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Blazing Minds (92 KP) rated Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019) in Movies
Nov 1, 2021 (Updated Nov 3, 2021)
Maleficent (Jolie) and her goddaughter Aurora (Fanning) begin to question the complex family ties that bind them as they are pulled in different directions by impending nuptials, unexpected allies, and dark new forces at play.
Most of the cast has returned for the sequel, with exception of the role of Prince Philip whos is now being played by Harris Dickinson who took over the role of from Brenton Thwaites due to scheduling conflicts with Titans (2018), but this doesn’t distract you from the film, let’s face it the previous movie was five years ago!
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is a lavish-looking movie the opening sequence itself with the camera flying through the land across the water looks stunning on the IMAX screen, which really immerses you in the feeling of being there, the set designs really bring the magical world to life as do the myriad of faes that live in the magical kingdom.
Most of the cast has returned for the sequel, with exception of the role of Prince Philip whos is now being played by Harris Dickinson who took over the role of from Brenton Thwaites due to scheduling conflicts with Titans (2018), but this doesn’t distract you from the film, let’s face it the previous movie was five years ago!
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is a lavish-looking movie the opening sequence itself with the camera flying through the land across the water looks stunning on the IMAX screen, which really immerses you in the feeling of being there, the set designs really bring the magical world to life as do the myriad of faes that live in the magical kingdom.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Stand (The Spread #3) in Books
Nov 14, 2021
What another great sequel to the previous 2 in the series ... you really have to have read them in order to understand the characters and the story otherwise you will be totally lost.
Once again, we are treated to an alternative take to the usual zombie story and the impact of an "invasion" on humanity. I was gripped and itching to find out how my favourite characters will fair - remember, with Iain's books, no one is safe and just when you think things are going to work out, once again, Iain throws a giant spanner in the works and everything goes to pot.
With excellent characters, both old and new, tension, thrills and definitely spills, The Stand is a great addition to the story of The Spread and my thanks must go to Iain for accepting me into his "street team" and for providing me with a copy in return for comments and an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
Once again, we are treated to an alternative take to the usual zombie story and the impact of an "invasion" on humanity. I was gripped and itching to find out how my favourite characters will fair - remember, with Iain's books, no one is safe and just when you think things are going to work out, once again, Iain throws a giant spanner in the works and everything goes to pot.
With excellent characters, both old and new, tension, thrills and definitely spills, The Stand is a great addition to the story of The Spread and my thanks must go to Iain for accepting me into his "street team" and for providing me with a copy in return for comments and an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
Dean (6927 KP) rated Top Gun: Maverick (2022) in Movies
Jun 1, 2022
Amazing Fighter jet scenes (1 more)
Very nostalgic
You can be my wing man anytime
So after being put back a while we finally get to see the Top Gun sequel. I saw it in 4dx which really adds to the fighter jet scenes.
Plot wise it treads a very similar path to the original film, opening is almost identical. Maverick is back to train some past Top Gun graduates for a very dangerous mission. One of the team is Rooster, the son of Goose from the original.
There is plenty of nostalgic moments that are reminiscent of scenes and things from the original film. Good to see Iceman have a role as well. The biggest draw though is the fighter jet scenes. The original stood out and wasn't bettered for the air combat action. This probably improves on fighter jet scenes with a better variety of shots and view points. Top Gun is the perfect film for the big screen.
Plot wise it treads a very similar path to the original film, opening is almost identical. Maverick is back to train some past Top Gun graduates for a very dangerous mission. One of the team is Rooster, the son of Goose from the original.
There is plenty of nostalgic moments that are reminiscent of scenes and things from the original film. Good to see Iceman have a role as well. The biggest draw though is the fighter jet scenes. The original stood out and wasn't bettered for the air combat action. This probably improves on fighter jet scenes with a better variety of shots and view points. Top Gun is the perfect film for the big screen.
Liar by Nicola Lowe
8.0
Rate It
Book
Amber Carmichael splits her time between her nursing career and community spirited acts of kindness....
Paranormal Romance Demons Angels Enemies to Lovers Forbidden Romance
Dean (6927 KP) rated Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022) in Movies
Feb 25, 2022 (Updated Feb 25, 2022)
Unlikeable characters (2 more)
Very short
A massacre of ideas
Nothing new
Thought I'd give this a go as it's been a while since the previous versions. Other than setting it in the current time with influencers and current technology, this offers nothing new. Just a bunch of unlikeable characters to the predictable slaughter.
Following on the recent Halloween films trend of making a sequel to the original set decades later. We have a cameo from the original film final girl who has gone Linda Hamilton bad ass up for revenge. With some real T2 elements in some scenes. A very weak plot line as she and leatherface must be in their 70's now as nearly 50 years have passed from the original.
Gore fans will probably like it and fans of TCM films in general, for others there is no real depth to it and full of Slasher film clichés. Shame as it had potential but ends up a bit of a mess.
Following on the recent Halloween films trend of making a sequel to the original set decades later. We have a cameo from the original film final girl who has gone Linda Hamilton bad ass up for revenge. With some real T2 elements in some scenes. A very weak plot line as she and leatherface must be in their 70's now as nearly 50 years have passed from the original.
Gore fans will probably like it and fans of TCM films in general, for others there is no real depth to it and full of Slasher film clichés. Shame as it had potential but ends up a bit of a mess.
David McK (3600 KP) rated Implacable (The Lost Fleet: Outlands #3) in Books
Jul 14, 2024 (Updated Jul 14, 2024)
Imagine, if you will, you've turned up uninvited at a new friends house, just as they are about to host a party.
Whilst surprised to see you, they none-the-less invite you in and introduce you to their friends (new to you).
Then your own relatives, who only have a passing relationship with your mate, start showing up uninvited as well; start being pass-remarkable, making demands and throwing their weight around.
That's pretty much the situation facing Admiral 'Black Jack' Geary, out beyond the frontiers of human space, in this the latest novel in the long-running 'Lost Fleet' series, with - as it turns out - experimental (and dangerous) jump space technology leaked to those left behind after he started his journey - technology that makes everything, in the words of one character 'more so'.
The result is another enjoyable read in the series, with plenty of plot threads left hanging for the inevitable sequel.
Whilst surprised to see you, they none-the-less invite you in and introduce you to their friends (new to you).
Then your own relatives, who only have a passing relationship with your mate, start showing up uninvited as well; start being pass-remarkable, making demands and throwing their weight around.
That's pretty much the situation facing Admiral 'Black Jack' Geary, out beyond the frontiers of human space, in this the latest novel in the long-running 'Lost Fleet' series, with - as it turns out - experimental (and dangerous) jump space technology leaked to those left behind after he started his journey - technology that makes everything, in the words of one character 'more so'.
The result is another enjoyable read in the series, with plenty of plot threads left hanging for the inevitable sequel.
The Dragon Tree (Dr DuLac #2)
Book
A haunting medieval time-slip (#2 in the Dr DuLac series, sequel to A Shape on the Air, but can be...
Historical Romance Mystery Time Slip Medieval
David McK (3600 KP) rated Aquaman and the lost kingdom (2023) in Movies
Sep 1, 2024
"Colourful"
If I had to choose one word to describe this movie, that would be it.
And I mean colourful literally: lots of gold, green and blue splashed across the screen.
Anyway, this is a direct sequel to 2018s 'Aquaman', picking up roughly 4 years after the events of that film and with Arthur Curry now married, ruling Atlantis and with a kid of his own.
However, David Cain's Black Mantis has not forgiven nor forgotten about Aquaman, and has recently come into possession of long-forgotten Atlantean magick/tech (hence 'the lost kingdom' of the title) and is still out for revenge on Arthur Curry and his family, leading Arthur to have to break his own brother Orm (the Oceanmaster of the previous film) out of custody and seek a way to counter the threat ...
If this is the last of the current DCEU, I have to say, it's a bit 'wet' (pun intended) of a closure.
If I had to choose one word to describe this movie, that would be it.
And I mean colourful literally: lots of gold, green and blue splashed across the screen.
Anyway, this is a direct sequel to 2018s 'Aquaman', picking up roughly 4 years after the events of that film and with Arthur Curry now married, ruling Atlantis and with a kid of his own.
However, David Cain's Black Mantis has not forgiven nor forgotten about Aquaman, and has recently come into possession of long-forgotten Atlantean magick/tech (hence 'the lost kingdom' of the title) and is still out for revenge on Arthur Curry and his family, leading Arthur to have to break his own brother Orm (the Oceanmaster of the previous film) out of custody and seek a way to counter the threat ...
If this is the last of the current DCEU, I have to say, it's a bit 'wet' (pun intended) of a closure.
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Halloween (2018) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
A True successor to the original
Halloween 1978 and little-known director John Carpenter terrifies thousands of impressionable horror fans with the introduction of ‘The Shape’. Jamie Lee Curtis becomes the new ‘scream queen’ and all is well in the world of the slasher genre.
Fast-forward to 2009 and Rob Zombie directs the sequel to his reasonably successful remake of Halloween, but it was poorly received by critics and audiences alike. Why? Well Zombie’s grungy, rock-anthem vibe didn’t really sit too well with Michael Myers and the result was a distasteful and messy outing that set the franchise back nearly 10 years.
Of course, in between 1978 and 2009, the series was ripped apart, put back together again until it was a shadow of its former self. Anyone remember Busta Rhymes doing a vague impression of a karate master in Halloween: Resurrection? Best forget about that.
Nevertheless, director David Gordon Green, a lifetime fan of Carpenter’s iconic original is in the chair to helm a direct sequel to the 1978 classic. That’s right, it forgoes every single film apart from the first. But is it a worthy sequel to one of the greatest horror films of all time?
It’s been 40 years since Laurie Strode survived a vicious attack from crazed killer Michael Myers on Halloween night. Locked up in an institution, Myers manages to escape when his bus transfer goes horribly wrong. Laurie now faces a terrifying showdown when the masked madman returns to Haddonfield. But this time, she’s ready for him.
Having Jamie Lee Curtis and John Carpenter back for this instalment is already a coup for Gordon Green. Clearly, they thought enough of the material that he and co-writer Danny McBride had produced to give one more shot at crafting a properly deserved sequel. And it works very well, so well in fact that we have, barring the original, the best Halloween movie to date.
Jamie Lee Curtis is absolutely fabulous as a world-weary Laurie Strode. Traumatised by the events of 40 years ago, she holds herself up in a cabin on the outskirts of Haddonfield, flanked by floodlights and CCTV cameras. The script does a very good job at showing how massive events can destroy an individual’s life and Curtis’ understated performance is a highlight here.
Judy Greer gets a nicely fleshed out role as Karen, Laurie’s daughter. She’s an incredibly talented actress and it’s a world away from the one-dimensional characters she’s been given to play in blockbusters like Jurassic World. The great thing about this film is that each of the main characters feels real. There’s no cheap sex scenes, the kills are well-placed and the dialogue is superbly written – you actually believe these are real people, rather than characters in a movie.
While the body count is high, Halloween doesn’t rely on the murders to progress the story forward. This is very much Laurie’s film as opposed to Michael’s and it works very well. There’s some nice juxtaposition as shots that would have involved Michael in the original, choose to put Laurie front and centre here. Halloween features some tasteful references to the original as well as its less-well received sequels. They’re not immediately obvious for those not too familiar with the series, but die-hards will enjoy seeing those homages pop up every now and then.
Halloween is a resounding success. It takes what audiences loved about the original and updates them in a sequel that, while not being wholly original, respects what came before it
The film starts relatively slowly with a not quite successful side-plot involving two investigative journalists, but once Michael Myers gets his mask back, the film rarely lets up until the end. Populated by enough kills and scares to keep the audience happy, this is a Halloween movie that doesn’t rely too much on jump scares. There’s a few, but they’re nicely filmed which helps lift them above the mundane.
To look at, this is a film that is head and shoulders above anything else in the genre. Gordon Green uses incredibly fluid camera techniques that almost mimic those of the original. In one extended sequence, Myers moves in and out of shot as the camera follows him from house to house, selecting his next victim. With no cuts in between, it’s a stunning scene to watch and very effective.
Thankfully, the writing duo has decided to pass on giving Michael anything resembling a back story. The embodiment of ‘pure evil’ as Samuel Loomis once put it, Myers needn’t have any motives – and that’s what makes him so terrifying. In fact, his first kill here reaffirms his evil characteristics and it’s clear that David Gordon Green and Danny McBride were aiming for this take on the character.
Then there’s the score. John Carpenter has returned to craft new music for this instalment and it is by far the best score in the series, possibly even better than the original. That haunting Halloween theme tune is back, but upgraded with guitar riffs and electronic percussion. It’s a fabulous update that works perfectly with the modern characters and an older Michael.
While it’s true that the film isn’t out-and-out scary, the finale is exquisite as Laurie and Michael come face-to-face once again. Only the abrupt ending and forgetting of some key characters lets it down. After all, what’s the point in caring about a character and never learning of their fate?
Overall, Halloween is a resounding success. It takes what audiences loved about the original and updates them in a sequel that, while not being wholly original, respects what came before it. While this is sure to make bucket loads at the box-office, it feels like it was crafted with care by a writing team and director that absolutely adores the series. It’s a must watch.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2018/10/20/halloween-2018-review-a-true-successor-to-the-original/
Fast-forward to 2009 and Rob Zombie directs the sequel to his reasonably successful remake of Halloween, but it was poorly received by critics and audiences alike. Why? Well Zombie’s grungy, rock-anthem vibe didn’t really sit too well with Michael Myers and the result was a distasteful and messy outing that set the franchise back nearly 10 years.
Of course, in between 1978 and 2009, the series was ripped apart, put back together again until it was a shadow of its former self. Anyone remember Busta Rhymes doing a vague impression of a karate master in Halloween: Resurrection? Best forget about that.
Nevertheless, director David Gordon Green, a lifetime fan of Carpenter’s iconic original is in the chair to helm a direct sequel to the 1978 classic. That’s right, it forgoes every single film apart from the first. But is it a worthy sequel to one of the greatest horror films of all time?
It’s been 40 years since Laurie Strode survived a vicious attack from crazed killer Michael Myers on Halloween night. Locked up in an institution, Myers manages to escape when his bus transfer goes horribly wrong. Laurie now faces a terrifying showdown when the masked madman returns to Haddonfield. But this time, she’s ready for him.
Having Jamie Lee Curtis and John Carpenter back for this instalment is already a coup for Gordon Green. Clearly, they thought enough of the material that he and co-writer Danny McBride had produced to give one more shot at crafting a properly deserved sequel. And it works very well, so well in fact that we have, barring the original, the best Halloween movie to date.
Jamie Lee Curtis is absolutely fabulous as a world-weary Laurie Strode. Traumatised by the events of 40 years ago, she holds herself up in a cabin on the outskirts of Haddonfield, flanked by floodlights and CCTV cameras. The script does a very good job at showing how massive events can destroy an individual’s life and Curtis’ understated performance is a highlight here.
Judy Greer gets a nicely fleshed out role as Karen, Laurie’s daughter. She’s an incredibly talented actress and it’s a world away from the one-dimensional characters she’s been given to play in blockbusters like Jurassic World. The great thing about this film is that each of the main characters feels real. There’s no cheap sex scenes, the kills are well-placed and the dialogue is superbly written – you actually believe these are real people, rather than characters in a movie.
While the body count is high, Halloween doesn’t rely on the murders to progress the story forward. This is very much Laurie’s film as opposed to Michael’s and it works very well. There’s some nice juxtaposition as shots that would have involved Michael in the original, choose to put Laurie front and centre here. Halloween features some tasteful references to the original as well as its less-well received sequels. They’re not immediately obvious for those not too familiar with the series, but die-hards will enjoy seeing those homages pop up every now and then.
Halloween is a resounding success. It takes what audiences loved about the original and updates them in a sequel that, while not being wholly original, respects what came before it
The film starts relatively slowly with a not quite successful side-plot involving two investigative journalists, but once Michael Myers gets his mask back, the film rarely lets up until the end. Populated by enough kills and scares to keep the audience happy, this is a Halloween movie that doesn’t rely too much on jump scares. There’s a few, but they’re nicely filmed which helps lift them above the mundane.
To look at, this is a film that is head and shoulders above anything else in the genre. Gordon Green uses incredibly fluid camera techniques that almost mimic those of the original. In one extended sequence, Myers moves in and out of shot as the camera follows him from house to house, selecting his next victim. With no cuts in between, it’s a stunning scene to watch and very effective.
Thankfully, the writing duo has decided to pass on giving Michael anything resembling a back story. The embodiment of ‘pure evil’ as Samuel Loomis once put it, Myers needn’t have any motives – and that’s what makes him so terrifying. In fact, his first kill here reaffirms his evil characteristics and it’s clear that David Gordon Green and Danny McBride were aiming for this take on the character.
Then there’s the score. John Carpenter has returned to craft new music for this instalment and it is by far the best score in the series, possibly even better than the original. That haunting Halloween theme tune is back, but upgraded with guitar riffs and electronic percussion. It’s a fabulous update that works perfectly with the modern characters and an older Michael.
While it’s true that the film isn’t out-and-out scary, the finale is exquisite as Laurie and Michael come face-to-face once again. Only the abrupt ending and forgetting of some key characters lets it down. After all, what’s the point in caring about a character and never learning of their fate?
Overall, Halloween is a resounding success. It takes what audiences loved about the original and updates them in a sequel that, while not being wholly original, respects what came before it. While this is sure to make bucket loads at the box-office, it feels like it was crafted with care by a writing team and director that absolutely adores the series. It’s a must watch.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2018/10/20/halloween-2018-review-a-true-successor-to-the-original/