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Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Table 19 (2017) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
Mean spirited and atrocious.
I really hated this film. There. BOOM. Got it off my chest.
It all starts so promisingly, with a scene of Anna Kendrick (“The Accountant“, who can be a very good actress) rejecting a wedding invitation; then accepting it; then burning it; then blowing it out; then posting it. I laughed. This was a rarity. There are about five more smile-worthy moments in the movie, most of which are delivered by Stephen Merchant.
Anna plays Eloise who was SUPPOSED to be maid-of-honour at her best friend’s wedding, but then broke up – messily – with her brother (the best man). She stubbornly attends the wedding in a posh hotel and finds herself on “Table 19” – a socially unfavourable location, full of a bunch of misfits that everyone expected to say “no” but didn’t; a molly-coddled and awkward teen (Tony Revolori, “Spider-man: Homecoming“) with the single goal of getting laid; “The Kepps” – a bickering married couple (Lisa Kudrow (“The Girl on the Train“, “Friends”) and Craig Robinson (“Hot Tub Time Machine”)); a convicted fraudster serving his sentence in an open prison ( Stephen Merchant, “Logan“) and a druggie former nanny of the bride (June Squibb, “In and Out”).
The fundamental problem with the movie is that Jeffrey Blitz’s script (he also directs) is not only not very funny, but it is so fundamentally focused on the greedy and needy nature of the table’s American reprobates that at every turn it leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Their motives are all utterly selfish and there’s an “if we get away with it, then that’s fine” attitude that pervades the plot.
The nadir for me happens when – after trashing (albeit accidently) a key part of the wedding they are attending, they cover their selfish backsides by (deliberately) trashing the same key part of another wedding going on in the same hotel.
This is kind of positioned as a “revenge” sort of thing, but (in analysis) no wrong seems to have actually been done: its just another misunderstanding of the self-obsessed Eloise.
The Kepp’s story is also sad and selfish rather than comedic, and the resolution of this (and in fact all of the other sub-stories) for a nicely gift-wrapped ending is just saccharine and vomit-inducing.
This is a wedding present that should have come with a label in big red writing: “DO NOT OPEN“.
It all starts so promisingly, with a scene of Anna Kendrick (“The Accountant“, who can be a very good actress) rejecting a wedding invitation; then accepting it; then burning it; then blowing it out; then posting it. I laughed. This was a rarity. There are about five more smile-worthy moments in the movie, most of which are delivered by Stephen Merchant.
Anna plays Eloise who was SUPPOSED to be maid-of-honour at her best friend’s wedding, but then broke up – messily – with her brother (the best man). She stubbornly attends the wedding in a posh hotel and finds herself on “Table 19” – a socially unfavourable location, full of a bunch of misfits that everyone expected to say “no” but didn’t; a molly-coddled and awkward teen (Tony Revolori, “Spider-man: Homecoming“) with the single goal of getting laid; “The Kepps” – a bickering married couple (Lisa Kudrow (“The Girl on the Train“, “Friends”) and Craig Robinson (“Hot Tub Time Machine”)); a convicted fraudster serving his sentence in an open prison ( Stephen Merchant, “Logan“) and a druggie former nanny of the bride (June Squibb, “In and Out”).
The fundamental problem with the movie is that Jeffrey Blitz’s script (he also directs) is not only not very funny, but it is so fundamentally focused on the greedy and needy nature of the table’s American reprobates that at every turn it leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Their motives are all utterly selfish and there’s an “if we get away with it, then that’s fine” attitude that pervades the plot.
The nadir for me happens when – after trashing (albeit accidently) a key part of the wedding they are attending, they cover their selfish backsides by (deliberately) trashing the same key part of another wedding going on in the same hotel.
This is kind of positioned as a “revenge” sort of thing, but (in analysis) no wrong seems to have actually been done: its just another misunderstanding of the self-obsessed Eloise.
The Kepp’s story is also sad and selfish rather than comedic, and the resolution of this (and in fact all of the other sub-stories) for a nicely gift-wrapped ending is just saccharine and vomit-inducing.
This is a wedding present that should have come with a label in big red writing: “DO NOT OPEN“.
Darren (1599 KP) rated A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas (2011) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: The hijinks of this duo is always hilarious and this time is no different, getting themselves in all sorts of trouble as well as finding funny ways to get out of them. They always find colourful characters some seen before some new ones. It is all fun but not too serious and the story offers not too much more original than the first two. (7/10)
Actor Review: Kal Penn – The stoner friend who needs to learn to grow up and throughout the film he finally learns to. Continues to do a good job in the role showing he has some very good comic timing. (8/10)
kumar
Actor Review: John Cho – Has always been the more serious of the pairing and now has taken that too the next level. Just like Kal he is good again working to be more serious to his more laid back what will be role. Lesley’s Stud Muffin Award (8/10)
harold
Actor Review: Neil Patrick Harris – Always turns up as himself in these films and always steals the scene. This is no different making his character even funnier. Scene Stealer Award (9/10)
HPH
Actor Review: Danny Trejo – The disapproving father of Harold who starts out being very against Harold, but letting Harold prove he has what it takes to look after his daughter. Very much written for Trejo letting him poke fun at the characters he has created through the years. (8/10)
Actor Review: Amir Blumenfeld – Kumar’s friend who ends up taking everyone to a party helping leading to the mess the guys end up in. Good addition to the cast has some of the funnier scenes. (8/10)
Actor Review: Thomas Lennon – Has to look after his baby daughter and ends up in situations where the baby gets stoned by accident. They panic stricken character adds some many funny moments in this film. They Have the Laughs Award, Funniest Character Award (9/10)
Todd & Adrian with the stoned baby
Todd & Adrian with the stoned baby
Director Review: Todd Strauss-Schulson – This small time director steps up to create a good comedy. (8/10)
Comedy: Good comedy, very funny scenarios created. (8/10)
Special Effects: Pokes fun at the 3D era in the cinema with some funny special effects. (9/10)
Chemistry: Harold & Kumar have great chemistry throughout the film. (9/10)
Believability: I am sure some stoner have had some wild adventures not as wild as these guys but still similar. (6/10)
Chances of Tears: None (0/10)
Oscar Chances: NONE
Chances of Sequel: I am sure they have enough to make a sequel.
Suggestion: A comedy that should be enjoyed by all fans of the mature audience. If you like the first two you will like this one. If you want serious you are looking in the wrong place. (Enjoy The Trip)
Best Part: Clay doe scene.
clay
Kill Of The Film: By the waffle machine.
Funniest Scene: The stoned baby
Similar Too: Harold & Kumar’s previous adventures.
Overall: Outrageous comedy with plenty of laughs
Lesley’s Rating 60%
https://moviesreview101.com/2013/12/21/a-very-harold-kumar-3d-christmas-2011/
Actor Review: Kal Penn – The stoner friend who needs to learn to grow up and throughout the film he finally learns to. Continues to do a good job in the role showing he has some very good comic timing. (8/10)
kumar
Actor Review: John Cho – Has always been the more serious of the pairing and now has taken that too the next level. Just like Kal he is good again working to be more serious to his more laid back what will be role. Lesley’s Stud Muffin Award (8/10)
harold
Actor Review: Neil Patrick Harris – Always turns up as himself in these films and always steals the scene. This is no different making his character even funnier. Scene Stealer Award (9/10)
HPH
Actor Review: Danny Trejo – The disapproving father of Harold who starts out being very against Harold, but letting Harold prove he has what it takes to look after his daughter. Very much written for Trejo letting him poke fun at the characters he has created through the years. (8/10)
Actor Review: Amir Blumenfeld – Kumar’s friend who ends up taking everyone to a party helping leading to the mess the guys end up in. Good addition to the cast has some of the funnier scenes. (8/10)
Actor Review: Thomas Lennon – Has to look after his baby daughter and ends up in situations where the baby gets stoned by accident. They panic stricken character adds some many funny moments in this film. They Have the Laughs Award, Funniest Character Award (9/10)
Todd & Adrian with the stoned baby
Todd & Adrian with the stoned baby
Director Review: Todd Strauss-Schulson – This small time director steps up to create a good comedy. (8/10)
Comedy: Good comedy, very funny scenarios created. (8/10)
Special Effects: Pokes fun at the 3D era in the cinema with some funny special effects. (9/10)
Chemistry: Harold & Kumar have great chemistry throughout the film. (9/10)
Believability: I am sure some stoner have had some wild adventures not as wild as these guys but still similar. (6/10)
Chances of Tears: None (0/10)
Oscar Chances: NONE
Chances of Sequel: I am sure they have enough to make a sequel.
Suggestion: A comedy that should be enjoyed by all fans of the mature audience. If you like the first two you will like this one. If you want serious you are looking in the wrong place. (Enjoy The Trip)
Best Part: Clay doe scene.
clay
Kill Of The Film: By the waffle machine.
Funniest Scene: The stoned baby
Similar Too: Harold & Kumar’s previous adventures.
Overall: Outrageous comedy with plenty of laughs
Lesley’s Rating 60%
https://moviesreview101.com/2013/12/21/a-very-harold-kumar-3d-christmas-2011/
The Great Prank War
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Help Mordecai, Rigby, Muscle Man and Skips take the park back from Gene and his goons with a...
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
I’m a big fan of Tom Cruise. He is a real old-fashioned film star, generous with his fans on the red carpet and with real star power at the box office. And I can happily sit down in front of just about any one of his DVD’s time and time again and still enjoy it. Unlike many critics, I even enjoyed his last outing as Jack Reacher.
Unfortunately, and it pains me to say this but, his latest outing – “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back” – is a bit dull.
Lee Child’s Reacher has many years before turned his back on his military past and wanders the country as a drifter righting wrongs outside of the law. In this film, his military past again makes a major (“No, ex-Major”) intrusion into his life. Potential love interest Major Susan Turner (Colbie Smulders, from the “Avengers” world) is arrested on trumped-up espionage charges and Cruise sets out to clear her name. Along the way he accidentally (and rather too conveniently for the plot) discovers that a paternity suit has been filed against him and Reacher confronts the rebellious and light-fingered teenager Samantha (Danika Yarosh, aged 18 playing 15).
Unfortunately the big-cheeses involved in the international arms skulduggery are determined to tie up each and every loose end in their intrigue, and that includes Reacher, Turner and young Samantha by association. Needless to say, the villains – led by a one-man killing machine (Patrick Heusinger) – haven’t counted on Reacher’s ‘particular set of skills’.
My problem with the film (after an entertaining opening) is that the screenplay lumbers from standard thriller set-piece to standard thriller set-piece in a highly predictable way. It’s as if the scripts from 20 different films have been stuck in a blender. Shadowy arms dealing shenanigans: check; Cute teenager in peril: check; Gun fight on a dockside: check; Rooftop chase: check.
Are all the individual set-pieces decently done? Yes, sure. But the combination of these bits of action tapas really don’t add up to a satisfying meal. The story arc is almost non-existent as there is no suspense in the ‘investigation’: the plot is all pretty well laid out for you.
Where there is some fun to be had is in the play-off between the born-leader Reacher and the born-leader Turner, both trying to be top-dog in the decision making. The romantic connection between the leads seems almost plausible despite their 20 (TWENTY!) year age difference: this is more down to how incredibly good Cruise still looks at age 54 (damn him!). Turner makes a good female role-model right up to the point where there is a confrontation in a hotel room and Turner backs down: despite Cruise being the “hero” it would have been nice for female equality for this face-off to have gone the other way.
The director is Edward Zwick, who helmed Cruise’s more interesting movie “The Last Samurai”.
The trailer started off well and then progressed into general mediocrity. Unfortunately – for me at least – the film lived up to the trailer. Watchable, but not memorable.
Unfortunately, and it pains me to say this but, his latest outing – “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back” – is a bit dull.
Lee Child’s Reacher has many years before turned his back on his military past and wanders the country as a drifter righting wrongs outside of the law. In this film, his military past again makes a major (“No, ex-Major”) intrusion into his life. Potential love interest Major Susan Turner (Colbie Smulders, from the “Avengers” world) is arrested on trumped-up espionage charges and Cruise sets out to clear her name. Along the way he accidentally (and rather too conveniently for the plot) discovers that a paternity suit has been filed against him and Reacher confronts the rebellious and light-fingered teenager Samantha (Danika Yarosh, aged 18 playing 15).
Unfortunately the big-cheeses involved in the international arms skulduggery are determined to tie up each and every loose end in their intrigue, and that includes Reacher, Turner and young Samantha by association. Needless to say, the villains – led by a one-man killing machine (Patrick Heusinger) – haven’t counted on Reacher’s ‘particular set of skills’.
My problem with the film (after an entertaining opening) is that the screenplay lumbers from standard thriller set-piece to standard thriller set-piece in a highly predictable way. It’s as if the scripts from 20 different films have been stuck in a blender. Shadowy arms dealing shenanigans: check; Cute teenager in peril: check; Gun fight on a dockside: check; Rooftop chase: check.
Are all the individual set-pieces decently done? Yes, sure. But the combination of these bits of action tapas really don’t add up to a satisfying meal. The story arc is almost non-existent as there is no suspense in the ‘investigation’: the plot is all pretty well laid out for you.
Where there is some fun to be had is in the play-off between the born-leader Reacher and the born-leader Turner, both trying to be top-dog in the decision making. The romantic connection between the leads seems almost plausible despite their 20 (TWENTY!) year age difference: this is more down to how incredibly good Cruise still looks at age 54 (damn him!). Turner makes a good female role-model right up to the point where there is a confrontation in a hotel room and Turner backs down: despite Cruise being the “hero” it would have been nice for female equality for this face-off to have gone the other way.
The director is Edward Zwick, who helmed Cruise’s more interesting movie “The Last Samurai”.
The trailer started off well and then progressed into general mediocrity. Unfortunately – for me at least – the film lived up to the trailer. Watchable, but not memorable.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Company of Heroes 2 in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
Fans of the real-time strategy World War II epic Company of Heroes were delighted when a full sequel to the game was announced. There was a bit of trepidation when publisher THQ was forced to sell off much of their assets to rival companies due to bankruptcy issues. Thankfully for the fans of the game and developer Relic Sega stepped in and acquire the franchise as well is provided to developers additional time to polish the game beyond its initial scheduled release.
For those that are not familiar with the series, the game task players to take command and construct various military units in an effort to seize key installations and strategic points, destroy enemy troops, and accomplish various strategic tasks. This is easier said than done as the enemy AI is extremely tenacious and adaptable and like battlefield situations, commanders are often forced to improvise and think on the fly one the unexpected happens.
This timeout the game is set in Russia and is told mainly through flashbacks during an interrogation of the disgraced Russian commander. Battles such as Stalingrad and other key elements of operation Barbosa are re-created and the initial battles are focused mainly on slowing the German advance as well as eliminating key resources that might be captured by the enemy.
As the game goes on, the weather becomes an new challenge as the fears Russian winter that proved to be so detrimental to the German forces is an element that must be contended with at all times. Players will not be able to send units on foot to capture very strategic elements or mission objectives without having them freeze to death. The solution to this problem is to have engineering units take a break from constructing buildings in order to create campfires. Players that are left out in the cold too long have a limited amount of time to reach the safety of a campfire or vehicle before they will freeze to death. Needing to ensure that the path to an objective is either stocked with appropriate amounts of fires or save for a vehicle to use is a key element to the strategic points of the game.
Being able to call in airstrikes as well as do more elaborate flanking maneuvers is definitely a high point of the game which adds to the strategy. You want to be very careful about massing your units in one place because to do so would invite an aerial or artillery barrage upon them. As in the previous games, players can take sanctuary in buildings which provides them ample opportunity to snipe at opposing targets. This is not without its limitations though as well-placed assaults including attacks with flamethrowers can soon turn the advantage into a disadvantage as troops may find themselves in a building collapsing around them.
Unlike other games of this type which are heavy on resource gathering to provide necessary funds for additional units, the game towards players points for capturing, holding, and destroying various strategic objectives. The better one does then the more units that will be made available to them. I really enjoy the heavy machine guns, mortar teams, and the cannon fodder conscripts squads, but what really makes the game shine is the ability to call in airstrikes and your armored units. As mentioned earlier about the difficulties in combat in the snow conditions. The game takes weather into account even to the point of providing hit points to the ice. An enemy that is attempting to bring across units supported by armor could be in for real surprise by strategically placed mine or a well-placed shell. Once at the ice becomes weak, then players can use this to their drainage to quickly dispatch units who fall through damage ice with a little bit of urging from their weapons.
Graphically the game shines and I really enjoy being able to use the mouse wheel to zoom into units and get an up close and personal look at them in action. Seeing them diligently go about their tasks be at construction or loading shells into their weaponry is not only beautiful to behold but adds to the sense of immersion. The sites of the game as well as the audio are spot on as key historical elements have obviously been paid attention to in the creation of this game. For example players talk about not seeing sugar in ages or how there are not enough weapons to go around and are instructed to simply head to the enemy and salvage what they can on the battlefield. There is also the element of brutality were troops are told that should you retreat from the enemy you’ll be shot and killed by your own commanders and that objectives must be completed regardless of the cost.
The game offers significant challenge to players of all levels and as such a skill level setting is in place which will allow you to try to find a happy medium for your style of play. There are also ample online opportunities for the game as not only can you play with your friends, you can create custom matches or to randomly assign matches which can pick you and other flesh and blood players up against the computer controlled opponents.
I especially like the ability to directly stream my gameplay to twitch TV as this is an element that we’re definitely looking to take advantage of in the future especially since live streaming is a key element of the upcoming gaming consoles as well .
The path finding in the game is very solid and although there are times when units can become a bit bogged down it is extremely minor especially for games of this type. The success or failure of missions relies solely upon your abilities as a commander. Sure there are times when brute force and overwhelming strength will ensure victory, but resources are at a premium on the Eastern front and players as mentioned earlier, often have to scrounge for resources from fallen soldiers on the battlefield. More than once I thought I was making short work of an enemy with a two-pronged attack only to have an extremely effective counterattack forced me into retreat and regroup mode. I learned during these times that having one unit feint toward an enemy locale wall flanking with two or more other units often worked out well. The enemy would be drawn to the one unit allowing me to get my other units behind them engaging enemy objectives for multiple sides.
This strategy works really well until you come across a machine gun nest and heavy armor which again forces you to improvise on the fly. Mortar and grenade units can do a good job at taking out a machine gun nest it positioned properly but I always found bathing area inflamed to be highly effective.
Regardless of what strategy you employ, Company of Heroes 2 is an extremely impressive and enjoyable game that not only provides plenty of enjoyment and excitement but shows that the series keeps getting better with each new installment.
http://sknr.net/2013/07/29/company-of-heroes-2/
For those that are not familiar with the series, the game task players to take command and construct various military units in an effort to seize key installations and strategic points, destroy enemy troops, and accomplish various strategic tasks. This is easier said than done as the enemy AI is extremely tenacious and adaptable and like battlefield situations, commanders are often forced to improvise and think on the fly one the unexpected happens.
This timeout the game is set in Russia and is told mainly through flashbacks during an interrogation of the disgraced Russian commander. Battles such as Stalingrad and other key elements of operation Barbosa are re-created and the initial battles are focused mainly on slowing the German advance as well as eliminating key resources that might be captured by the enemy.
As the game goes on, the weather becomes an new challenge as the fears Russian winter that proved to be so detrimental to the German forces is an element that must be contended with at all times. Players will not be able to send units on foot to capture very strategic elements or mission objectives without having them freeze to death. The solution to this problem is to have engineering units take a break from constructing buildings in order to create campfires. Players that are left out in the cold too long have a limited amount of time to reach the safety of a campfire or vehicle before they will freeze to death. Needing to ensure that the path to an objective is either stocked with appropriate amounts of fires or save for a vehicle to use is a key element to the strategic points of the game.
Being able to call in airstrikes as well as do more elaborate flanking maneuvers is definitely a high point of the game which adds to the strategy. You want to be very careful about massing your units in one place because to do so would invite an aerial or artillery barrage upon them. As in the previous games, players can take sanctuary in buildings which provides them ample opportunity to snipe at opposing targets. This is not without its limitations though as well-placed assaults including attacks with flamethrowers can soon turn the advantage into a disadvantage as troops may find themselves in a building collapsing around them.
Unlike other games of this type which are heavy on resource gathering to provide necessary funds for additional units, the game towards players points for capturing, holding, and destroying various strategic objectives. The better one does then the more units that will be made available to them. I really enjoy the heavy machine guns, mortar teams, and the cannon fodder conscripts squads, but what really makes the game shine is the ability to call in airstrikes and your armored units. As mentioned earlier about the difficulties in combat in the snow conditions. The game takes weather into account even to the point of providing hit points to the ice. An enemy that is attempting to bring across units supported by armor could be in for real surprise by strategically placed mine or a well-placed shell. Once at the ice becomes weak, then players can use this to their drainage to quickly dispatch units who fall through damage ice with a little bit of urging from their weapons.
Graphically the game shines and I really enjoy being able to use the mouse wheel to zoom into units and get an up close and personal look at them in action. Seeing them diligently go about their tasks be at construction or loading shells into their weaponry is not only beautiful to behold but adds to the sense of immersion. The sites of the game as well as the audio are spot on as key historical elements have obviously been paid attention to in the creation of this game. For example players talk about not seeing sugar in ages or how there are not enough weapons to go around and are instructed to simply head to the enemy and salvage what they can on the battlefield. There is also the element of brutality were troops are told that should you retreat from the enemy you’ll be shot and killed by your own commanders and that objectives must be completed regardless of the cost.
The game offers significant challenge to players of all levels and as such a skill level setting is in place which will allow you to try to find a happy medium for your style of play. There are also ample online opportunities for the game as not only can you play with your friends, you can create custom matches or to randomly assign matches which can pick you and other flesh and blood players up against the computer controlled opponents.
I especially like the ability to directly stream my gameplay to twitch TV as this is an element that we’re definitely looking to take advantage of in the future especially since live streaming is a key element of the upcoming gaming consoles as well .
The path finding in the game is very solid and although there are times when units can become a bit bogged down it is extremely minor especially for games of this type. The success or failure of missions relies solely upon your abilities as a commander. Sure there are times when brute force and overwhelming strength will ensure victory, but resources are at a premium on the Eastern front and players as mentioned earlier, often have to scrounge for resources from fallen soldiers on the battlefield. More than once I thought I was making short work of an enemy with a two-pronged attack only to have an extremely effective counterattack forced me into retreat and regroup mode. I learned during these times that having one unit feint toward an enemy locale wall flanking with two or more other units often worked out well. The enemy would be drawn to the one unit allowing me to get my other units behind them engaging enemy objectives for multiple sides.
This strategy works really well until you come across a machine gun nest and heavy armor which again forces you to improvise on the fly. Mortar and grenade units can do a good job at taking out a machine gun nest it positioned properly but I always found bathing area inflamed to be highly effective.
Regardless of what strategy you employ, Company of Heroes 2 is an extremely impressive and enjoyable game that not only provides plenty of enjoyment and excitement but shows that the series keeps getting better with each new installment.
http://sknr.net/2013/07/29/company-of-heroes-2/
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated The Green Hornet (2011) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
The Green Hornet has appeared in books, a television series, and perhaps in its most famous form, as a radio series. Adapting a superhero to the big screen is not without its share of challenges. For every Batman and Spiderman that sets box office records there are several that fail miserably, such as Daredevil, Elektra, The Phantom, The Shadow, and the first Hulk movie.
When it was first announced that Seth Rogen would star as the title character many people were first skeptical that a chubby comedian would be able to pull off the part. While the Green Hornet is not as iconic as Batman, the casting did bring to mind the controversy of casting Michael Keaton as the Dark Knight for Tim Burton’s take on the Caped Crusader.
Further complicating matters were the delays and in the announcement that the film would be converted to 3-D in postproduction even though it was shot in 2-D. When the film failed to meet its anticipated holiday debut there were those that had wondered if the film would fail to meet even modest expectations as January certainly isn’t the time of year that action films, especially those based on a superhero, are released.
Thankfully the film is an extremely pleasant surprise that deftly mixes comedy and action with smart pacing in a winning formula. The film tells the story of Britt Reid (Rogen), the son of a wealthy newspaper owner who, despite his best efforts, always disappoints his father who never runs out of ways to criticize his only child. Britt, to his father’s dismay, has no ambition in his life and is content to live in the guesthouse of his father’s mansion, womanizing and embracing the party scene.
When his father dies unexpectedly, Britt is forced to take control of the newspaper, a job for which he is woefully unqualified. It is at this time that Britt meets Kato (Jay Chou), his father’s long-time employee, responsible for taking care of the elder Reid’s very impressive fleet of cars.
One evening in an act of rebellion against the benevolent image of his father, Britt and Kato intervene to stop a crime. Motivated by their success and by Kato’s amazing ability to invent technology and modify vehicles, as well as his superb martial arts abilities, the duo set out to make a name for themselves by taking on the city’s criminal element.
While it first appears that Britt sees this as just some grand adventure, he soon becomes dedicated to the cause and sets upon a path to use his newspaper to play up his newly created hero. The plan is to make the Green Hornet appear to be a bad guy when in reality he is fighting to end crime. The convoluted idea has some initial success despite Britt’s lack of fighting ability. Britt and Kato soon begin to make a name for themselves in the local underworld as well is dominate the media.
At this time a young assistant named Lenora case (Cameron Diaz), comes to work for Britt. Britt and Kato are both captivated by Lenora and use her knowledge of criminal psychology to detail their plan of action for their alter egos. While Britt and Kato are buoyed by their initial success they soon find themselves under the scrutiny of the local crime boss Chudnofsky (Christopher Waltz), an insecure criminal who believes people don’t think he is scary enough or stylish enough.
Finding them an annoyance, Chudnofsky decides to wage all-out war on the Green Hornet and Kato and will rest at nothing to see them dead. As if this was not bad enough, Britt and Kato find themselves in a jealous rivalry over Lenora as well as their roles. Britt sees himself as the real hero and Kato as merely his sidekick. Kato naturally takes umbrage with this being not only the one who develops all of their gadgets, including the awesome black beauty equipped with bulletproof glass, machine guns, rocket launcher and a flamethrower, but also the one with the amazing fighting skills.
What follows is a hilarious and action packed film that is one of the most satisfying action-buddy-comedies ever made. Rogen is in his element cleverly playing Britt as an everyman who, despite having all the advantages of wealth, is still very much a kid playing superhero who has to learn about the important things in life .
The action sequences are fresh and entertaining and both Rogen and Chao pull off their roles very convincingly. While the plot is not overly complex it serves its point and propels the characters along without getting bogged down or becoming too ridiculous. Director Michel Gondry keeps the film moving at a steady pace without overstaying its welcome and does not allow the action to overtake the characters.
The supporting cast is very strong and the only real issue I had with the film was the converted 3-D that was totally unnecessary and did little to enhance the film. Very few sequence appeared to benefit from it. That being said I had a fantastic time at this film and I surely hope that we’ll be seeing other films in the series in the not too distant future.
When it was first announced that Seth Rogen would star as the title character many people were first skeptical that a chubby comedian would be able to pull off the part. While the Green Hornet is not as iconic as Batman, the casting did bring to mind the controversy of casting Michael Keaton as the Dark Knight for Tim Burton’s take on the Caped Crusader.
Further complicating matters were the delays and in the announcement that the film would be converted to 3-D in postproduction even though it was shot in 2-D. When the film failed to meet its anticipated holiday debut there were those that had wondered if the film would fail to meet even modest expectations as January certainly isn’t the time of year that action films, especially those based on a superhero, are released.
Thankfully the film is an extremely pleasant surprise that deftly mixes comedy and action with smart pacing in a winning formula. The film tells the story of Britt Reid (Rogen), the son of a wealthy newspaper owner who, despite his best efforts, always disappoints his father who never runs out of ways to criticize his only child. Britt, to his father’s dismay, has no ambition in his life and is content to live in the guesthouse of his father’s mansion, womanizing and embracing the party scene.
When his father dies unexpectedly, Britt is forced to take control of the newspaper, a job for which he is woefully unqualified. It is at this time that Britt meets Kato (Jay Chou), his father’s long-time employee, responsible for taking care of the elder Reid’s very impressive fleet of cars.
One evening in an act of rebellion against the benevolent image of his father, Britt and Kato intervene to stop a crime. Motivated by their success and by Kato’s amazing ability to invent technology and modify vehicles, as well as his superb martial arts abilities, the duo set out to make a name for themselves by taking on the city’s criminal element.
While it first appears that Britt sees this as just some grand adventure, he soon becomes dedicated to the cause and sets upon a path to use his newspaper to play up his newly created hero. The plan is to make the Green Hornet appear to be a bad guy when in reality he is fighting to end crime. The convoluted idea has some initial success despite Britt’s lack of fighting ability. Britt and Kato soon begin to make a name for themselves in the local underworld as well is dominate the media.
At this time a young assistant named Lenora case (Cameron Diaz), comes to work for Britt. Britt and Kato are both captivated by Lenora and use her knowledge of criminal psychology to detail their plan of action for their alter egos. While Britt and Kato are buoyed by their initial success they soon find themselves under the scrutiny of the local crime boss Chudnofsky (Christopher Waltz), an insecure criminal who believes people don’t think he is scary enough or stylish enough.
Finding them an annoyance, Chudnofsky decides to wage all-out war on the Green Hornet and Kato and will rest at nothing to see them dead. As if this was not bad enough, Britt and Kato find themselves in a jealous rivalry over Lenora as well as their roles. Britt sees himself as the real hero and Kato as merely his sidekick. Kato naturally takes umbrage with this being not only the one who develops all of their gadgets, including the awesome black beauty equipped with bulletproof glass, machine guns, rocket launcher and a flamethrower, but also the one with the amazing fighting skills.
What follows is a hilarious and action packed film that is one of the most satisfying action-buddy-comedies ever made. Rogen is in his element cleverly playing Britt as an everyman who, despite having all the advantages of wealth, is still very much a kid playing superhero who has to learn about the important things in life .
The action sequences are fresh and entertaining and both Rogen and Chao pull off their roles very convincingly. While the plot is not overly complex it serves its point and propels the characters along without getting bogged down or becoming too ridiculous. Director Michel Gondry keeps the film moving at a steady pace without overstaying its welcome and does not allow the action to overtake the characters.
The supporting cast is very strong and the only real issue I had with the film was the converted 3-D that was totally unnecessary and did little to enhance the film. Very few sequence appeared to benefit from it. That being said I had a fantastic time at this film and I surely hope that we’ll be seeing other films in the series in the not too distant future.
Rob P (30 KP) rated Avengers: Endgame (2019) in Movies
May 6, 2019
Sheer scope and spectacle (2 more)
satisfying conclusion to the Infinity/Avengers saga
Pretty much a 90 minute end battle scene
Unfair arc for some characters (1 more)
The end of an era! #cry
Love you 3000 - *Seriously - S P O I L E R S*
Contains spoilers, click to show
Well, what a long, strange, amazing trip it's been.
Assuming that everyone who sees this film is invested in the MCU, this doesn't disappoint. Although I'm a fan of the comics, you can't really compare the comic universe to the cinematic universe in terms of plot, it stands alone with its own intricacies, strengths and weaknesses.
I don't have a lot of negative things to say about this one, it's an involving, dramatic, action packed and beautiful piece of work from the Russo brothers, but I'll start with the one or two gripes I had.
From the start, they went with an odd route, one that I wasn't expecting . *SPOILERS* - Thanos as we know him, dies in the first 15 minutes of the film. Honestly was not expecting that. Robbed the satisfaction of build up for me, but ultimately the build up starts again, as the Avengers then go about stopping an alternate timeline Thanos from BEFORE the events of Guardians of the Galaxy by going to retrieve the infinity stones from different points in time (and the MCU movies), before Thanos finds them, so all is not lost on that front, there's still a Thanos to face.
One gripe was the arc of one particular character - our big green rage machine. After the events of infinity war, you'll remember, Hulk was left somewhat lacking, after getting his arse handed to him by Thanos and then refusing to come out for the rest of the film. I felt there was atonement due for him. Here we see Banner has now found catharsis with the Hulk, by staying in Hulk form with his own personality in the five years since the snap. That's all well and good, but after the death of a certain other member of the Avengers after retrieving the Soulstone, I thought - right. Now Hulk will smash. Now we have to see him go ham on someone. Nothing. Not even an action shot of Hulk fighting in the entire last battle scene, which only would have taken 20 seconds out of an entire 90 minute battle. I would have liked to have seen Hulk Vs Thanos, even if for a brief moment, whether Banner came out on top or not. Banner actually using his own anger, which by his own admission in Avengers Assemble, he has. All the time. It felt an unfair way to end one of the major characters stories, for seemingly what would have taken so little to make. it's not like they lacked the CGI budget, after all. Instead, Scarlet Witch gets a showdown with Thanos, and she's not even a particularly major player within the Avengers team, again don't get me wrong, after Vision she deserves a shot. But Hulk more so... It seemed silly to me.
The other negative for me, was Thor. Another slightly disappointing arc for the god of thunder. I felt he was robbed of all the awesomeness Taika rejuvenated him with from Ragnarok, which then continued into Infinity War. They turned him into God of amazing lightning and patron saint of badassery, with a new axe that just gives him a look as cool as they other side of the pillow. Now, the Russo's have had him drink himself to death, making him bloated and filled with sadness and regret. Don't get me wrong. Thor has more reason than most to be that way, he's lost everything over his story arc. I think that by letting him kill Thanos at the beginning, they robbed him of his real purpose, which is to be the strongest of the avengers (arguably) and just be the badass we all know he is. The one positive thing about this, is Thor's new aesthetic actually makes him look like a viking, which was amazing. Braided beard, heavy set, long hair. Great stuff, made him feel much more realistic in that sense, just again I think it was a bit of an unfair arc for him. Although, as he's now set to join GOTG, there's plenty of time to atone.
That's my two cents on the negs of this one. Now for positives:
My god, the scope and sheer spectacle of the MCU films rarely disappoint, this is no exception. just some absolutely jaw dropping sequences, especially when you have the big three (Stark, Cap and Thor) trying to stop Thanos before the major battle scene. It's stuff to make you weep tears of pure joy.
Following on from that, the moment where it's confirmed the snap has been reversed and the portals open up, the armies of Wakanda come out chanting along with just EVERYBODY, and that Avengers music starts up... goosebumps just thinking about it.
The involvement and rounding of previous MCU films in the first half of the movie is intense and satisfying, as the group split up into different places in time to retrieve the stones. Lots of nods to different franchises, nice bit of exposition, and certain parts in particular are just happy, like seeing Tony talking to his father back in the 70's without him realising who he is. Wonderful Stuff.
We all knew there would be deaths, I felt that these were handled gracefully and tactfully, giving the best service for the characters and fans. At the same time, they were not predictable, which i felt was definitely important.
As a last word, anyone who's ever watched a marvel film or had interest in the comics needs to see this. There is a list published of the films you need to see beforehand to fully appreciate the time travel segments, but it's not absolutely necessary. It just helps you appreciate the thought that has gone into rounding off the biggest cinematic series in history, all the in jokes and nuances that the Russo's included to really make this serviceable to the fans.
The end of an era, and as a crescendo to the the symphony started by the rest of MCU, it's just plain beautiful.
Love you 3000, folks.
- Rob
Assuming that everyone who sees this film is invested in the MCU, this doesn't disappoint. Although I'm a fan of the comics, you can't really compare the comic universe to the cinematic universe in terms of plot, it stands alone with its own intricacies, strengths and weaknesses.
I don't have a lot of negative things to say about this one, it's an involving, dramatic, action packed and beautiful piece of work from the Russo brothers, but I'll start with the one or two gripes I had.
From the start, they went with an odd route, one that I wasn't expecting . *SPOILERS* - Thanos as we know him, dies in the first 15 minutes of the film. Honestly was not expecting that. Robbed the satisfaction of build up for me, but ultimately the build up starts again, as the Avengers then go about stopping an alternate timeline Thanos from BEFORE the events of Guardians of the Galaxy by going to retrieve the infinity stones from different points in time (and the MCU movies), before Thanos finds them, so all is not lost on that front, there's still a Thanos to face.
One gripe was the arc of one particular character - our big green rage machine. After the events of infinity war, you'll remember, Hulk was left somewhat lacking, after getting his arse handed to him by Thanos and then refusing to come out for the rest of the film. I felt there was atonement due for him. Here we see Banner has now found catharsis with the Hulk, by staying in Hulk form with his own personality in the five years since the snap. That's all well and good, but after the death of a certain other member of the Avengers after retrieving the Soulstone, I thought - right. Now Hulk will smash. Now we have to see him go ham on someone. Nothing. Not even an action shot of Hulk fighting in the entire last battle scene, which only would have taken 20 seconds out of an entire 90 minute battle. I would have liked to have seen Hulk Vs Thanos, even if for a brief moment, whether Banner came out on top or not. Banner actually using his own anger, which by his own admission in Avengers Assemble, he has. All the time. It felt an unfair way to end one of the major characters stories, for seemingly what would have taken so little to make. it's not like they lacked the CGI budget, after all. Instead, Scarlet Witch gets a showdown with Thanos, and she's not even a particularly major player within the Avengers team, again don't get me wrong, after Vision she deserves a shot. But Hulk more so... It seemed silly to me.
The other negative for me, was Thor. Another slightly disappointing arc for the god of thunder. I felt he was robbed of all the awesomeness Taika rejuvenated him with from Ragnarok, which then continued into Infinity War. They turned him into God of amazing lightning and patron saint of badassery, with a new axe that just gives him a look as cool as they other side of the pillow. Now, the Russo's have had him drink himself to death, making him bloated and filled with sadness and regret. Don't get me wrong. Thor has more reason than most to be that way, he's lost everything over his story arc. I think that by letting him kill Thanos at the beginning, they robbed him of his real purpose, which is to be the strongest of the avengers (arguably) and just be the badass we all know he is. The one positive thing about this, is Thor's new aesthetic actually makes him look like a viking, which was amazing. Braided beard, heavy set, long hair. Great stuff, made him feel much more realistic in that sense, just again I think it was a bit of an unfair arc for him. Although, as he's now set to join GOTG, there's plenty of time to atone.
That's my two cents on the negs of this one. Now for positives:
My god, the scope and sheer spectacle of the MCU films rarely disappoint, this is no exception. just some absolutely jaw dropping sequences, especially when you have the big three (Stark, Cap and Thor) trying to stop Thanos before the major battle scene. It's stuff to make you weep tears of pure joy.
Following on from that, the moment where it's confirmed the snap has been reversed and the portals open up, the armies of Wakanda come out chanting along with just EVERYBODY, and that Avengers music starts up... goosebumps just thinking about it.
The involvement and rounding of previous MCU films in the first half of the movie is intense and satisfying, as the group split up into different places in time to retrieve the stones. Lots of nods to different franchises, nice bit of exposition, and certain parts in particular are just happy, like seeing Tony talking to his father back in the 70's without him realising who he is. Wonderful Stuff.
We all knew there would be deaths, I felt that these were handled gracefully and tactfully, giving the best service for the characters and fans. At the same time, they were not predictable, which i felt was definitely important.
As a last word, anyone who's ever watched a marvel film or had interest in the comics needs to see this. There is a list published of the films you need to see beforehand to fully appreciate the time travel segments, but it's not absolutely necessary. It just helps you appreciate the thought that has gone into rounding off the biggest cinematic series in history, all the in jokes and nuances that the Russo's included to really make this serviceable to the fans.
The end of an era, and as a crescendo to the the symphony started by the rest of MCU, it's just plain beautiful.
Love you 3000, folks.
- Rob
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Titanfall - Expedition in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
Fans of Titanfall can celebrate the release of three new maps in the brand-new Titanfall Expedition DLC. The collection retails for $9.99 but is available for $24.99 for those who wish to save some money and purchase all three of the planned content packs ahead of time at a reduced price.
While the collection does not offer anything new in terms of gameplay modes, weaponry, or significant upgrades, what it does offer is three new highly enjoyable and highly detailed maps which can be played in both attrition and variety pack modes.
Attrition is the classic Team Death Match where essentially if it moves, shoot it, while the variety pack is like having the game on iTunes shuffle as you could be playing Capture the Flag one moment and attrition the next.
Swamplands is the first pack that I played and this is an interesting mix of combat in the Temple as well as within a swamp as the name would suggest. With plenty of roots, trees, and various to hide it could be a sniper’s delight but for those stealthy enough to take advantage the cloaking abilities you can point your opponents and rack up some impressive streaks. I found that alternating between my Wingman side arm and machine gun work very well and I was not against using some up-close melee combat to finish enemies off.
For me setting my Titan in auto mode was the best option due to some tricky terrain that time could create bottlenecks and leave your Titan a sitting duck.
Wagames takes the best of Titanfall’s industrial maps and combines them into a combat simulator complete with holographic displays and environments. There were some Tron-esque elements to the landscaping and I love the elevated platforms it allowed me to take out enemies arriving via dropship below and pouncing down upon them and enemy Titans that passed by. With a nice mix of street combat as well as rooftop and building interiors this is ideal for run and gun gameplay enthusiasts such as myself.
Runoff is the final map and the least unique of the new offerings. That being said it is extremely well designed in that the feature of the map is that it is best suited for gamers who were on the move. Set in a water filtration plant, everything from Walks and towers, to ditches and drains make up this environment and the ability to leap from one environment into the water is very enjoyable.
There is a nice mix between close quarter and ranged combat and having a nice variety in your combat areas does allow for a welcome change of pace.
While none of the new maps are certain to be items that push you over the top if you’re already on the fence about purchasing the game, remember you are essentially paying $3.33 per map, less if you purchase a season pass. So in summary, while it is not necessary to have it certainly adds to the enjoyment level of the game in that you get three new diverse and enjoyable environments in which to test your skills at a very affordable price which makes it very easy for me to recommend.
The collection is available for the PC, Xbox One, and Xbox 360 versions of the game.
http://sknr.net/2014/06/02/titanfal-expedition/
While the collection does not offer anything new in terms of gameplay modes, weaponry, or significant upgrades, what it does offer is three new highly enjoyable and highly detailed maps which can be played in both attrition and variety pack modes.
Attrition is the classic Team Death Match where essentially if it moves, shoot it, while the variety pack is like having the game on iTunes shuffle as you could be playing Capture the Flag one moment and attrition the next.
Swamplands is the first pack that I played and this is an interesting mix of combat in the Temple as well as within a swamp as the name would suggest. With plenty of roots, trees, and various to hide it could be a sniper’s delight but for those stealthy enough to take advantage the cloaking abilities you can point your opponents and rack up some impressive streaks. I found that alternating between my Wingman side arm and machine gun work very well and I was not against using some up-close melee combat to finish enemies off.
For me setting my Titan in auto mode was the best option due to some tricky terrain that time could create bottlenecks and leave your Titan a sitting duck.
Wagames takes the best of Titanfall’s industrial maps and combines them into a combat simulator complete with holographic displays and environments. There were some Tron-esque elements to the landscaping and I love the elevated platforms it allowed me to take out enemies arriving via dropship below and pouncing down upon them and enemy Titans that passed by. With a nice mix of street combat as well as rooftop and building interiors this is ideal for run and gun gameplay enthusiasts such as myself.
Runoff is the final map and the least unique of the new offerings. That being said it is extremely well designed in that the feature of the map is that it is best suited for gamers who were on the move. Set in a water filtration plant, everything from Walks and towers, to ditches and drains make up this environment and the ability to leap from one environment into the water is very enjoyable.
There is a nice mix between close quarter and ranged combat and having a nice variety in your combat areas does allow for a welcome change of pace.
While none of the new maps are certain to be items that push you over the top if you’re already on the fence about purchasing the game, remember you are essentially paying $3.33 per map, less if you purchase a season pass. So in summary, while it is not necessary to have it certainly adds to the enjoyment level of the game in that you get three new diverse and enjoyable environments in which to test your skills at a very affordable price which makes it very easy for me to recommend.
The collection is available for the PC, Xbox One, and Xbox 360 versions of the game.
http://sknr.net/2014/06/02/titanfal-expedition/