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Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Joy (2015) in Movies
Jan 16, 2018
Decent
Joy never fully grabbed me and I wanted it to. Joy (Jennifer Lawrence) is a genius in her own right, but the bad breaks and trials of life have prevented her from rising to become anything more than a struggling matriarch trying to keep her entire family from killing each other. After coming up with a brilliant idea she decides to throw her all at it to make her dreams come true.
On paper, it sounds like just the movie I would fall in love with. However, it gets off to a very slow start due to some chronological jumbling. While I was still able to follow along just fine, I found my interest waning.
The payoff at the ending didn't do much to satisfy the bad taste in my mouth. I was frustrated for Joy throughout the film all the while rooting for her success. In the end, it just wasn't quite what I was hoping it would be.
I did think the film was aided by some very strong acting performances. Whether you loved them or hated them, everyone played their roles extremely well. There were also a handful of surprises over the course of the film that managed to keep me engaged.
Would I watch this again? Sure. Do I need to? Meh. I give Joy a 76.
On paper, it sounds like just the movie I would fall in love with. However, it gets off to a very slow start due to some chronological jumbling. While I was still able to follow along just fine, I found my interest waning.
The payoff at the ending didn't do much to satisfy the bad taste in my mouth. I was frustrated for Joy throughout the film all the while rooting for her success. In the end, it just wasn't quite what I was hoping it would be.
I did think the film was aided by some very strong acting performances. Whether you loved them or hated them, everyone played their roles extremely well. There were also a handful of surprises over the course of the film that managed to keep me engaged.
Would I watch this again? Sure. Do I need to? Meh. I give Joy a 76.
Zach Smith (62 KP) rated Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) in Movies
Nov 26, 2018
Not as great as the first but well done sequel.
Contains spoilers, click to show
Ok so this is a great follow up to the first focusing on Johnny Depp's villainous character Grindelwald. But let me stop you there. Wasn't Voldemort supposed to be the worst bad guy in the wizarding world? Not sure because he's followers are pretty nasty killing several people and then a baby. The baby scene could have easily been left out but they included for some reason. Also Grindelwald has a cute evil pet lizard but again for some reason they show him toss it out a door of a carage high in the sky stating it was too clingy. Again there are other ways to do character development without death. Ok and if you don't know that Albus Dumbledore is a homosexual, where have you been living. Instead of stating in the movie that Grindelwald and he were once lovers they tip toe around it with things stated " we were more than friends" WTF say it out loud and proud! Aside from the mild irritation that caused it is really neat how they are connecting this series to the Potter series. You finally are introduced to Nicholas Flemal the chemist. If you don't know who he is go read Harry Potter and the sorcerer's stone.
National Geographic Traveler: Berlin, 2nd Edition
Damien Simonis and Pierre Adenis
Book
Germany's premier city, Berlin, is one of the fastest growing and intriguing in Europe. This...
Exhalation: Stories
8.0
Rate It
Book
From an award-winning science fiction writer (whose short story "The Story of Your Life" was the...
Lee (2222 KP) rated Joker (2019) in Movies
Oct 6, 2019 (Updated Oct 6, 2019)
Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is a down on his luck loner, currently taking seven different kinds of medication and living with his frail old mother (Frances Conroe). Arthur fantasises about living a ‘normal’ life, with hopes of becoming a stand up comedian and dating his next door neighbour, and the lines between reality and fantasy begin to become just as blurred for us during the movie as they do within Arthur’s mind.
We’re in Gotham City during the early eighties. A garbage strike means that the city is currently suffering from a build up of garbage on the streets and the subsequent arrival of ‘super rats’. The rich are getting richer, the poor and the underprivileged even more so. And, at the forefront of all the wealth and power in the city is Thomas Wayne, who is currently looking to run for mayor. There is growing divide and unrest throughout Gotham, all of which serves to add fuel to the increasingly unstable mind of Arthur Fleck.
We’ve had our fair share of Joker portrayals over the decades, the most memorable of which being in 2008, and Heath Ledger’s brilliant take on the character in The Dark Knight. But Joaquin Phoenix brings a side to the Joker we’ve not experienced before - all skin and bone, abused, downtrodden, ridiculed and with a neurological condition that sees him suddenly laughing maniacally and uncontrollably, even during times of stress or sadness. Throughout the movie, we learn that Arthur also had a pretty unpleasant childhood and, for a while, you really can sympathise with him and the suffering he experiences. “I just don’t want to feel so bad any more” he says at one point.
Joker features no CGI, no costumed antics (other than the clowned kind), or any of the traditional comic book movie themes that we’re now so used to seeing. Instead, Joker treats us to something of a slow-burn character study, one mans slow descent into madness, and the birth of one of the most iconic villains of all time. Joaquin Phoenix is incredible in the role, supported by an outstanding cast, including Robert De Niro as a late night talk show host idolised by Arthur and Zazie Beets as the neighbour Arthur becomes obsessed with.
Joker isn’t exactly enjoyable in the traditional sense, uncomfortable at times and a brutally honest depiction of extreme mental health issues. But it’s beautifully shot, subtly weaving itself into the familiar DC universe while remaining unique and original. I was gripped from start to finish and I just hope that the upcoming Robert Pattison incarnation of The Batman fits into the universe and style that has been introduced here within Joker.
We’re in Gotham City during the early eighties. A garbage strike means that the city is currently suffering from a build up of garbage on the streets and the subsequent arrival of ‘super rats’. The rich are getting richer, the poor and the underprivileged even more so. And, at the forefront of all the wealth and power in the city is Thomas Wayne, who is currently looking to run for mayor. There is growing divide and unrest throughout Gotham, all of which serves to add fuel to the increasingly unstable mind of Arthur Fleck.
We’ve had our fair share of Joker portrayals over the decades, the most memorable of which being in 2008, and Heath Ledger’s brilliant take on the character in The Dark Knight. But Joaquin Phoenix brings a side to the Joker we’ve not experienced before - all skin and bone, abused, downtrodden, ridiculed and with a neurological condition that sees him suddenly laughing maniacally and uncontrollably, even during times of stress or sadness. Throughout the movie, we learn that Arthur also had a pretty unpleasant childhood and, for a while, you really can sympathise with him and the suffering he experiences. “I just don’t want to feel so bad any more” he says at one point.
Joker features no CGI, no costumed antics (other than the clowned kind), or any of the traditional comic book movie themes that we’re now so used to seeing. Instead, Joker treats us to something of a slow-burn character study, one mans slow descent into madness, and the birth of one of the most iconic villains of all time. Joaquin Phoenix is incredible in the role, supported by an outstanding cast, including Robert De Niro as a late night talk show host idolised by Arthur and Zazie Beets as the neighbour Arthur becomes obsessed with.
Joker isn’t exactly enjoyable in the traditional sense, uncomfortable at times and a brutally honest depiction of extreme mental health issues. But it’s beautifully shot, subtly weaving itself into the familiar DC universe while remaining unique and original. I was gripped from start to finish and I just hope that the upcoming Robert Pattison incarnation of The Batman fits into the universe and style that has been introduced here within Joker.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Unhinged (2020) in Movies
Aug 8, 2020
A courtesy tap
If you were ever going to deliberately hack-off anyone in real life, Russell Crowe would probably be low on the list. A genuine bear of a man! He looks like he could kill you with a single swipe of his clawed furry hand!
In the movie it was a certain Rachel (Caren Pistorius) who randomly crosses the ursine-one's path. She encounters his unnamed character ("Man") at traffic light. Rachel is having a bad day herself. But the unstable and unhinged man makes it his mission to show her "what a bad day really feels like".
Having had over 40 years of driving experienced, I've experienced two incidents of genuine road rage against me. One of these was in similar circumstances to Rachel's experience. By me giving slightly more than a 'courtesy tap' on the horn to a driver who cut me up. Both though were 'white-knuckles-on-the-wheel' scary experiences. So although, as a viewer, I felt a degree of irritation at Rachel's stubborn actions in the movie, it didn't seem completely 'out there'. You only need the other guy to be a psycho, and....
What follows is a thriller having a vein of dark comedy running through it. Yes, it's relatively predictable and above-average on the gore rating but nonetheless enjoyable.
The movie, of course, blends some staples of the thriller genre. Firstly there is that favorite trope of Spielberg of a malevolent force, persistently lurking in the shadows to wreak havoc at any time. (Think of those classics "Duel" and "Jaws". Blended with that is a recurring plot-point of Hitchcock movies: the every-man (in this case every-woman), in the mode of James Stewart or Cary Grant, uprooted from their hum-drum normal lives to suddenly face peril they are unequipped to deal with.
Holding that role here extremely well is Caren Pistorius as the luckless Rachel. She's only had bit parts in previous movies I've seen - "Denial", "Mortal Engines" and "The Light Between Oceans". But here she gets a starring role, up front and central, and I thought she pulled it off really well. She also gets to deliver the best line in the film in the violent and bloody denouement! A leading actress I would like to see more of for sure.
The star-power evident here though is Crowe. His portrayal as the steely-eyed unhinged psychopath is beautifully and believably done. A scene in a diner is especially chilling, featuring Jimmi Simpson as the unfortunate Andy, Rachel's divorce lawyer. (If, like me, you were desperately trying to place the actor, Simpson played the young 'good-guy' tourist in the brilliant first season of "Westworld".)
Unhinged is nicely penned and, in the main, nicely directed. With the pen is Carl Ellsworth, who's sparse career has delivered chillers such as "Disturbia" and "The Last House on the Left". And although we've been in this sort of stalker territory numerous times before, the script of "Unhinged" delivers some nice twists. For example, the dangers inherent in "Find My Friends" style tracking apps. One negative though for me is the rising body-count of "innocents". It gave me the slightly icky feeling I felt when the jumbo jet is crashed in "Die Hard 2".
Keeping up the pace is German director Derrick Borte, someone new to me. The car chases incorporated into the action are tense (reminiscent sometimes of "Baby Driver") and well-shot (by Irish cinematographer Brendan Galvin). There are the occasional "oh, really!!" moments, that a more experienced director might have chosen to excise. But on the whole, this is a taut little thriller, wisely sticking to a 90 minute running time, and never losing my interest.
Although formulaic, and at times extremely violent for a '15' certificate, "Unhinged" made a welcome and entertaining return for me to the multiplex after the Covid break.
(For the full graphical review, please check it out here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2020/08/08/one-manns-movies-film-review-unhinged-2020/).
In the movie it was a certain Rachel (Caren Pistorius) who randomly crosses the ursine-one's path. She encounters his unnamed character ("Man") at traffic light. Rachel is having a bad day herself. But the unstable and unhinged man makes it his mission to show her "what a bad day really feels like".
Having had over 40 years of driving experienced, I've experienced two incidents of genuine road rage against me. One of these was in similar circumstances to Rachel's experience. By me giving slightly more than a 'courtesy tap' on the horn to a driver who cut me up. Both though were 'white-knuckles-on-the-wheel' scary experiences. So although, as a viewer, I felt a degree of irritation at Rachel's stubborn actions in the movie, it didn't seem completely 'out there'. You only need the other guy to be a psycho, and....
What follows is a thriller having a vein of dark comedy running through it. Yes, it's relatively predictable and above-average on the gore rating but nonetheless enjoyable.
The movie, of course, blends some staples of the thriller genre. Firstly there is that favorite trope of Spielberg of a malevolent force, persistently lurking in the shadows to wreak havoc at any time. (Think of those classics "Duel" and "Jaws". Blended with that is a recurring plot-point of Hitchcock movies: the every-man (in this case every-woman), in the mode of James Stewart or Cary Grant, uprooted from their hum-drum normal lives to suddenly face peril they are unequipped to deal with.
Holding that role here extremely well is Caren Pistorius as the luckless Rachel. She's only had bit parts in previous movies I've seen - "Denial", "Mortal Engines" and "The Light Between Oceans". But here she gets a starring role, up front and central, and I thought she pulled it off really well. She also gets to deliver the best line in the film in the violent and bloody denouement! A leading actress I would like to see more of for sure.
The star-power evident here though is Crowe. His portrayal as the steely-eyed unhinged psychopath is beautifully and believably done. A scene in a diner is especially chilling, featuring Jimmi Simpson as the unfortunate Andy, Rachel's divorce lawyer. (If, like me, you were desperately trying to place the actor, Simpson played the young 'good-guy' tourist in the brilliant first season of "Westworld".)
Unhinged is nicely penned and, in the main, nicely directed. With the pen is Carl Ellsworth, who's sparse career has delivered chillers such as "Disturbia" and "The Last House on the Left". And although we've been in this sort of stalker territory numerous times before, the script of "Unhinged" delivers some nice twists. For example, the dangers inherent in "Find My Friends" style tracking apps. One negative though for me is the rising body-count of "innocents". It gave me the slightly icky feeling I felt when the jumbo jet is crashed in "Die Hard 2".
Keeping up the pace is German director Derrick Borte, someone new to me. The car chases incorporated into the action are tense (reminiscent sometimes of "Baby Driver") and well-shot (by Irish cinematographer Brendan Galvin). There are the occasional "oh, really!!" moments, that a more experienced director might have chosen to excise. But on the whole, this is a taut little thriller, wisely sticking to a 90 minute running time, and never losing my interest.
Although formulaic, and at times extremely violent for a '15' certificate, "Unhinged" made a welcome and entertaining return for me to the multiplex after the Covid break.
(For the full graphical review, please check it out here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2020/08/08/one-manns-movies-film-review-unhinged-2020/).
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Safe (2012) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
I’ve returned with another movie review for y’all and it should certainly come as no surprise Whatsoever that my review covers the latest edition to Jason Statham’s growing resume of action Movies. After 3 delays for its U.S. release, “SAFE” has finally arrived.
“Safe” is first and foremost an action film as one would expect from Statham
But somehow he always seems to up his game with even better actions scenes which are brilliantly Choreographed.
Some of which will have you laughing at the ineptness of his enemies
Or to the point where you’ll cringe at the very thought of the pain the characters might be going through. But as always, it’s worth it. This time, they’ve even thrown in more of a storyline and a plot twist or two that would peak Tarentino’s interest.
From writer/director by Boaz Yakin and executive producer Kevin Spacey and producer Lawrence Bender (Of Pulp Fiction and Inglorious Bastards fame), Jason Statham stars as Luke Wright. A garbage man turned second-rate cage fighter and former NYPD officer. Upon leaving the NYPD after testifying against corrupt NYPD detectives, Luke drifts from garbage man to Mixed Martial Arts fighter.
In order to support his pregnant wife. Upon winning a fight that he was supposed to lose the bad guys decides to make an example of him by brutally murdering his wife and unborn child. If this was not bad enough, the bad guys then tell Luke that they will murder anyone he comes into contact with as is illustrated when they later kill a homeless man Luke gave his shoes to.
Meanwhile, Mei (Catherine Chan) a young math prodigy, is forced to be a ‘counter’ for a Chinese triad (in essence instead of using computers, the triad forces her to memorize everything from money for drug transactions to police payoffs etc.), in order to keep the triad from killing her mother.
Upon learning of the death of her mother, Mei escapes but with the knowledge of the entire organization retained in her memory the triad hunts her down through the streets of New York City while also trying to avoid the same thugs who terrorize Luke as they have discovered who she is and want to use everything she knows to bring down their competitors.
Luke, mourning the loss of his wife and unborn child nearly commits suicide by jumping in front of a subway when he witness Mei being chased through the subway by the same goons who killed his wife.
After realizing that he is the only one who can protect Mei, Luke begins a brutal rampage through New York City battling all who stand in the way and pose a threat to Mei.
To sum up the movie briefly it is Grand Theft Auto meets “The Transporter” in New York City
minus the sex, drugs, and the modified Audi with the V-12 rocket engine.
There are plenty of shootouts, fight scenes, car chases, in even some intrigue to keep you thinking. A most excellent movie if you’re looking to take a break from the sunny weather and take refuge in a cool air-conditioned movie theater as the film is more than worth spending your hard earned cash on.
“Safe” is first and foremost an action film as one would expect from Statham
But somehow he always seems to up his game with even better actions scenes which are brilliantly Choreographed.
Some of which will have you laughing at the ineptness of his enemies
Or to the point where you’ll cringe at the very thought of the pain the characters might be going through. But as always, it’s worth it. This time, they’ve even thrown in more of a storyline and a plot twist or two that would peak Tarentino’s interest.
From writer/director by Boaz Yakin and executive producer Kevin Spacey and producer Lawrence Bender (Of Pulp Fiction and Inglorious Bastards fame), Jason Statham stars as Luke Wright. A garbage man turned second-rate cage fighter and former NYPD officer. Upon leaving the NYPD after testifying against corrupt NYPD detectives, Luke drifts from garbage man to Mixed Martial Arts fighter.
In order to support his pregnant wife. Upon winning a fight that he was supposed to lose the bad guys decides to make an example of him by brutally murdering his wife and unborn child. If this was not bad enough, the bad guys then tell Luke that they will murder anyone he comes into contact with as is illustrated when they later kill a homeless man Luke gave his shoes to.
Meanwhile, Mei (Catherine Chan) a young math prodigy, is forced to be a ‘counter’ for a Chinese triad (in essence instead of using computers, the triad forces her to memorize everything from money for drug transactions to police payoffs etc.), in order to keep the triad from killing her mother.
Upon learning of the death of her mother, Mei escapes but with the knowledge of the entire organization retained in her memory the triad hunts her down through the streets of New York City while also trying to avoid the same thugs who terrorize Luke as they have discovered who she is and want to use everything she knows to bring down their competitors.
Luke, mourning the loss of his wife and unborn child nearly commits suicide by jumping in front of a subway when he witness Mei being chased through the subway by the same goons who killed his wife.
After realizing that he is the only one who can protect Mei, Luke begins a brutal rampage through New York City battling all who stand in the way and pose a threat to Mei.
To sum up the movie briefly it is Grand Theft Auto meets “The Transporter” in New York City
minus the sex, drugs, and the modified Audi with the V-12 rocket engine.
There are plenty of shootouts, fight scenes, car chases, in even some intrigue to keep you thinking. A most excellent movie if you’re looking to take a break from the sunny weather and take refuge in a cool air-conditioned movie theater as the film is more than worth spending your hard earned cash on.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Slaughterhouse Rulez (2018) in Movies
Sep 28, 2021
Form-Prefect of the Dead.
The Plot
Meredith Houseman (Simon Pegg) is housemaster of Sparta house in Slaughterhouse school: an ancient public school establishment steering England’s future greats to greatness (which probably explains a lot about the current Brexit mess!). Houseman is not in a happy place, given that his girlfriend is now in deepest darkest African doing “good works” with handsome French doctors, and particularly that she is played by Margot Robbie: I would be also be sad… #punching!
New school starter Don Wallace (Finn Cole) is equally unhappy as he is a northern teen dragooned into attending the school by his well-meaning Mum (Jo Hartley). His strange room-mate Willoughby (Asa Butterfield) seems to be a chronic depressive; he is being picked on by the prefect-bully Clegg (Tom Rhys Harries); and his bed was previously occupied by a Viscount, since deceased under unpleasant circumstances that no-one wants to talk about. At least he has the distraction of the upper-sixth school goddess Clemsie Lawrence (Hermione Corfield) to take his mind off his woes.
All this washes over “The Bat” – the school’s headmaster (Michael Sheen) – since he is engrossed in some shady deal with an evil corporation doing fracking in the school grounds. The fracking though seems to be doing more than just causing a few minor earth tremors, as ancient forces are unleashed.
The Review
The movie is positioned as a “comedy/horror”, along the lines of “Shaun of the Dead”. The film also has Frost and Pegg as executive producers and they also have starring roles in the film. But there the similarities really end: this is a “Cornetto film” without a cone of solid chocolate lurking at the bottom to enjoy.
The script (by director Crispian Mills and first-time screenwriter Henry Fitzherbert) is nowhere near as sharp as the Frost/Pegg scripts for their famous collaborations. The story overall makes precious little sense: it’s a hodge-podge of elements from many Harry Potter films (especially “The Chamber of Secrets”), Lindsay Anderson’s “If…”; and Roy Boulting’s “The Guinea Pig”; with also a sprinkling of the anarchic essence of Michael Palin’s classic “Tomkinson’s Schooldays”. The whole thing never manages to gel into a cohesive whole.
After the second reel, the film completely loses sight of the plot: there’s a whole lot of running, screaming and dying going on but there’s little logic behind any of it that I could fathom. What didn’t help my comprehension of what was going on were some ‘Cornetto-esque’ sequences of manic editing. Images were thrown onto the screen so subliminally that any clever nuance was lost. I’m sure at one point there was a droll (if gross) segue at a “Roman orgy” of a girl receiving oral sex before being ‘eaten out’ in an entirely different way. But you would need a Blu-ray and a frame-by-frame pause function to get the joke.
That’s not to say that I didn’t laugh a few times along the way. There are some sight gags – for example, Wooten (Kit Connor) as the lad at the bottom of the bullying pecking order, chained to a U-bend – that made me laugh, and some running jokes – for example, Frost as the head of the anti-fracking camp offering the kids drugs at every encounter – that mildly amuse. But once again here’s a British comedy that, like the atrocious “The Brits are Coming“, thinks that “funny” largely revolves around swearing a lot – how useful that “frack” sounds so similar to another word – with added bodily dismemberment.
The turns
Pegg and Frost ham it up with their usual comedy schtick well enough, and it was quite fun to see Sheen try a comedy role for a change as the conniving and supercilious headmaster. Elsewhere all the young cast put their hearts into it, but it’s again Asa Butterfield that your eyes gravitate to, due to his striking features. I last saw Asa in the excellent if harrowing WW1 drama “Journey’s End“, and he here proves again that he is a One Mann’s Movies ‘name to watch for the future’.
Final thoughts
There’s a lot to irritate in this film. From the “z” in the title to… well… about 80% of the film. There is no nuance or subtlety to either the writing or the direction. I think that’s a great shame. The film has a good premise hidden in there. An adult comedy set around the ridiculous rules and rites of public schools (away from the light nonsense of “St Trinians”) is overdue. And the whole subject of fracking, and the conflicts surrounding the controversial techniques, hasn’t yet – to my knowledge – been explored in a fictional movie. The film does have a few very funny moments. But as a whole I left the cinema with that “wasted two hours” feeling. Not recommended.
Meredith Houseman (Simon Pegg) is housemaster of Sparta house in Slaughterhouse school: an ancient public school establishment steering England’s future greats to greatness (which probably explains a lot about the current Brexit mess!). Houseman is not in a happy place, given that his girlfriend is now in deepest darkest African doing “good works” with handsome French doctors, and particularly that she is played by Margot Robbie: I would be also be sad… #punching!
New school starter Don Wallace (Finn Cole) is equally unhappy as he is a northern teen dragooned into attending the school by his well-meaning Mum (Jo Hartley). His strange room-mate Willoughby (Asa Butterfield) seems to be a chronic depressive; he is being picked on by the prefect-bully Clegg (Tom Rhys Harries); and his bed was previously occupied by a Viscount, since deceased under unpleasant circumstances that no-one wants to talk about. At least he has the distraction of the upper-sixth school goddess Clemsie Lawrence (Hermione Corfield) to take his mind off his woes.
All this washes over “The Bat” – the school’s headmaster (Michael Sheen) – since he is engrossed in some shady deal with an evil corporation doing fracking in the school grounds. The fracking though seems to be doing more than just causing a few minor earth tremors, as ancient forces are unleashed.
The Review
The movie is positioned as a “comedy/horror”, along the lines of “Shaun of the Dead”. The film also has Frost and Pegg as executive producers and they also have starring roles in the film. But there the similarities really end: this is a “Cornetto film” without a cone of solid chocolate lurking at the bottom to enjoy.
The script (by director Crispian Mills and first-time screenwriter Henry Fitzherbert) is nowhere near as sharp as the Frost/Pegg scripts for their famous collaborations. The story overall makes precious little sense: it’s a hodge-podge of elements from many Harry Potter films (especially “The Chamber of Secrets”), Lindsay Anderson’s “If…”; and Roy Boulting’s “The Guinea Pig”; with also a sprinkling of the anarchic essence of Michael Palin’s classic “Tomkinson’s Schooldays”. The whole thing never manages to gel into a cohesive whole.
After the second reel, the film completely loses sight of the plot: there’s a whole lot of running, screaming and dying going on but there’s little logic behind any of it that I could fathom. What didn’t help my comprehension of what was going on were some ‘Cornetto-esque’ sequences of manic editing. Images were thrown onto the screen so subliminally that any clever nuance was lost. I’m sure at one point there was a droll (if gross) segue at a “Roman orgy” of a girl receiving oral sex before being ‘eaten out’ in an entirely different way. But you would need a Blu-ray and a frame-by-frame pause function to get the joke.
That’s not to say that I didn’t laugh a few times along the way. There are some sight gags – for example, Wooten (Kit Connor) as the lad at the bottom of the bullying pecking order, chained to a U-bend – that made me laugh, and some running jokes – for example, Frost as the head of the anti-fracking camp offering the kids drugs at every encounter – that mildly amuse. But once again here’s a British comedy that, like the atrocious “The Brits are Coming“, thinks that “funny” largely revolves around swearing a lot – how useful that “frack” sounds so similar to another word – with added bodily dismemberment.
The turns
Pegg and Frost ham it up with their usual comedy schtick well enough, and it was quite fun to see Sheen try a comedy role for a change as the conniving and supercilious headmaster. Elsewhere all the young cast put their hearts into it, but it’s again Asa Butterfield that your eyes gravitate to, due to his striking features. I last saw Asa in the excellent if harrowing WW1 drama “Journey’s End“, and he here proves again that he is a One Mann’s Movies ‘name to watch for the future’.
Final thoughts
There’s a lot to irritate in this film. From the “z” in the title to… well… about 80% of the film. There is no nuance or subtlety to either the writing or the direction. I think that’s a great shame. The film has a good premise hidden in there. An adult comedy set around the ridiculous rules and rites of public schools (away from the light nonsense of “St Trinians”) is overdue. And the whole subject of fracking, and the conflicts surrounding the controversial techniques, hasn’t yet – to my knowledge – been explored in a fictional movie. The film does have a few very funny moments. But as a whole I left the cinema with that “wasted two hours” feeling. Not recommended.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Mr. Peabody and Sherman were first introduced to the world via the
1950s-1960s legendary kids cartoon "The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show." Mr.
Peabody (Ty Burell), a Nobel prize winning brainiac canine, whose
intelligence is beyond that of any human being; there is nothing this
Beagle cannot do. He was able to put his brilliant mind to use and adopt
a young boy named Sherman (Max Charles) and he also invents a time
travelling machine he calls the WABAC (pronounced way-back). He uses the
WABAC as a teaching tool by travelling back in time with Sherman to
experience some of the most famous moments in history.
On Sherman's first day school, he finds that some of the history lessons
being taught in school were not accurate to how the events actually took
place. Remember, he traveled in time and witnessed it all first hand.
Sherman finds himself clashing with his classmate Penny (Ariel Winter),
who spends most of her time teasing and bullying Sherman for 'knowing too
much' and for being raised by a dog. In an attempt to bring peace among
Sherman's classmates and to also avoid the impending threat from child
services who would like nothing more than to prove that a dog does not have
the right to raise human child, Mr. Peabody invites Penny and her parents
over to their home for dinner. Sherman tries to impress Penny by breaking
Mr. Peabody's rules and introduces Penny to the WABAC. Nothing good comes
of two kids travelling in time and disrupting the space time continuum.
Enter Mr. Peabody, who uses the WABAC to try and rectify the disruptions
that were caused by Penny and Sherman's adventure through time.
This movie is not the story of "man's best friend!" It is geared more
towards the father-son relationship. A very likeable film that brings us
back to some significant moments in history, such as Leonardo DaVinci's
painting of the Mona Lisa, the Trojan War, the time when King Tut ruled
Ancient Egypt, and the French Revolution. In true Dreamwork fashion, there
was just the perfect of amount of humor for kids and adults alike to
enjoy. What sets this movie apart from others is its ability to embrace
education as an adventure and how it challenges the 'traditional' family
stereotype and that love can be found in all creatures and at any time.
4 out of 5 stars.
1950s-1960s legendary kids cartoon "The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show." Mr.
Peabody (Ty Burell), a Nobel prize winning brainiac canine, whose
intelligence is beyond that of any human being; there is nothing this
Beagle cannot do. He was able to put his brilliant mind to use and adopt
a young boy named Sherman (Max Charles) and he also invents a time
travelling machine he calls the WABAC (pronounced way-back). He uses the
WABAC as a teaching tool by travelling back in time with Sherman to
experience some of the most famous moments in history.
On Sherman's first day school, he finds that some of the history lessons
being taught in school were not accurate to how the events actually took
place. Remember, he traveled in time and witnessed it all first hand.
Sherman finds himself clashing with his classmate Penny (Ariel Winter),
who spends most of her time teasing and bullying Sherman for 'knowing too
much' and for being raised by a dog. In an attempt to bring peace among
Sherman's classmates and to also avoid the impending threat from child
services who would like nothing more than to prove that a dog does not have
the right to raise human child, Mr. Peabody invites Penny and her parents
over to their home for dinner. Sherman tries to impress Penny by breaking
Mr. Peabody's rules and introduces Penny to the WABAC. Nothing good comes
of two kids travelling in time and disrupting the space time continuum.
Enter Mr. Peabody, who uses the WABAC to try and rectify the disruptions
that were caused by Penny and Sherman's adventure through time.
This movie is not the story of "man's best friend!" It is geared more
towards the father-son relationship. A very likeable film that brings us
back to some significant moments in history, such as Leonardo DaVinci's
painting of the Mona Lisa, the Trojan War, the time when King Tut ruled
Ancient Egypt, and the French Revolution. In true Dreamwork fashion, there
was just the perfect of amount of humor for kids and adults alike to
enjoy. What sets this movie apart from others is its ability to embrace
education as an adventure and how it challenges the 'traditional' family
stereotype and that love can be found in all creatures and at any time.
4 out of 5 stars.
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated The Seven Deadly Sins in TV
Jul 6, 2020
No Sins Deadlier - 8/10
The Seven Deadly Sins anime was created by A-1 Pictures and directed by Tensai Okamura. It was written by Shotaro Suga with Keigo Sasaki providing character designs and music by Hiroyuki Sawano. (Season1) The second season which is actually 4 television specials or episodes featured a story by Nakaba Suzuki. It was produced by A-1 Pictures and directed by Tomokazu Tokoro, Season 2 was also written by Yuniko Ayana and Yuichiro Kido, with character designs by Keigo Sasaki and music by Hiroyuki Sawano and Takafumi Wada. (Season2) Season 3 was an actual 24 episode season again with some changes to the creative team as well. Takeshi Furuta and Takao Yoshioka replaced Tensai Okamura and Shotaro Suga as director and series composer while most first season staff members to reprise their roles.
Once an active group of knights in the region of Britannia, "The Seven Deadly Sins" disbanded after supposedly plotting to overthrow the Liones Kingdom. Their defeat was believed to have been at the hands of the Holy Knights of Liones however persistent rumors continued that they were alive. Ten years later, the third princess, Elizabeth, begins her journey to find the "Seven Deadly Sins". She must get their help to save the Kingdom of Liones from the corrupt Holy Knights and those who plan to take over the kingdom.
This is a really great anime series. I can't believe it took me so long to get around to finishing it. They really left us hanging, waiting for season 2, and when Netflix released those 4 episodes as a whole season I was really confused. I was told by other fans of the series not to even watch them but to also not worry. A real season 2, or in this case season 3 was in the works and on the way. And not only were they right but a full length anime film released not long after. Anyways, sorry for getting off topic. The first thing I have to say when talking about this series is that there is a lot of "fan service". If you are not familiar with the term, in general fan service refers to scenes designed to excite or entice the viewer, usually of a racy or sexual nature. If that bothers you, this series is not for you. But if you can get past that there is a fantastical land of magic and knights with an epic tale of adventure waiting. At first I didn't like the character designs because to me the faces were very different from what I was use to at the time but then they grew on me and didn't seem to bother me as much. There are a lot of different looking characters, which I really enjoy seeing in anime, which was a plus to me. They also had a very interesting group dynamic since they were all based off of the seven deadly sins. There was good chemistry between the characters and a lot of camaraderie. I really enjoyed the enemies that they encountered in antagonist as well. Overall I give this series a 8/10.
If you liked this anime, after watching the entire series then watch the movie The Seven Deadly Sins Movie: Prisoners of the Sky.
Once an active group of knights in the region of Britannia, "The Seven Deadly Sins" disbanded after supposedly plotting to overthrow the Liones Kingdom. Their defeat was believed to have been at the hands of the Holy Knights of Liones however persistent rumors continued that they were alive. Ten years later, the third princess, Elizabeth, begins her journey to find the "Seven Deadly Sins". She must get their help to save the Kingdom of Liones from the corrupt Holy Knights and those who plan to take over the kingdom.
This is a really great anime series. I can't believe it took me so long to get around to finishing it. They really left us hanging, waiting for season 2, and when Netflix released those 4 episodes as a whole season I was really confused. I was told by other fans of the series not to even watch them but to also not worry. A real season 2, or in this case season 3 was in the works and on the way. And not only were they right but a full length anime film released not long after. Anyways, sorry for getting off topic. The first thing I have to say when talking about this series is that there is a lot of "fan service". If you are not familiar with the term, in general fan service refers to scenes designed to excite or entice the viewer, usually of a racy or sexual nature. If that bothers you, this series is not for you. But if you can get past that there is a fantastical land of magic and knights with an epic tale of adventure waiting. At first I didn't like the character designs because to me the faces were very different from what I was use to at the time but then they grew on me and didn't seem to bother me as much. There are a lot of different looking characters, which I really enjoy seeing in anime, which was a plus to me. They also had a very interesting group dynamic since they were all based off of the seven deadly sins. There was good chemistry between the characters and a lot of camaraderie. I really enjoyed the enemies that they encountered in antagonist as well. Overall I give this series a 8/10.
If you liked this anime, after watching the entire series then watch the movie The Seven Deadly Sins Movie: Prisoners of the Sky.