloom, Ryan Reynolds, etc, in subsequent outings, but it never happened. Shame; notable careers have been built on considerably less potential than Carano showed in this film.
Andy K (10821 KP) rated Deadpool 2 (2018) in Movies
Oct 13, 2018
Best cameo ever!
So glad Ryan Reynolds finally found a character he could really live in. Had always thought he was a cool, funny actor but had never really connected with a role before this one.
More of the same from the last film here, so if you liked that you will like this.
This time he teams up with Cable and his self created band of amateur heroes the "X-Force" to fight more bad guys and try and save a young mutant from killing someone and going to far.
Great soundtrack, random movie references which is one of the things I love most, but thought it dragged in some parts where it was sort of dull and not much happening. Some of the jokes fell flat and the characters talked too fast so you couldn't understand them.
Great action and car chase scenes make this a very entertaining film to experience.
More of the same from the last film here, so if you liked that you will like this.
This time he teams up with Cable and his self created band of amateur heroes the "X-Force" to fight more bad guys and try and save a young mutant from killing someone and going to far.
Great soundtrack, random movie references which is one of the things I love most, but thought it dragged in some parts where it was sort of dull and not much happening. Some of the jokes fell flat and the characters talked too fast so you couldn't understand them.
Great action and car chase scenes make this a very entertaining film to experience.