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A Better 'Ole: The Brilliant Bruce Bairnsfather and the First World War

Lucinda Gosling and Mary Evans Picture Library

(0 Ratings) Rate It

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The much-loved Captain Bruce Bairnsfather was the most popular cartoonist of the First World War,...

David McK (3425 KP) rated Black Widow (2021) in Movies

Aug 8, 2021

The first Marvel movie out of the stables since the start of the Worldwide Covid-19 pandemic; I believe this was originally to be released before the likes of even WandaVision (shown on Disney+).

This was alos released concurrently on Disney+ (behind a paywall) and in the cinema: indeed, this is the very reason for ScarJo's lawsuit against Disney (she says she was told it would be theatres first, then Disney+ and that she only gets a percentage of box office takings).

Anyway, all that aside: this is actually set pre-snap; the majority of it back just after the events of 'Captain America: Civil War' (and thus before 'Avengers: Infinty War'), with Natasha on the run from the US government having broken the Sokovia Accords. It's not long, however, before she receives a package from a previous safe-house (Budapest. Yes, the Budapest mentioned before with Hawkeye: 'remember Budapest?') that leads her into a further adventure, this time involving her surrogate 'family' from when she was undercover in America as a kid in the mid 1990s.

Her 'dad' (David Harbour) 'Red Guardian' steals the show, while Florence Pugh (as her younger 'sister') and Rachel Weisz (as her 'mum') also provide sterling back-up.

Plenty of action, but the film does, perhaps, fall into the common Marvel trap of having a CGI-heavy ending ...

Kudos

David McK (3425 KP) rated Snowpiercer (2013) in Movies

Aug 12, 2020

Snowpiercer (2013)

2013 | Sci-Fi

7.9

(59 Ratings)

Movie Rating

No. not the Netflix series.

The movie on which it is based.

If I'm honest, I didn't even know that there was such a thing, until I saw it pop up on Amazon Prime after having seen the trailer for the series on Netflix.

After a bit of research did nothing but say good things about both (movie and series), I thought I would give the movie a go first.

Set in the not-too-distant-future, where a science experiment to stop global warming has instead resulted in a new Ice Age, the film (and series) posits society surviving on a train that is circling the globe in perpetuity, with those in power at the front of the train (living in the lap of luxury), whilst - the further back you go - the worse conditions get. And it's at the very back of the train that we pick up, with Chris Evans (here, no Captain America!) about to lead another revolt five years after the failure of the last.

It's an interesting set-up, with some impressive (if improbable) special effects as we move up the train (and see the outside world through the windows), with Tilda Swinton stealing the show as the loathsome Minister Mason.

Now I'm off the (maybe) see what the series is like ...

Kudos

Sarah (7798 KP) rated Jojo Rabbit (2019) in Movies

Jun 10, 2020

Jojo Rabbit (2019)

2019 | Comedy, Drama, War

8.0

(40 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

Rather funny yet heartwarming

Being a huge Taika Waititi fan I had high expectations for this film and whilst I did enjoy it, it wasn't quite as amazing as I'd expected.

First of all, I expected this film to be a full on oddball comedy - I mean Hilter as his imaginary friend? However this film is a lot less oddball comedy and a lot more like Hunt for the Wilderpeople, a heartwarming drama with a few comic moments thrown in. Don't get me wrong, there are definitely laughs in this. Mostly coming from Waititi's hilarious Hilter or from Sam Rockwell's Captain who were by far my favourite characters. And Jojo himself is a lovable protagonist and well acted by Roman Griffin Davis. The problem is that the second half of the film was way too serious and while this was heartwarming and sweet at times, it became a little heavy. When Waititi and Rockwell popped up they were a very welcome comic relief.

Despite the rather heavy serious side, this is still a very lovable and entertaining film and definitely one to watch. It's rare to find a film that would have you laughing and crying in equal parts, although I do still wish it was weighted slightly more on the comic side - it definitely needed more Waititi as Hitler!