Search

Search only in certain items:

40x40

Ross (3282 KP) rated Aquaman (2018) in Movies

Jan 4, 2019  
Aquaman (2018)
Aquaman (2018)
2018 | Action, Sci-Fi
By far and away, this is the best of the recent DC movies (though I haven't seen Wonder Woman). There is much more humour injected into it, that it finally feels like they've got something to rival Marvel films. It really feels like a normal, decent superhero film.
However, I didn't much like Jason Momoa and thought he lacked the personality to carry the role off and really needed Amber Heard to inject some life into scenes.
A fun enjoyable film but I'm not sure the final battle scene was necessary - why does every superhero film have to lead up to an epic battle these days? While the CGI made this visually stunning, I felt it was totally unnecessary.
And finally, I was so glad when Aquaman's mum's "trident" is broken in the initial challenge for the throne - it had 5 prongs so every time someone referred to it as a trident I wanted to scream.
  
Wonder Woman (2017)
Wonder Woman (2017)
2017 | Action, Fantasy, War
Contains spoilers, click to show
I am in no way a comic book reader, and maybe that doesn't give me any entitlement to judge. But my god was this film boring.
We decided to watch it tonight. I happened to enjoy the first quarter of the movie, I love Greek mythology so it appealed to me. However why they felt to make the movie so long and drawn out I don't know. In the first half I liked wonder woman, women's solidarity and all that haha, but by the second half I wanted her gone. She annoyed the crap out of me. Everyone raved about the scene in no mans land, I found it ridiculous.
And who on earth thought of casting David Thewlis as Ares god of war. I mean really? REALLY?! I love the guy but come on, marvel have Chris Hemsworth as Thor, he's literally a god in day to day life. DC decide on the nerdy dark arts teacher.
Think I'll stick with marvel in the future.
  
40x40

Jim Jarmusch recommended Atomic Blonde (2017) in Movies (curated)

 
Atomic Blonde  (2017)
Atomic Blonde (2017)
2017 | Action, Mystery, Thriller

"Atomic Blonde, 2016. I’ve seen it three times. It’s directed by David Leitch, of John Wick fame. But this is my idea of the ultimate feminist action movie. Wonder Woman, I’m sorry, just didn’t do it for me, but Charlize Theron is definitely my idea of a female superhero somehow. She balances femininity, vulnerability, and total badass strength. So she is truly great in this film. And I would say, she usually is very strong. I love the way that Charlize Theron is rarely, if ever, like overplaying anything. And the film is ingenious; it takes place in Berlin, just 24 hours before the wall falls. It’s full of betrayal, violence, intrigue, and the idea of life and death become completely irrelevant when the wall comes down. It’s a really brilliant plot. And also James McAvoy, John Goodman, and Toby Jones deliver really engagingly creepy, supporting performances. The action sequences are all amazing, the visual effects, and hats off to Charlize Theron. I really love, Atomic Blonde."

Source
  
Justice League (2017)
Justice League (2017)
2017 | Action, Adventure
Felt a little small
As usual, I don't go to theatres much so I watched this on home video last night after rewatching Batman vs. Superman last week.

Having my expectations low, I actually enjoyed the film. Certainly has its flaws, but I was never bored while watching. The whole Superman mustache thing I thought was a little blown out of proportion, or maybe not as noticeable on a smaller screen.

The film is certainly carried by the larger-than-life perfect castings of Henry Cavill and Gal Gadot who continue their masterful portrayals of Superman and Wonder Woman. Ben Affleck looked bored throughout and the others didn't matter.

I was waiting the whole time for Aquaman to do something actually Aquamanish and he never did. Not even make a group of sharks go attack someone. I was surprised by that.

My main criticism is the film just feels small, meaning not epic. The final resolution was satisfying, but that's about it. Sort of anticlimactic I thought.

Still enjoyed a lot.
  
Suicide Squad (2016)
Suicide Squad (2016)
2016 | Action
Soundtrack (0 more)
Pretty much everything else (0 more)
One of the better DC films... and it’s awful
The only good thing I have to say about this film is it has a pretty good soundtrack. And it’s probably one of the better DC films (although I haven’t seen Wonder Woman). But that isn’t saying much.

Everything else in this film is atrocious. The acting is terrible, even coming from some fairly established actors. Jared Leto’s Performance as the Joker is so over the top and unnecessary that it’s cringeworthy and laughable. Enchantress and her brother as the villains, along with their squid head army, are possibly the lamest villains in any superhero film. The CGI is really bad for the most part, and the script is terrible along with the very weak plot. Continuity also seems to be a big issue, flitting between evening and daylight for a number of scenes and expecting us not to notice. This isn’t even one of those that is so bad it’s good, it’s just plain old bad. Avoid at all costs.
  
Aquaman (2018)
Aquaman (2018)
2018 | Action, Sci-Fi
Can Talk To The Fish
Im not a huge fan of the DCU, i didnt like Man of Steel, Hated Batman vs. Superman, hated Sucide Squad, didnt like Wonder Woman. I havent seen Justice League. So expections for Aquaman was really low. Thats why i didnt see it when it came out and i didnt see it in 2019. So finally in 2020, i finally saw Aquaman and what did i think, it was okay. I really liked Patrick Wilson as the villian, you dont see him in to many villian roles. I actually think he was the best part of this whole film. Yes you heard that right, the best part of this whole film.

Too much GCI, the action was off at many points, the acting for the other cast was terrible/bad. I mean some of the CGI was good, the rest was terrible and Black Mantis was bad. James Wan should just really stick to horror. Cause he is excellent in that.

You can just skip this film overall.
  
40x40

David McK (3248 KP) rated 1917 (2020) in Movies

Feb 13, 2020 (Updated Oct 17, 2020)  
1917 (2020)
1917 (2020)
2020 | Drama, War
The cinematography (0 more)
Requires a serious amount of 'buy-in' (0 more)
Sam Mendes World War One epic, which follows - in virtually one long tracking shot - two British soldiers sent on a mission across No Mans Land and enemy territory to deliver a message to stop their comrades (including one of the soldiers older brother) from walking into a trap.

Undeniably beautifully shot, showing the true horrors of the war - this does, however, require a serious amount of buy-in from the viewer: just why would a British General send only tow soldiers to deliver such an important message (especially against the clock), when it could have been delivered far quicker, easier and safer by the Royal Flying Corp??

Putting that aside for the moment, the only other recent movie I can think of that even attempts to show the trenches during World War One is 2017's 'Wonder Woman'. Remember the stand-out scene where Diana charges heroically across No Mans Land, under fire from the Germans the entire way? This is nothing like that.
  
40x40

Angel Olsen recommended 5 to 7 (2015) in Movies (curated)

 
5 to 7 (2015)
5 to 7 (2015)
2015 | Comedy, Romance
(0 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"I've always loved Angès Varda and been obsessed with Cleo from 5 to 7. I kept thinking of that specific movie when I was singing "Chance" because I was like, "I wonder, cinematically, does this song belong in my version of Cleo from 5 to 7?" [The film is] about a singer — she's obsessed with herself but she's also so sad, alone, and isolated. She only has the woman who works with her and is taking care of her. And then she goes to see a fortune teller and the fortune teller tells her she has cancer. She's having a rough temperamental day after the fortune teller. The day goes [on] and you don't really have empathy for the character at first, but then over time you get to know her. I really like that. [Agnès] features this character in this way because it shows you that even when you imagine that someone's life is super easy and they're obsessed with themselves, that's not really the full story"

Source
  
Shazam! (2019)
Shazam! (2019)
2019 | Action, Sci-Fi
Nothing stood out - more of the same
Boy becomes reluctant hero. Hero does battle against villain. You fill in the rest.

Kind of a DC PG-13 version of Deadpool (or at least it wants to be).

I was really hoping the humor would be funnier and there would be something that would make it stand out for DC. Especially after really enjoying both Wonder Woman and Aquaman.

At 133 minutes, the movie needed quite a trimming as the beginning dragged and the movie lost its way a few times before coming together well at the end. I looked at my phone several times to see how much was left to go and that is never a good sign.

Zachary Levi stood out as the humorous protagonist (with a stupid-looking costume), but the rest of the cast was generic and boring including the blah villain.

If they make another film, hopefully they can concentrate more on the non origin story and make the humor and action scenes sharper and tighter.

  
40x40

ClareR (5603 KP) Sep 2, 2019

We watched this at the weekend. My eldest son said it was ‘wrong’, the youngest thought it was loads of fun 🤷🏼‍♀️ I liked it, but it was nothing special. It whiled away a couple of hours. The villain could’ve been much better, I think (he’s a good actor!), and it’s a shame they didn’t make Shazam as he was in the comics. I think that’s what grated the most on my son - especially the end bit.

40x40

Andy K (10821 KP) Sep 2, 2019

Yes I agree!

The Crimson and the Black (Hidden Empire #2)
The Crimson and the Black (Hidden Empire #2)
Nicola M. Cameron | 2022 | Paranormal, Romance
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Countess Fyodora julianova Korelev is at a loose end. She is feeling no joy in life until she gets asked to help on a case of missing selkies. Whilst on the hunt for them she has a run-in with a Mr Callum Brown who she is very mysteriously taken with. On their journey, they find more than just the selkie they are searching for.


This story is brilliant, I feel like I have been waiting forever for a follow-up from shadow of the swan and it didn't go in the direction I thought it would. The way it has gone is fantastic finding out more about Fyadora is fascinating no wonder she's the hardened woman she is. The hardships that she and Callum have been through could be enough to send somebody insane!


The growth between them is very carefully written the sex scenes are very steamy and intimate. There are battle scenes that are a wee bit gruesome but the detail is all there.


Nicola is a fantastic author and she has done another stellar job well done.