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Awix (3310 KP) rated Black Widow (2021) in Movies
Jul 10, 2021
Oh, Disney have deigned to finally release another Marvel movie: clearly we are all expected in the cinema. Nth MCU entry is a solid, mid-table variation on the formula; does the usual thing of taking interesting, distinctive talents like Johansson, Pugh, and Shortland and using them to produce something very much of a muchness with previous instalments.
Considering it's Johansson's name above the title, she's less prominent than you might expect - but the supporting cast are such good value it's hard to quibble with this (it's also quite clear that one of the film's functions is to establish Florence Pugh as 'Black Widow 2' for future Marvel projects). Good action, interestingly gritty tone, not very much in the way of plot, decent jokes - reliably entertaining stuff from the world's most consistent franchise production line.
Considering it's Johansson's name above the title, she's less prominent than you might expect - but the supporting cast are such good value it's hard to quibble with this (it's also quite clear that one of the film's functions is to establish Florence Pugh as 'Black Widow 2' for future Marvel projects). Good action, interestingly gritty tone, not very much in the way of plot, decent jokes - reliably entertaining stuff from the world's most consistent franchise production line.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Miles Ahead (2016) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
If you’ve ever found yourself in a coffee shop, bookstore, or perhaps even a jazz club in the 21st century you can’t NOT have heard either the name ‘Miles Davis’, his music, or perhaps both. If you’ve been living under a rock your whole life and by some miracle you have a smartphone, computer, or a radio find a jazz station and it’s almost a sure thing you’ll here his music within minutes. The man is no myth although the man and his music are so legendary there is almost a mythical presence to him. He is one of the greats. No question. No argument.
‘Miles Ahead’ is a biopic about the legendary jazz musician directed by and staring Don Cheadle who also co-wrote the film with Steven Baigelman, Christopher Wilkinson, and Steven J. Rivele.
Emayatzy Corinealdi, Ewan McGregor, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Keith Stanfield. Rather than focus on the entire life of the great jazz musician which could encompass several films and take up an entire archive, the film focuses mainly on a period in Davis’s life where he is living in relative seclusion in his home in New York City after having retreated from the public spotlight five years previously. Miles endeavors to begin recording and playing music once again after combating addictions to alcohol and cocaine which he indulged in to deal with his wife leaving him and the heavy stress brought upon him by a loss of inspiration to compose music. At about this same time ‘Rolling Stone’ reporter Dave Braden (McGregor), a borderline paparazzi of the time but not quite, calls upon Davis begging him to let him write about Davis’s great comeback. After several futile attempts on the part of Braden, Davis reluctantly agrees after Braden introduces him to a new dealer willing to supply him with high-grade cocaine. What follows is something thats almost out of a Hunter S. Thompson book as the two attempt to recover a demo tape of Davis’s most recent recordings from a low level gangster/manager/agent who stole the from Davis’s home. Amongst the drugs and the booze and the gun fights and car chases there are brief flashbacks into Miles’s past where he relives times good and bad with his wife Frances (Corinealdi). How they met, how they lived, and how she inspired some of his greatest works through her graceful dancing and their mutual love for classical music like Eric Satie, Chopin, and Stravinsky and how he eventually lost her due to his addictions and indulgences.
For such a brief glimpse into the life of one of music’s greatest, the movie was quite well done. It was clearly a labor of love for Mr. Cheadle who had his hands in nearly every aspect of the movie and went so far as to learn to play the trumpet so he could actually play the music himself in the movie. The actor, who is amongst the best and most underrated of our time, reportedly spent six years making this film. The background music is mostly comprised of tracks from arguably one of Davis’s best albums ‘Sketches Of Spain’ and selections of his work is played by Cheadle himself. It’s sometimes difficult to tell whether the movie is more about the music or the man himself. Does it honestly matter though? In many ways, they’re one in the same are they not? The movie is rated R for scenes with violence, adult language, and intimate scenes. I’d give it 4 out of 5 stars. The only negative thing I have to say about is that I wish there had been more about the life of the man. His beginnings. Like when he was accepted into the Juilliard School of Music in New York only to drop out. His days spent jamming with Charlie Parker. Again, that would encompass far more time than one would consider ‘feasible’ for a movie.
‘Miles Ahead’ is a biopic about the legendary jazz musician directed by and staring Don Cheadle who also co-wrote the film with Steven Baigelman, Christopher Wilkinson, and Steven J. Rivele.
Emayatzy Corinealdi, Ewan McGregor, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Keith Stanfield. Rather than focus on the entire life of the great jazz musician which could encompass several films and take up an entire archive, the film focuses mainly on a period in Davis’s life where he is living in relative seclusion in his home in New York City after having retreated from the public spotlight five years previously. Miles endeavors to begin recording and playing music once again after combating addictions to alcohol and cocaine which he indulged in to deal with his wife leaving him and the heavy stress brought upon him by a loss of inspiration to compose music. At about this same time ‘Rolling Stone’ reporter Dave Braden (McGregor), a borderline paparazzi of the time but not quite, calls upon Davis begging him to let him write about Davis’s great comeback. After several futile attempts on the part of Braden, Davis reluctantly agrees after Braden introduces him to a new dealer willing to supply him with high-grade cocaine. What follows is something thats almost out of a Hunter S. Thompson book as the two attempt to recover a demo tape of Davis’s most recent recordings from a low level gangster/manager/agent who stole the from Davis’s home. Amongst the drugs and the booze and the gun fights and car chases there are brief flashbacks into Miles’s past where he relives times good and bad with his wife Frances (Corinealdi). How they met, how they lived, and how she inspired some of his greatest works through her graceful dancing and their mutual love for classical music like Eric Satie, Chopin, and Stravinsky and how he eventually lost her due to his addictions and indulgences.
For such a brief glimpse into the life of one of music’s greatest, the movie was quite well done. It was clearly a labor of love for Mr. Cheadle who had his hands in nearly every aspect of the movie and went so far as to learn to play the trumpet so he could actually play the music himself in the movie. The actor, who is amongst the best and most underrated of our time, reportedly spent six years making this film. The background music is mostly comprised of tracks from arguably one of Davis’s best albums ‘Sketches Of Spain’ and selections of his work is played by Cheadle himself. It’s sometimes difficult to tell whether the movie is more about the music or the man himself. Does it honestly matter though? In many ways, they’re one in the same are they not? The movie is rated R for scenes with violence, adult language, and intimate scenes. I’d give it 4 out of 5 stars. The only negative thing I have to say about is that I wish there had been more about the life of the man. His beginnings. Like when he was accepted into the Juilliard School of Music in New York only to drop out. His days spent jamming with Charlie Parker. Again, that would encompass far more time than one would consider ‘feasible’ for a movie.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated A Quiet Place: Part II (2021) in Movies
May 29, 2021
Continuation of the original story, with thrills and suspense throughout (1 more)
Great cast - Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe are particularly good
Plot Summary:
In a pre-title sequence, we return to “Day 1” of the events of the first movie to see how life in the Abbott’s home town changed forever when chaos reigned down from the skies.
Rolling forward 473 days later, the plot picks up on the life of Evelyn (Emily Blunt), Regan (Millicent Simmons) and Marcus (Noah Jupe), following the dramatic events of “A Quiet Place” and the death of husband/father Lee (John Kravinski).
The three, together with Evelyn’s newborn, set off on a perilous journey to find help.
Positives:
- Sequels often try to over-reach, lobbing-in over-the-top action and forgetting why the audience so loved the original hit. This sequel doesn't fall into that trap, continuing the story in a seamless way. We very quickly get reinvested in the character's dire situation (as their situation suddenly gets even more dire!).
- The pre-title sequence is perfectly paced and utterly thrilling. It's the sequence that most grabbed my attention so many months (years?!) ago when - pre-Covid - I first saw the trailer attached below. That bus!!
- The ensemble cast works well together. Cillian Murphy is a fine actor, filling the Krasinski-shaped hole. And Emily Blunt is as kick-ass and wonderful as always. But special 'attaboys' need to go to the two youngsters, Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe. They were impressive in the first movie but here have to carry even more of the dramatic action and are just brilliant.
- Technically, the film has Oscar-worthy strengths.
-- The editing here is first rate: many of the jump scares are well-signposted, but they still work thanks to the timing of the cuts.
-- The sound design is (as you would expect) fantastic: once again this is a movie where snacks should be banned!
-- The soundtrack, by Marco Beltrami, is great, building on his themes from the original but knowing when to shut-up as well!
Negatives:
- It's a genuine joy to see John Krasinski in the dramatic pre-title sequence reprising his role of Lee Abbott. But then his massive presence is missed for the rest of the movie. Perhaps killing him off at the end of part 1 wasn't such a good idea?
- There's a lot of 'grief and mourning' to contend with here, post- (or nearly post-) Covid. This didn't affect me. But the illustrious Mrs Movie Man was 'not mentally ready' for it, and actively disliked the film as a result.
Summary Thoughts on "A Quiet Place Part II": Often a sequel doesn't live up to my expectations. Particularly so when I've loved the original AND had to wait SOOOOOOoooooooo long to see it. But this time I was not disappointed. I gave the original 5 stars. This naturally lacks the originality of the premise and is - imho - less good. But not by a great margin. It's still a rollercoaster thrill-ride that - at 97 minutes - doesn't overstay its welcome. Sometimes 'more of the same' is enough.
This is also a great movie to get people back into cinemas. Because, ladies and gents, since this is a MUST SEE on the big screen, and ideally in a screen with a great sound system.
As long as Krasinski stays at the helm, I'll personally be looking forwards to AQP - Part III, which I understand is in the works.
(For the full graphical review, please check out One Mann's Movies on t'interweb or Facebook. Thanks.)
In a pre-title sequence, we return to “Day 1” of the events of the first movie to see how life in the Abbott’s home town changed forever when chaos reigned down from the skies.
Rolling forward 473 days later, the plot picks up on the life of Evelyn (Emily Blunt), Regan (Millicent Simmons) and Marcus (Noah Jupe), following the dramatic events of “A Quiet Place” and the death of husband/father Lee (John Kravinski).
The three, together with Evelyn’s newborn, set off on a perilous journey to find help.
Positives:
- Sequels often try to over-reach, lobbing-in over-the-top action and forgetting why the audience so loved the original hit. This sequel doesn't fall into that trap, continuing the story in a seamless way. We very quickly get reinvested in the character's dire situation (as their situation suddenly gets even more dire!).
- The pre-title sequence is perfectly paced and utterly thrilling. It's the sequence that most grabbed my attention so many months (years?!) ago when - pre-Covid - I first saw the trailer attached below. That bus!!
- The ensemble cast works well together. Cillian Murphy is a fine actor, filling the Krasinski-shaped hole. And Emily Blunt is as kick-ass and wonderful as always. But special 'attaboys' need to go to the two youngsters, Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe. They were impressive in the first movie but here have to carry even more of the dramatic action and are just brilliant.
- Technically, the film has Oscar-worthy strengths.
-- The editing here is first rate: many of the jump scares are well-signposted, but they still work thanks to the timing of the cuts.
-- The sound design is (as you would expect) fantastic: once again this is a movie where snacks should be banned!
-- The soundtrack, by Marco Beltrami, is great, building on his themes from the original but knowing when to shut-up as well!
Negatives:
- It's a genuine joy to see John Krasinski in the dramatic pre-title sequence reprising his role of Lee Abbott. But then his massive presence is missed for the rest of the movie. Perhaps killing him off at the end of part 1 wasn't such a good idea?
- There's a lot of 'grief and mourning' to contend with here, post- (or nearly post-) Covid. This didn't affect me. But the illustrious Mrs Movie Man was 'not mentally ready' for it, and actively disliked the film as a result.
Summary Thoughts on "A Quiet Place Part II": Often a sequel doesn't live up to my expectations. Particularly so when I've loved the original AND had to wait SOOOOOOoooooooo long to see it. But this time I was not disappointed. I gave the original 5 stars. This naturally lacks the originality of the premise and is - imho - less good. But not by a great margin. It's still a rollercoaster thrill-ride that - at 97 minutes - doesn't overstay its welcome. Sometimes 'more of the same' is enough.
This is also a great movie to get people back into cinemas. Because, ladies and gents, since this is a MUST SEE on the big screen, and ideally in a screen with a great sound system.
As long as Krasinski stays at the helm, I'll personally be looking forwards to AQP - Part III, which I understand is in the works.
(For the full graphical review, please check out One Mann's Movies on t'interweb or Facebook. Thanks.)
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Crawl (2019) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020
Killer Alligators and Buckets Of Blood
Crawl is a 2019 disaster/horror movie directed by Alexandre Aja and written by Michael and Shawn Rasmussen. It was produced by Sam Raimi and Craig J. Flores and also Ghost House Pictures and Raimi Productions with distribution by Paramount Pictures. The film stars Kaya Scodelario and Barry Pepper.
Beth advises her sister, Haley Keller (Kaya Scodelario), an aspiring University of Florida swimmer to get out of the state, because a Category 5 hurricane is nearing. Concerned for the safety of her father, Dave (Barry Pepper), she goes against police instructions to evacuate, and goes to check on him. Hayley finds Dave's truck at their old Coral Lake home, where she goes into the crawlspace underneath the home to find her father. Now they both find themselves in a struggle for survival as large, ravenous alligators block their escape and they race against time as flood waters rise.
This movie was pretty awesome and better than I thought it was going to be. It was surprisingly delightful the way they built suspense and kept the tension in scenes. It was also pretty brutal with the blood and gore in the kill scenes. Kayla Scodelario performed amazingly and was great as Hayley Keller. Definitely an action-packed blood soaked adventure. The special effects were a little too unrealistic for me, especially in the beginning, which I thought would have bothered me more; but the plight the characters were in was done in such a way, that it just really draws you in. I know a lot of people would probably criticize the alligators behavior in this film too but I'm sure that could be said of movies like Jaws as well. If you don't over analyze it, you'll allow yourself to enjoy a rather exhilarating experience. I give it a 8/10.
This movie was pretty awesome and better than I thought it was going to be. It was surprisingly delightful the way they built suspense and kept the tension in scenes. Kayla Scodelario performed amazingly and was great as Hayley Keller. Definitely an action-packed, blood soaked adventure. The special effects were a little too unrealistic for me, especiallywhich I thought would have bothered me more but the plight the characters were done in such a that it just really draws you in. I know a lot of people would probably criticize the way the alligators behavior in this film but I'm sure that could be said of movies like Jaws as well. If you don't analyze it too harshly you'll allow yourself to enjoy a rather exhilarating experience. I give it a 8/10.
Beth advises her sister, Haley Keller (Kaya Scodelario), an aspiring University of Florida swimmer to get out of the state, because a Category 5 hurricane is nearing. Concerned for the safety of her father, Dave (Barry Pepper), she goes against police instructions to evacuate, and goes to check on him. Hayley finds Dave's truck at their old Coral Lake home, where she goes into the crawlspace underneath the home to find her father. Now they both find themselves in a struggle for survival as large, ravenous alligators block their escape and they race against time as flood waters rise.
This movie was pretty awesome and better than I thought it was going to be. It was surprisingly delightful the way they built suspense and kept the tension in scenes. It was also pretty brutal with the blood and gore in the kill scenes. Kayla Scodelario performed amazingly and was great as Hayley Keller. Definitely an action-packed blood soaked adventure. The special effects were a little too unrealistic for me, especially in the beginning, which I thought would have bothered me more; but the plight the characters were in was done in such a way, that it just really draws you in. I know a lot of people would probably criticize the alligators behavior in this film too but I'm sure that could be said of movies like Jaws as well. If you don't over analyze it, you'll allow yourself to enjoy a rather exhilarating experience. I give it a 8/10.
This movie was pretty awesome and better than I thought it was going to be. It was surprisingly delightful the way they built suspense and kept the tension in scenes. Kayla Scodelario performed amazingly and was great as Hayley Keller. Definitely an action-packed, blood soaked adventure. The special effects were a little too unrealistic for me, especiallywhich I thought would have bothered me more but the plight the characters were done in such a that it just really draws you in. I know a lot of people would probably criticize the way the alligators behavior in this film but I'm sure that could be said of movies like Jaws as well. If you don't analyze it too harshly you'll allow yourself to enjoy a rather exhilarating experience. I give it a 8/10.
365Flicks (235 KP) rated The Mason Brothers (2017) in Movies
Nov 20, 2019
It has been some time since I sat down to watch a good heist movie, so when I received The Mason Brothers and read things like ‘Inspired by films like The Untouchables and Reservoir Dogs’ well call me an old romantic for those films in particular but I will give this one a shot for sure.
I’m going to put something right on front street when it comes to this movie. When it says inspired by Reservoir Dogs it means inspired by… However as my esteemed podcast co-host said “there are worse movies to be inspired by”.
The Mason Brothers is the story of a group of Bank Robbers who as you may imagine are also brothers. We join the crew right after a heist has just gone really wrong and we witness the aftermath where one of the brothers dies. We then spend the night with the other 3 as they hide out waiting for an associate to track down the members of the other crew who screwed them over. The story is given to us in present time and flashbacks, so as the night unfolds and we start to find out who exactly set the guys up, caused there brother to die and wants the cash for themselves. Meanwhile via flashbacks we find out how they planned the job, who they cut into the deal and motivations for why and who did this to the brothers. That about covers it…. Obviously there are twisty turn-y things but hey No Spoilers here.
Keith Sutliff in his Directorial debut has hit upon something great here. He has assembled a good cast with some great chemistry and like most first time directors even throws himself into the mix on acting duties. Sutliff has a real flair for dialogue and it flows throughout. Sometimes screaming ‘you do love a Tarantino flick, dont you!!’ but at the same time freshening up a genre that often feels stale. I was real impressed with this as a Debut movie because it looks great has some real interesting choices with the editing and camera work but everything fits and the movie never loses sight of itself.
Quick word on the cast. As stated Sutliff plays brother Ren Mason, the planner, the mastermind and the strong silent type. Brandon Sean Pearson plays Jesse Mason the full blooded aggravated hot head of the crew. Personally I thought Pearson was the shining light of this Flick. Matthew Webb is Gage, a member of the group but not actually a Mason, I thought right the way through Gage was a wild card and I like to think that was a conscious decision. Rounding off the team is Micheal Ryan Whelan as Orion Mason who we only really see during the flashbacks but has some great little monologue-y scenes. Other supporters include Julien Cesario (Sons of Anarchy), Tim Park (Matador, Sons of Anarchy) and Nazo Bravo (Vigilante Diaries).
Yeah I would say this is a recommend from us here, The script is nice and wordy (something I love) the core cast all deliver in a pretty well paced heist movie gone wrong.
I’m going to put something right on front street when it comes to this movie. When it says inspired by Reservoir Dogs it means inspired by… However as my esteemed podcast co-host said “there are worse movies to be inspired by”.
The Mason Brothers is the story of a group of Bank Robbers who as you may imagine are also brothers. We join the crew right after a heist has just gone really wrong and we witness the aftermath where one of the brothers dies. We then spend the night with the other 3 as they hide out waiting for an associate to track down the members of the other crew who screwed them over. The story is given to us in present time and flashbacks, so as the night unfolds and we start to find out who exactly set the guys up, caused there brother to die and wants the cash for themselves. Meanwhile via flashbacks we find out how they planned the job, who they cut into the deal and motivations for why and who did this to the brothers. That about covers it…. Obviously there are twisty turn-y things but hey No Spoilers here.
Keith Sutliff in his Directorial debut has hit upon something great here. He has assembled a good cast with some great chemistry and like most first time directors even throws himself into the mix on acting duties. Sutliff has a real flair for dialogue and it flows throughout. Sometimes screaming ‘you do love a Tarantino flick, dont you!!’ but at the same time freshening up a genre that often feels stale. I was real impressed with this as a Debut movie because it looks great has some real interesting choices with the editing and camera work but everything fits and the movie never loses sight of itself.
Quick word on the cast. As stated Sutliff plays brother Ren Mason, the planner, the mastermind and the strong silent type. Brandon Sean Pearson plays Jesse Mason the full blooded aggravated hot head of the crew. Personally I thought Pearson was the shining light of this Flick. Matthew Webb is Gage, a member of the group but not actually a Mason, I thought right the way through Gage was a wild card and I like to think that was a conscious decision. Rounding off the team is Micheal Ryan Whelan as Orion Mason who we only really see during the flashbacks but has some great little monologue-y scenes. Other supporters include Julien Cesario (Sons of Anarchy), Tim Park (Matador, Sons of Anarchy) and Nazo Bravo (Vigilante Diaries).
Yeah I would say this is a recommend from us here, The script is nice and wordy (something I love) the core cast all deliver in a pretty well paced heist movie gone wrong.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated The Kitchen (2019) in Movies
May 17, 2020
Thinly written and directed
A rainy weekend is the perfect time to catch up with films that I meant to see in the Cineplex, but just didn't get around to it. So it was with some excitement that I flipped on the "Women Run The Mafia" movie THE KITCHEN from 2019.
I should have watched 21 BRIDGES.
Based on the DC/VERTIGO graphic novel, THE KITCHEN is set in the late 1970's in NYC and offers up the "what if" scenario of 3 women that take over the Mafia. A pretty interesting premise that could have been the GODFATHER or GOODFELLA's of the day (or...at least...another WIDOWS from 2018), but instead THE KITCHEN falls flat like the all female GHOSTBUSTERS from a few year's ago.
A star of that Ghostbuster's film, Melissa McCarthy leads the cast as Kathy Brennan, the wife of a mobster who was sent to jail and becomes the leader of the group. McCarthy has shown that she has the "chops" as an actress to tackle this role, but she never really gets there. There is no real depth or emotional stakes to her character throughout the course of the film. The screenplay (and McCarthy's performance) does pick up at the end, but by then, it is too little, too late. Also not fairing well is comedienne Tiffany Hadish as Ruby O'Carroll - an African-American female trying to dominate in a predominately white male world. Again...this character had potential, but the writing and, quite frankly, Hadish's performance just didn't quite succeed.
What did succeed is the always excellent Elisabeth Moss as the 3rd part of this triumvirate. Her "mousy, abused housewife turned stone cold killer" was interesting to watch - especially when paired with Domhnall Gleeson's assassin about 1/2 way through the movie. I wanted to watch a movie with these 2 criminals on the run.
I've mentioned the weak writing as part the issue here, so I'll have to mention first time Veteran Writer and first-time Director Andrea Berloff as the main culprit here. She wrote STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON so she has it in her, but here, the screenplay and characterizations are "thin". Perhaps, a good Director could have made something out of this, but she also made her Directing debut with this film, so it just didn't work well enough.
This isn't a bad film, it just isn't a very good - or very interesting - one.
Letter Grade B- (for the Moss/Gleeson portion of this film)
6 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
I should have watched 21 BRIDGES.
Based on the DC/VERTIGO graphic novel, THE KITCHEN is set in the late 1970's in NYC and offers up the "what if" scenario of 3 women that take over the Mafia. A pretty interesting premise that could have been the GODFATHER or GOODFELLA's of the day (or...at least...another WIDOWS from 2018), but instead THE KITCHEN falls flat like the all female GHOSTBUSTERS from a few year's ago.
A star of that Ghostbuster's film, Melissa McCarthy leads the cast as Kathy Brennan, the wife of a mobster who was sent to jail and becomes the leader of the group. McCarthy has shown that she has the "chops" as an actress to tackle this role, but she never really gets there. There is no real depth or emotional stakes to her character throughout the course of the film. The screenplay (and McCarthy's performance) does pick up at the end, but by then, it is too little, too late. Also not fairing well is comedienne Tiffany Hadish as Ruby O'Carroll - an African-American female trying to dominate in a predominately white male world. Again...this character had potential, but the writing and, quite frankly, Hadish's performance just didn't quite succeed.
What did succeed is the always excellent Elisabeth Moss as the 3rd part of this triumvirate. Her "mousy, abused housewife turned stone cold killer" was interesting to watch - especially when paired with Domhnall Gleeson's assassin about 1/2 way through the movie. I wanted to watch a movie with these 2 criminals on the run.
I've mentioned the weak writing as part the issue here, so I'll have to mention first time Veteran Writer and first-time Director Andrea Berloff as the main culprit here. She wrote STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON so she has it in her, but here, the screenplay and characterizations are "thin". Perhaps, a good Director could have made something out of this, but she also made her Directing debut with this film, so it just didn't work well enough.
This isn't a bad film, it just isn't a very good - or very interesting - one.
Letter Grade B- (for the Moss/Gleeson portion of this film)
6 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020) in Movies
Feb 8, 2020 (Updated Feb 12, 2020)
SWING BATTER BATTER BATTER!
Birds Of Prey is yet another win for the DC universe and a huge step up from one of the most hated films of all time Suicide Squad. Right off the bat Birds Of Prey is an absolute blast and what you will notice immediately is just the sheer amount of explosive energy it has has to offer. Its this energy that constantly gives you the feeling of being on a rollar coaster travelling through a circus of pure amusement, the visuals are loud, the colour pallet is striking and vibrant, the sound is immersive/atmospheric and the soundtrack brings everything together beautify using old classic songs that have been remixed with a modern day kick which help to really give the film pace. Fight scenes are really fun, violent and also well choreographed with a nice crunch to all the impacts too. Infact fights do all feel very John Wick inspired becoming more of a beautifully synchronised dance routine flowing perfectly like the ice skating scenes from itonya rather than using messy quick cuts. BOP also seemingly borrows from Deadpool too as far as plot, humour and mature content go but im happy to report it works really well and manages to feel much more at home/gritty and adult here and less forced/childish than it is in Deadpool in my opinion. Margot robbie shines as Harley Quinn even more so than she did in suicide squad, she really has got this character down to a T now and its so so satisfying to see her own the screen as her again as she struggles to find her independence and make a name for herself. Ewan Mcgregor is also magnificent in a part that he clearly enjoyed playing beacuse boy was he entertaining as hell as a guy thats almost an obsessive man child whose only feared and powerul because of his status and money. Hes also unpredictable with a spoilt brat like temper and the way the film shifts in tone when he becomes angry can be chilling especially when its mixed with such savage and brutal violence. Plot is fairly basic and not the most intresting but that doesnt matter here because the movie holds its own with the constant thrills/variety it provides and just like a looney tunes carton its such pure addictive madness that it will suck you right in and leave you with a chelsea smile from ear to ear. Possibly the most enjoyable and visually awsome comic book adaptations yet well worth seeing.
Nick Friesen (96 KP) rated Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) in Movies
Jul 23, 2017
New Characters are Excellent (3 more)
God Bless Alan Tudyk
Perhaps the Best Space Battle in Star Wars Yet
The Rebels "Storming the Beach"
A Crazy Caper Set in a Galaxy Far, Far Away
Rogue One is a fantastic film. It feels so fresh, despite being "a Star Wars Story," mostly because it is so different than any of the movies in the main saga. Better yet, it functions as an awesome prequel to the original trilogy. Even if you're of mind to forget Star Wars 1-3, I'm betting you'll be more than willing to add this movie to the start of your Original Trilogy marathons. Rogue One is a delightful mash of a couple genres, most notably spy, heist, and war films, and it works so well. It's a ground level look at the Rebellion and their efforts to steal plans to the Death Star, shown through the point-of-view of regular soldiers with no apparent Force powers to speak of. It's a thrilling ride, and one that also gets you invested in its well-written characters in a fairly short amount of time. Oh, and Disney, is there any way Alan Tudyk can come back to the series?
Jesters_folly (230 KP) rated Snowpiercer in TV
Jul 14, 2020
In an attempt to stop global warming the world was frozen. Now the only remaining people live aboard the Snowpiercer, a train 1001 carriages long that continually circles the world.
Snowpiercer is based on a french comic series. There are three comics set before the series which is set 7 years after the extinction event (When the world froze) then another comic, then a movie (15 years after the EE) then two more comics, this means that if, like me, you have seen the film first you will know that there are some limits to what can happen in the series.
Like the film the series is foremost a commentary on class with the train having three official classes, 1st, 2nd and 3rd, the unofficial 'Night Car' and the tailys, a large group of stowaways who live in the tail of the train.
Snowpiercer also focus on the impact of living in a very closed and contained environment and the effect that even the slightest change could make.
Be warned there are a few violent scenes, a bit of nudity, and sex references so if you don't like that sort of thing you may want to avoid this
Snowpiercer is based on a french comic series. There are three comics set before the series which is set 7 years after the extinction event (When the world froze) then another comic, then a movie (15 years after the EE) then two more comics, this means that if, like me, you have seen the film first you will know that there are some limits to what can happen in the series.
Like the film the series is foremost a commentary on class with the train having three official classes, 1st, 2nd and 3rd, the unofficial 'Night Car' and the tailys, a large group of stowaways who live in the tail of the train.
Snowpiercer also focus on the impact of living in a very closed and contained environment and the effect that even the slightest change could make.
Be warned there are a few violent scenes, a bit of nudity, and sex references so if you don't like that sort of thing you may want to avoid this
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated S1m0ne (2002) in Movies
Sep 21, 2020
The trifecta of flatness: a comedy with next to no laughs, a satire with no bite, and a drama without sufficient emotion. Yet another technophobic dud that fires on zero cylinders and has nothing to say - try to picture if 𝘏𝘦𝘳 was one of the (many) shittier "Black Mirror" episodes. Besides Rachel Roberts' perfectly realized, fittingly mysterious performance (which, of course, is underused) nothing else shines through here - has zero depth beyond a few performative quips and has that rush-through-everything-of-any-importance pacing + structure that I detest. Here we have what could have been a poignantly interesting film about a disenchanted director whose only authentic relationship is with a synthetic A.I. as well as a boiling satire about the state of celebrity, the objectification of women in entertainment, technology, etc. But instead we're left with such a rote, surface-level, come-and-go boilerplate narrative about this thinly-written 'failed director' trope having to hide an obviously fake woman from every idiot on the planet. Skimps out on where it counts, the brief spoof arthouse movies in these are more intelligent and watchable than the actual movie - which ironically feels as insincere and fakey as its central character. Also I miss Jay Mohr.