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ANTHOLOGIES AND COLLECTIONS BONDAGE AND BDSM CONTEMPORARY EROTIC ROMANCE
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Bridget Jones's Baby (2016) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
Come the F*** on Bridget… who’s the Daddy?
The world’s favourite lonely-hearts diarist is back. Bridget (Renée Zellweger) once again starts the film ‘all by herself’, haunted by occasional meetings with ex-flame Mark D’Arcy (Colin Firth) – now married to Camilla (Agni Scott) – and facing the natural discomfort of the early funeral of another friend who has died way too young. And at 43, Bridget’s biological clock is also ticking towards parental midnight.
Proving that enormous ditzyness and lack of talent need not be an impediment to a successful career, Bridget is now a top TV floor manager on a cable news station, anchored by friend Miranda (an excellent Sarah Solemani). In an effort to shake Bridget out of her malaise, Miranda takes her to a music festival (featuring some fun cameos!) where she has a one-night-stand with the delectable (speaking at least for all the women in my audience) Jack (Patrick Dempsey). Following another one-night-stand with D’Arcy and finding herself pregnant, a comedy of farce follows with one expectant mother and two prospective fathers competing for Bridget’s affections.
OK. So it’s not bloody Shakespeare. But it is an extremely well-crafted comedy, and as a British rom-com it significantly out-does many of the efforts of the rom-com king – Richard Curtis – in recent years. As a series its just amazing how many of the original cast have been reunited after 2004’s rather lacklustre “Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason”. Particularly effective are Bridget’s parents, played by the delectably Tory Gemma Jones and the ever-perfect Jim Broadbent. And Bridget’s trio of irreverent friends: Shazzer (Sally Phillips), Jude (Shirley Henderson) and Tom (James Callis) are all back. All are either well into parenthood or have impending parenthood, adding to the pressure on Bridget’s aching ovaries.
New to the cast, and brilliant in every scene she’s in, is the ever-radiant Emma Thompson as Bridget’s doctor. Is there any actress in the movies today that can deliver a comic line better-timed than Thompson? I doubt it. Just superb. And Thompson also co-wrote the screenplay, together with Bridget author Helen Fielding and – an unlikely contributor – Ali G collaborator Dan Mazer. All contribute to a sizzling script – not based on Fielding’s poorly received story – that zips along and makes the 123 minute run-time fly by. My one reservation would be – despite the film being set in the current day – lapses into internet memes like Hitler Cats and song crazes that are at least five years out of date. But I forgive that for the Colin Firth ‘Gangnam’ line, for me the funniest in the whole film.
Zellweger looks fantastic, pulling off the 4 year age difference from her character with ease. And isn’t it wonderful to see a middle-aged character as the centre of a rom-com for once? Hollywood would be well to remember that romance is not restricted to the 20-somethings. Certainly the packed cinema – filled with probably 90% (well oiled) women – certainly thought so, in what was a raucous and entertaining showing!
The music is superbly supported by an epic soundtrack of well-chosen tracks from Ellie Goulding, Years and Years, Jess Glynne, Lily Allen (with very funny adult content!) and classic oldies, all wrappered with nice themes by the brilliant and underrated Craig “Love Actually” Armstrong.
Sharon Maguire – the director of the original “Diary” – has delivered here a fun, absorbing and enormously entertaining piece of fluff that deserves to do well. And it has in the UK, making $11M in its opening weekend here and playing to packed showings. However – incomprehensibly – it has bombed in the US with only $8M coming in. Hopefully it might prove a bit of a sleeper hit there: come on America… we go to see all of the rubbish rom-coms you send over here, and this is way better than most of those!
This was a film I was determined to be sniffy about with my rating. But as a) I enjoyed it very much and b) a packed audience of women can’t be wrong…
Proving that enormous ditzyness and lack of talent need not be an impediment to a successful career, Bridget is now a top TV floor manager on a cable news station, anchored by friend Miranda (an excellent Sarah Solemani). In an effort to shake Bridget out of her malaise, Miranda takes her to a music festival (featuring some fun cameos!) where she has a one-night-stand with the delectable (speaking at least for all the women in my audience) Jack (Patrick Dempsey). Following another one-night-stand with D’Arcy and finding herself pregnant, a comedy of farce follows with one expectant mother and two prospective fathers competing for Bridget’s affections.
OK. So it’s not bloody Shakespeare. But it is an extremely well-crafted comedy, and as a British rom-com it significantly out-does many of the efforts of the rom-com king – Richard Curtis – in recent years. As a series its just amazing how many of the original cast have been reunited after 2004’s rather lacklustre “Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason”. Particularly effective are Bridget’s parents, played by the delectably Tory Gemma Jones and the ever-perfect Jim Broadbent. And Bridget’s trio of irreverent friends: Shazzer (Sally Phillips), Jude (Shirley Henderson) and Tom (James Callis) are all back. All are either well into parenthood or have impending parenthood, adding to the pressure on Bridget’s aching ovaries.
New to the cast, and brilliant in every scene she’s in, is the ever-radiant Emma Thompson as Bridget’s doctor. Is there any actress in the movies today that can deliver a comic line better-timed than Thompson? I doubt it. Just superb. And Thompson also co-wrote the screenplay, together with Bridget author Helen Fielding and – an unlikely contributor – Ali G collaborator Dan Mazer. All contribute to a sizzling script – not based on Fielding’s poorly received story – that zips along and makes the 123 minute run-time fly by. My one reservation would be – despite the film being set in the current day – lapses into internet memes like Hitler Cats and song crazes that are at least five years out of date. But I forgive that for the Colin Firth ‘Gangnam’ line, for me the funniest in the whole film.
Zellweger looks fantastic, pulling off the 4 year age difference from her character with ease. And isn’t it wonderful to see a middle-aged character as the centre of a rom-com for once? Hollywood would be well to remember that romance is not restricted to the 20-somethings. Certainly the packed cinema – filled with probably 90% (well oiled) women – certainly thought so, in what was a raucous and entertaining showing!
The music is superbly supported by an epic soundtrack of well-chosen tracks from Ellie Goulding, Years and Years, Jess Glynne, Lily Allen (with very funny adult content!) and classic oldies, all wrappered with nice themes by the brilliant and underrated Craig “Love Actually” Armstrong.
Sharon Maguire – the director of the original “Diary” – has delivered here a fun, absorbing and enormously entertaining piece of fluff that deserves to do well. And it has in the UK, making $11M in its opening weekend here and playing to packed showings. However – incomprehensibly – it has bombed in the US with only $8M coming in. Hopefully it might prove a bit of a sleeper hit there: come on America… we go to see all of the rubbish rom-coms you send over here, and this is way better than most of those!
This was a film I was determined to be sniffy about with my rating. But as a) I enjoyed it very much and b) a packed audience of women can’t be wrong…
Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba The Movie: Mugen Train (2020) in Movies
Oct 6, 2021
Exceptional animation (2 more)
Insanely cool villains
Rengoku is the MVP
Tanjiro is still too much of a crybaby (2 more)
Zenitsu's constant shouting
The lackluster writing that haunts the series is still relevant here
Drawn to a Tasty Flame
Demon Slayer: Mugen Train is mostly an incredible anime film that not only lives up to the first season of the anime, but also successfully bridges the gap between the first season and the upcoming second season.
When it comes to anime films they are generally connected to the anime television series they’re based on by featuring the same characters or taking place in the same universe. However, the movies almost always are their own stories that don’t cross paths with the stories being told in the series. Mugen Train picks up right after the first season ends.
Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke board the train Rengoku, the Flame Hashira, is already on. They’ve been summoned to the train because people keep disappearing and there’s said to be demons aboard including a demon who has supposedly killed several demon slayers. He has pawns, who are usually children, who infiltrate the dreams of Enmu’s victims that bypass their subconscious and destroy their spiritual core.
There is usually a drastic difference in animation quality between an anime series and its films, but Demon Slayer already features such impressive animation that it’s difficult to top it. Mugen Train features all of the glorious breathing and sword techniques animated to blissful perfection, but what it does differently with its animation lies within its backgrounds. Trees and water are either 3D elements or are somehow lifted from realistic backgrounds because they’re amazingly detailed and look genuine.
The main demon on the train, Enmu, utilizes 3D animation in unique ways. Going into too much detail will spoil the film and where the Enmu character is taken, but keep in mind a certain form of Enmu is animated in 3D. It’s pink, slimy, wet sounding, and gross. Enmu’s English voice actor sounds like he’s doing a Michael Jackson on South Park impersonation. Enmu has the ability to put people to sleep, but he feeds them pleasant dreams at first and then injects them full of the worst nightmares imaginable during their gruesome death. He has the ability to detach his left hand, which has one eye near its thumb and a talking mouth on the back of its palm.
The main issues you may have with the Demon Slayer series are still relevant here. Tanjiro still cries and whines about stuff way too much and the film suffers a bit too much from over explaining things; a trait most anime titles fall victim to. Zenitsu’s unbearable yelling about how much of a weakling he is gets tiresome, as well. But you knew all of this going into it.
The film makes up for its few shortcomings by having jaw-dropping action sequences and laugh out loud humor at every turn. Inosuke’s dream about being the real leader of the group and being the voice of reason when Tanjiro is too emotional to move on is both hilarious and justifiable. And Zenitsu fantasizing about being with Nezuko is too good. He also has bucked teeth in more than one person’s “good” dream, which is only funnier in the long run. Also, why does everyone seem to purposely call Tanjiro the wrong name?
The highlight of Mugen Train is Rengoku. His fight sequences are the highlight of the film, but he’s also hysterical. Rengoku will forever be associated with the term, “TASTY!” Rengoku has a fight at the end of the film that is lengthy, memorable, and just downright amazing. He talks in a bold and boisterous voice and is slightly ridiculous in nature; think All Might from My Hero Academia engulfed in fire.
Demon Slayer: Mugen Train won’t make you a fan of the franchise if you aren’t already, but it will absolutely strengthen your love for it if you’re already an established fan. It’s also an anime film that covers just about everything; it tries to tear at your heartstrings, it has two awesomely sinister villains, it has significantly kick-ass action sequences, and it further develops a supporting character you were only briefly introduced to previously. Mugen Train is outrageously funny and action packed and is an impressive feat of animation even if you aren’t an anime fan.
When it comes to anime films they are generally connected to the anime television series they’re based on by featuring the same characters or taking place in the same universe. However, the movies almost always are their own stories that don’t cross paths with the stories being told in the series. Mugen Train picks up right after the first season ends.
Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke board the train Rengoku, the Flame Hashira, is already on. They’ve been summoned to the train because people keep disappearing and there’s said to be demons aboard including a demon who has supposedly killed several demon slayers. He has pawns, who are usually children, who infiltrate the dreams of Enmu’s victims that bypass their subconscious and destroy their spiritual core.
There is usually a drastic difference in animation quality between an anime series and its films, but Demon Slayer already features such impressive animation that it’s difficult to top it. Mugen Train features all of the glorious breathing and sword techniques animated to blissful perfection, but what it does differently with its animation lies within its backgrounds. Trees and water are either 3D elements or are somehow lifted from realistic backgrounds because they’re amazingly detailed and look genuine.
The main demon on the train, Enmu, utilizes 3D animation in unique ways. Going into too much detail will spoil the film and where the Enmu character is taken, but keep in mind a certain form of Enmu is animated in 3D. It’s pink, slimy, wet sounding, and gross. Enmu’s English voice actor sounds like he’s doing a Michael Jackson on South Park impersonation. Enmu has the ability to put people to sleep, but he feeds them pleasant dreams at first and then injects them full of the worst nightmares imaginable during their gruesome death. He has the ability to detach his left hand, which has one eye near its thumb and a talking mouth on the back of its palm.
The main issues you may have with the Demon Slayer series are still relevant here. Tanjiro still cries and whines about stuff way too much and the film suffers a bit too much from over explaining things; a trait most anime titles fall victim to. Zenitsu’s unbearable yelling about how much of a weakling he is gets tiresome, as well. But you knew all of this going into it.
The film makes up for its few shortcomings by having jaw-dropping action sequences and laugh out loud humor at every turn. Inosuke’s dream about being the real leader of the group and being the voice of reason when Tanjiro is too emotional to move on is both hilarious and justifiable. And Zenitsu fantasizing about being with Nezuko is too good. He also has bucked teeth in more than one person’s “good” dream, which is only funnier in the long run. Also, why does everyone seem to purposely call Tanjiro the wrong name?
The highlight of Mugen Train is Rengoku. His fight sequences are the highlight of the film, but he’s also hysterical. Rengoku will forever be associated with the term, “TASTY!” Rengoku has a fight at the end of the film that is lengthy, memorable, and just downright amazing. He talks in a bold and boisterous voice and is slightly ridiculous in nature; think All Might from My Hero Academia engulfed in fire.
Demon Slayer: Mugen Train won’t make you a fan of the franchise if you aren’t already, but it will absolutely strengthen your love for it if you’re already an established fan. It’s also an anime film that covers just about everything; it tries to tear at your heartstrings, it has two awesomely sinister villains, it has significantly kick-ass action sequences, and it further develops a supporting character you were only briefly introduced to previously. Mugen Train is outrageously funny and action packed and is an impressive feat of animation even if you aren’t an anime fan.
Fred (860 KP) rated Most Haunted in TV
Jan 31, 2019
This is still on?
I am writing this review, as I could not believe this show is still airing. Although none of you probably even heard of it, or are of the misfortune to have only seen the newer episodes
When this show started in 2002, I used to download it from the internet & I watched with my friend & my brother. I believe it was the first of these "ghost hunting" shows, or at least it was the first I ever heard of. We watched because it was funny. I think my brother believed in ghosts, but we mainly watched because it was hilarious. The show's "star" Yvette, used to scream at every little thing. She was just an observer at first & seemed skeptical, but was always scared out of her mind. The show's real star was Derek Acorah. Derek was the team's medium, who would talk to the spirits through his personal guide in the afterlife, Sam. Derek would act like Sam was talking to him & Derek would make statements like "Let him in, Sam!" or "Keep him back, Sam!" The show was enjoyable because it seemed like they were really trying to look for ghosts. And I have little doubt that Yvette thought the show was for-real at the beginning. Sometimes they would find something, sometimes not. Derek would almost always find something, even something minor. All mediums do (because they're all fakes), but it was at least entertaining.
A few years into the show, and Yvette starts to get stuck-up. She's no longer the scaredy cat she was. She's now standing up to the ghosts. This is because she knows there are no such things as ghosts. Sure, she still screams here & there, but it's all fake now. "Oh, something touched me!" or "Oh, I heard a knock!" And now, the team finds something every episode (just like all these shows do, because they're full of shit). But you can also tell by this time, she's jealous of Derek & the fact that he's much more popular than she is. And so, she sets up a plot to discredit Derek & out him as a fake, which is easy, because he is a fake. And she knows it, because she's a fake. She does this with other members of the show & Derek leaves the show to be replaced by another fake medium (again, they're all fake). This is when I stopped watching the show. To set someone up, who you know is fake, while you are also fake, is despicable.
Anyway, I see today that the show is on Travel Channel. I put it on & it's an episode from 2007. Derek is not on the show & the replacement fake is on. I watch to see what it's like. Still the same B.S., still fake. Yvette is still fake screaming. The episode is full of the same fake nonsense, like where someone off camera drops something or knocks on something & they react like it was a ghost. There's one difference I notice now though. Yvette is somehow sensitive to the ghosts now. She can feel the energy around her now. Hahahaha! Yeah, okay. Anyway, during the episode, we hear a thumping sound. Yvette mentions "It sounds like a heartbeat." and the other phonies agree.
Then, there's another episode. This one from 2014, 7 years later. Same stuff going on. In fact, at one point, there is a thumping sound. And once again Yvette say "It sounds like a heartbeat." HAHAHA!
But even more fascinating, the show is still on! After that episode aired, they show a new episode that just aired in England a few days ago. And the same crap is still going on.
Now, we have a slew of these shows. Each one ripped this one off & each one lies and fakes just like this one. They all deserve no stars, but I am giving Most Haunted 3, because it was entertaining and watchable thanks to Derek. Yes, watchable until Yvette's head got too big, for being a fake. If you're into the night-vision, everywhere is haunted, fake gadget, noise & voices can only be ghost shows that clutter TV now, you can thank this show for starting it all. Some can be entertaining, but most are just fake science, masquerading as the real thing.
When this show started in 2002, I used to download it from the internet & I watched with my friend & my brother. I believe it was the first of these "ghost hunting" shows, or at least it was the first I ever heard of. We watched because it was funny. I think my brother believed in ghosts, but we mainly watched because it was hilarious. The show's "star" Yvette, used to scream at every little thing. She was just an observer at first & seemed skeptical, but was always scared out of her mind. The show's real star was Derek Acorah. Derek was the team's medium, who would talk to the spirits through his personal guide in the afterlife, Sam. Derek would act like Sam was talking to him & Derek would make statements like "Let him in, Sam!" or "Keep him back, Sam!" The show was enjoyable because it seemed like they were really trying to look for ghosts. And I have little doubt that Yvette thought the show was for-real at the beginning. Sometimes they would find something, sometimes not. Derek would almost always find something, even something minor. All mediums do (because they're all fakes), but it was at least entertaining.
A few years into the show, and Yvette starts to get stuck-up. She's no longer the scaredy cat she was. She's now standing up to the ghosts. This is because she knows there are no such things as ghosts. Sure, she still screams here & there, but it's all fake now. "Oh, something touched me!" or "Oh, I heard a knock!" And now, the team finds something every episode (just like all these shows do, because they're full of shit). But you can also tell by this time, she's jealous of Derek & the fact that he's much more popular than she is. And so, she sets up a plot to discredit Derek & out him as a fake, which is easy, because he is a fake. And she knows it, because she's a fake. She does this with other members of the show & Derek leaves the show to be replaced by another fake medium (again, they're all fake). This is when I stopped watching the show. To set someone up, who you know is fake, while you are also fake, is despicable.
Anyway, I see today that the show is on Travel Channel. I put it on & it's an episode from 2007. Derek is not on the show & the replacement fake is on. I watch to see what it's like. Still the same B.S., still fake. Yvette is still fake screaming. The episode is full of the same fake nonsense, like where someone off camera drops something or knocks on something & they react like it was a ghost. There's one difference I notice now though. Yvette is somehow sensitive to the ghosts now. She can feel the energy around her now. Hahahaha! Yeah, okay. Anyway, during the episode, we hear a thumping sound. Yvette mentions "It sounds like a heartbeat." and the other phonies agree.
Then, there's another episode. This one from 2014, 7 years later. Same stuff going on. In fact, at one point, there is a thumping sound. And once again Yvette say "It sounds like a heartbeat." HAHAHA!
But even more fascinating, the show is still on! After that episode aired, they show a new episode that just aired in England a few days ago. And the same crap is still going on.
Now, we have a slew of these shows. Each one ripped this one off & each one lies and fakes just like this one. They all deserve no stars, but I am giving Most Haunted 3, because it was entertaining and watchable thanks to Derek. Yes, watchable until Yvette's head got too big, for being a fake. If you're into the night-vision, everywhere is haunted, fake gadget, noise & voices can only be ghost shows that clutter TV now, you can thank this show for starting it all. Some can be entertaining, but most are just fake science, masquerading as the real thing.
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Downsizing (2017) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
This little film has big shoes to fill
Alexander Payne was clearly vying for Oscars attention when it came to penning the screenplay for Downsizing. And why not, he’s certainly got form in the awards department. A two-time Oscar winner with a further three nominations, his films have been bold and topical.
That topical trademark shows no signs of dissipating with Downsizing, as Payne takes on the themes of overpopulation and the effects it’ll have on us in the future. But is the resulting film one of his best works? Or are we looking at a bit of a dud?
When scientists discover how to shrink humans to five inches tall as a solution to overpopulation, Paul (Matt Damon) and his wife Audrey (Kristen Wiig) decide to abandon their cash-strapped and stressed lives in order to get small and move to a new downsized community — a choice that triggers life-changing adventures in more ways than one.
The film certainly gets off to a good start before it even begins. Just look at the cast! With Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig, Laura Dern, Christoph Waltz, Neil Patrick Harris and Jason Sudeikis being just some of the actors on the roster here, there’s certainly a lot of talent about. And things continue to look very good indeed.
Downsizing starts out great. In fact, it has one of the best first acts of any film I’ve seen as we are introduced to the concept of downsizing and the lives in which its partakers lead. Damon is a magnetic leading presence and oozes charm throughout the film. It’s also genuinely funny with a script that knows how to garner laughs from the audience without delving into unnecessary slapstick.
To look at, Downsizing is really rather lovely. Filled with clever special effects, it’s a pleasure to watch and fascinating to sit there and think about all the camera trickery required to pull it off. Watching a miniature ship pull bottles of vodka is strangely satisfying.
And then, about 45 minutes in, things start to go rapidly downhill. So downhill that I left the cinema wondering how on earth a movie that began so positively, could result in a middle and final act so disappointingly ordinary. On the journey home, I used that time to think of the reasons.
That promising script from the first act becomes so muddled it becomes nearly incomprehensible towards the end
Firstly, that talented cast I spoke about earlier is completely and utterly wasted. Outside of Damon, each of the brilliant actors is given a glorified cameo that makes little-to-no difference on the final outcome. Laura Dern is in the film for less than 3 minutes – in fact, her scene is exactly what you see in the trailer. Christoph Waltz plays a bizarre Serbian playboy who is funny and irritating in equal measure and the less said about Kristen Wiig’s part the better.
Secondly, the story just doesn’t do enough with its fascinating premise. We get a vague environmental message about the beauty of nature and the fragility of life, but the idea of downsizing and the beautiful residences of “Leisureland” are merely a shell for Damon to go from scene to scene. His adventures with Hong Chau, which make up the bulk of the overstuffed 132-minute runtime, are pleasant enough, but we want to see more of the people who have decided to shrink themselves.
Thirdly, the tone is an absolute mess. Is it a comedy? What about a drama? Perhaps a rom-com? Who knows! That promising script from the first act becomes so muddled it becomes nearly incomprehensible towards the end.
Finally, the ending is absolutely dreadful and one of the worst ever put to film. I’m not sure if Payne thought it would be a good idea to leave the movie open to a sequel but there is absolutely no payoff to the previous 130-or-so minutes whatsoever. It just falls flat.
Overall, Downsizing has a brilliant premise and a wonderfully talented cast, but each of those is wasted and that’s unforgivable. What starts out as a clever piece of social commentary about the issues we, as a species, currently face, ends up becoming one of the most ordinary films you’ll ever see and a bit of a misstep for the usually superb Alexander Payne. It’s certainly his worst film to date.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2018/01/27/downsizing-review-this-little-film-has-big-shoes-to-fill/
That topical trademark shows no signs of dissipating with Downsizing, as Payne takes on the themes of overpopulation and the effects it’ll have on us in the future. But is the resulting film one of his best works? Or are we looking at a bit of a dud?
When scientists discover how to shrink humans to five inches tall as a solution to overpopulation, Paul (Matt Damon) and his wife Audrey (Kristen Wiig) decide to abandon their cash-strapped and stressed lives in order to get small and move to a new downsized community — a choice that triggers life-changing adventures in more ways than one.
The film certainly gets off to a good start before it even begins. Just look at the cast! With Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig, Laura Dern, Christoph Waltz, Neil Patrick Harris and Jason Sudeikis being just some of the actors on the roster here, there’s certainly a lot of talent about. And things continue to look very good indeed.
Downsizing starts out great. In fact, it has one of the best first acts of any film I’ve seen as we are introduced to the concept of downsizing and the lives in which its partakers lead. Damon is a magnetic leading presence and oozes charm throughout the film. It’s also genuinely funny with a script that knows how to garner laughs from the audience without delving into unnecessary slapstick.
To look at, Downsizing is really rather lovely. Filled with clever special effects, it’s a pleasure to watch and fascinating to sit there and think about all the camera trickery required to pull it off. Watching a miniature ship pull bottles of vodka is strangely satisfying.
And then, about 45 minutes in, things start to go rapidly downhill. So downhill that I left the cinema wondering how on earth a movie that began so positively, could result in a middle and final act so disappointingly ordinary. On the journey home, I used that time to think of the reasons.
That promising script from the first act becomes so muddled it becomes nearly incomprehensible towards the end
Firstly, that talented cast I spoke about earlier is completely and utterly wasted. Outside of Damon, each of the brilliant actors is given a glorified cameo that makes little-to-no difference on the final outcome. Laura Dern is in the film for less than 3 minutes – in fact, her scene is exactly what you see in the trailer. Christoph Waltz plays a bizarre Serbian playboy who is funny and irritating in equal measure and the less said about Kristen Wiig’s part the better.
Secondly, the story just doesn’t do enough with its fascinating premise. We get a vague environmental message about the beauty of nature and the fragility of life, but the idea of downsizing and the beautiful residences of “Leisureland” are merely a shell for Damon to go from scene to scene. His adventures with Hong Chau, which make up the bulk of the overstuffed 132-minute runtime, are pleasant enough, but we want to see more of the people who have decided to shrink themselves.
Thirdly, the tone is an absolute mess. Is it a comedy? What about a drama? Perhaps a rom-com? Who knows! That promising script from the first act becomes so muddled it becomes nearly incomprehensible towards the end.
Finally, the ending is absolutely dreadful and one of the worst ever put to film. I’m not sure if Payne thought it would be a good idea to leave the movie open to a sequel but there is absolutely no payoff to the previous 130-or-so minutes whatsoever. It just falls flat.
Overall, Downsizing has a brilliant premise and a wonderfully talented cast, but each of those is wasted and that’s unforgivable. What starts out as a clever piece of social commentary about the issues we, as a species, currently face, ends up becoming one of the most ordinary films you’ll ever see and a bit of a misstep for the usually superb Alexander Payne. It’s certainly his worst film to date.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2018/01/27/downsizing-review-this-little-film-has-big-shoes-to-fill/
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Sagrada in Tabletop Games
Jun 12, 2019
One of the best parts of the board gaming experience is finding a fun group of people with whom to play! Sometimes, though, coordinating a game night is easier said than done. We all must occasionally forego the group experience and face the world as the Lonely Only. But fear not! The world of solo-play is a vast and exciting realm! What follows is a chronicle of my journey into the solo-playing world – notes on gameplay, mechanics, rules, difficulty, and overall experience with solo variations of commonly multiplayer games! I hope this will provide some insight as you continue to grow your collection, or explore your already owned games!
In Sagrada, you are an artist who has been tasked with creating a beautiful stained glass window. Working piece by piece, you build a masterpiece – the likes of which have never before been witnessed. Finding the perfect pieces can be tricky, but through careful use of your tools and with your artistic vision, you can create the best window in the town! The game is played over 10 rounds in which players draft dice and place them in their windows, following certain placement restrictions. A set number of tools are available for use, and can aid you in manipulating the dice to your benefit. Points are scored based on successful completion of private and public objectives, and the player with the highest score at the end of 10 drafting rounds is the winner!
My favorite part about playing Sagrada solo is that the game is essentially played the same way, regardless of player count. The only difference is how you win! In both group and solo play, each player will draft two dice every round. In group play, any leftover dice are discarded, while in solo play, the remaining two dice will be added towards the Target Score – the score you are trying to beat at the end of the game! To find the Target Score, you add all of the die values of your unused dice from each round. If, at the end of the 10 rounds, you have earned more points than the Target Score, you win! But if the Target Score is higher than your final score, you lose.
The game play differences are simple enough, but actually winning the game solo is a different story. I have played Sagrada solo quite a bit, and have won maybe 25% of the time. Depending on which window card and objectives are in play, and because of placement restrictions, I often have to sacrifice high-valued dice to the Target Score. And since there are no placement restrictions for the Target Score, and two dice are added to it each round, it is very easy for that score to sky-rocket. I either barely pull off a win, or I lose by a huge margin. Playing in a group is nicer in this regard because the other players have the same placement restrictions that I have – nobody is just getting points for free. Without the Target Score, there really is no way to play Sagrada solo, but it makes the game feel a little imbalanced to me.
Just because it is difficult to win solo does not mean that I do not like the game. It requires quite a bit of strategy, and that keeps me engaged for the entire game. There are dice placement restrictions based on color AND value, so there are two different ways in which you have to constantly be strategizing. You can’t just focus on either value or color – your strategy must always be changing based on which color dice are drawn and what values are subsequently rolled. Even with the amount of strategy required, Sagrada actually plays pretty quickly as a solo game, and I really like that. I like the challenge of this game, and often try to play until I can win. Since I can finish an entire solo game in probably 10-15 minutes, I am able to get multiple plays in a row!
Sagrada is a challenging game to play solo, but not in a way that feels futile. I don’t win a lot, but the strategic implications and the pretty dice colors are what keep me coming back to this game! If you haven’t tried Sagrada solo yet, I’d encourage you to give it a shot. But be warned – you might not always win.
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/02/26/solo-chronicles-sagrada/
In Sagrada, you are an artist who has been tasked with creating a beautiful stained glass window. Working piece by piece, you build a masterpiece – the likes of which have never before been witnessed. Finding the perfect pieces can be tricky, but through careful use of your tools and with your artistic vision, you can create the best window in the town! The game is played over 10 rounds in which players draft dice and place them in their windows, following certain placement restrictions. A set number of tools are available for use, and can aid you in manipulating the dice to your benefit. Points are scored based on successful completion of private and public objectives, and the player with the highest score at the end of 10 drafting rounds is the winner!
My favorite part about playing Sagrada solo is that the game is essentially played the same way, regardless of player count. The only difference is how you win! In both group and solo play, each player will draft two dice every round. In group play, any leftover dice are discarded, while in solo play, the remaining two dice will be added towards the Target Score – the score you are trying to beat at the end of the game! To find the Target Score, you add all of the die values of your unused dice from each round. If, at the end of the 10 rounds, you have earned more points than the Target Score, you win! But if the Target Score is higher than your final score, you lose.
The game play differences are simple enough, but actually winning the game solo is a different story. I have played Sagrada solo quite a bit, and have won maybe 25% of the time. Depending on which window card and objectives are in play, and because of placement restrictions, I often have to sacrifice high-valued dice to the Target Score. And since there are no placement restrictions for the Target Score, and two dice are added to it each round, it is very easy for that score to sky-rocket. I either barely pull off a win, or I lose by a huge margin. Playing in a group is nicer in this regard because the other players have the same placement restrictions that I have – nobody is just getting points for free. Without the Target Score, there really is no way to play Sagrada solo, but it makes the game feel a little imbalanced to me.
Just because it is difficult to win solo does not mean that I do not like the game. It requires quite a bit of strategy, and that keeps me engaged for the entire game. There are dice placement restrictions based on color AND value, so there are two different ways in which you have to constantly be strategizing. You can’t just focus on either value or color – your strategy must always be changing based on which color dice are drawn and what values are subsequently rolled. Even with the amount of strategy required, Sagrada actually plays pretty quickly as a solo game, and I really like that. I like the challenge of this game, and often try to play until I can win. Since I can finish an entire solo game in probably 10-15 minutes, I am able to get multiple plays in a row!
Sagrada is a challenging game to play solo, but not in a way that feels futile. I don’t win a lot, but the strategic implications and the pretty dice colors are what keep me coming back to this game! If you haven’t tried Sagrada solo yet, I’d encourage you to give it a shot. But be warned – you might not always win.
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/02/26/solo-chronicles-sagrada/
Inky Books (3 KP) rated A Court of Wings and Ruin in Books
Jun 21, 2018
Hello everyone. I write to you now from the deepest recesses of my mind, after just finishing this book. I want you to understand that this book tore me apart in a way that I only ever remember happening twice from a book before. Once as a young girl, maybe thirteen years old, and the other more recently, not long before my most recent birthday.
And I always have such a hard time explaining why, exactly, I feel the way the way I do about these heart wrenching books. They become my friends, as real in my mind, as steady, as supportive as some of the people I had the very good fortune to know in my own real life.
I explain this now because these characters felt this real for me. Even more real than some of the friends I have, even now. So, when I say this book ripped me to pieces, I knew these people going through these events were my friends and that I was standing with them.
The ability to let me flawlessly fit into this world, next to these characters, that is truly amazing writing.
Or at least, mostly amazing.
I’ll start there. Nothing is ever perfect, even the work of professional, bestselling authors and editors. There were flaws, words reused to many times, descriptions that never seemed to change. That, however, is very minor considering the complexly simple plot that is weaved throughout each book in the series, as well as the rest of the writing which is better than I have ever been able to produce myself.
The plot, so complex yet so simple. It is so clearly written, not at all muddled, that everything that happened was exactly what Sarah J. Maas wanted me to imagine. Yet there was a complexity to everything, so many steps had to be taken in the right order at the right time for everything in the book to play exactly right. It is laid out so perfectly, so wonderfuly.
The characters though, they are what cause me to love this series so much. Feyre, well, I can’t help but see myself in her. So young but with such a need to make a difference, to help and protect while also so unsure of myself in ways that I never fully understand.
What is it about Sarah J. Maas that makes fea males so flipping desirable? Seriously, first Rowan in Throne of Glass, now Rhys. What the hell? Why can’t I have one of them? Rhys is like a shadow in the night, terrifying until around Feyre, then suddenly a cute little fluffy bat takes his place on her shoulder saying “fear me!” At least, that’s how I see the super powerful high lord.
I really want one.
And the ending, well, I’ll leave much of that to the spoilers that I’ll post on Goodreads. However, it really was the part that pulled me to pieces. I cried and almost closed the book and didn’t finish it. I continued on, hoping to find some sort of something to remedy it. That part alone made me realize how deeply invested I was. I knew, no matter how this book ended, that I would give a five-star rating once I reached that point. Even if the end made me angry. Tt was so worth it.
I know there will be at least three more books in this series, but no one knows if the characters that many have come to love in these books will be in the next, let alone give us something more of the ending. It has been suggested that the next book won’t be about them, and I’m not sure if they will even appear.
I beg for the one thing I probably beg more than anything else when it comes to books, an ending more than the one that was given. I need more! If I don’t get something in the next books I might actually go crazy. I guess I’ll just have to wait for the novella to tie up some of the things I want to see.
I’m sorry if this review feels less like a review and more like me ranting my feelings at you. It really is a wonderful series and I really suggest it to anyone, especially if you liked Throne of Glass. It is less complex than Thorne of Glass, but that’s simply because there are three more books (if you count the four novellas as one book) than ACOTAR.
And I always have such a hard time explaining why, exactly, I feel the way the way I do about these heart wrenching books. They become my friends, as real in my mind, as steady, as supportive as some of the people I had the very good fortune to know in my own real life.
I explain this now because these characters felt this real for me. Even more real than some of the friends I have, even now. So, when I say this book ripped me to pieces, I knew these people going through these events were my friends and that I was standing with them.
The ability to let me flawlessly fit into this world, next to these characters, that is truly amazing writing.
Or at least, mostly amazing.
I’ll start there. Nothing is ever perfect, even the work of professional, bestselling authors and editors. There were flaws, words reused to many times, descriptions that never seemed to change. That, however, is very minor considering the complexly simple plot that is weaved throughout each book in the series, as well as the rest of the writing which is better than I have ever been able to produce myself.
The plot, so complex yet so simple. It is so clearly written, not at all muddled, that everything that happened was exactly what Sarah J. Maas wanted me to imagine. Yet there was a complexity to everything, so many steps had to be taken in the right order at the right time for everything in the book to play exactly right. It is laid out so perfectly, so wonderfuly.
The characters though, they are what cause me to love this series so much. Feyre, well, I can’t help but see myself in her. So young but with such a need to make a difference, to help and protect while also so unsure of myself in ways that I never fully understand.
What is it about Sarah J. Maas that makes fea males so flipping desirable? Seriously, first Rowan in Throne of Glass, now Rhys. What the hell? Why can’t I have one of them? Rhys is like a shadow in the night, terrifying until around Feyre, then suddenly a cute little fluffy bat takes his place on her shoulder saying “fear me!” At least, that’s how I see the super powerful high lord.
I really want one.
And the ending, well, I’ll leave much of that to the spoilers that I’ll post on Goodreads. However, it really was the part that pulled me to pieces. I cried and almost closed the book and didn’t finish it. I continued on, hoping to find some sort of something to remedy it. That part alone made me realize how deeply invested I was. I knew, no matter how this book ended, that I would give a five-star rating once I reached that point. Even if the end made me angry. Tt was so worth it.
I know there will be at least three more books in this series, but no one knows if the characters that many have come to love in these books will be in the next, let alone give us something more of the ending. It has been suggested that the next book won’t be about them, and I’m not sure if they will even appear.
I beg for the one thing I probably beg more than anything else when it comes to books, an ending more than the one that was given. I need more! If I don’t get something in the next books I might actually go crazy. I guess I’ll just have to wait for the novella to tie up some of the things I want to see.
I’m sorry if this review feels less like a review and more like me ranting my feelings at you. It really is a wonderful series and I really suggest it to anyone, especially if you liked Throne of Glass. It is less complex than Thorne of Glass, but that’s simply because there are three more books (if you count the four novellas as one book) than ACOTAR.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated the PlayStation 4 version of Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
When news first arrived that the crash empire would be releasing a new game. The whole world went nuts. It was a childhood favourite for so many households across the world. It was rolled out onto the PS4 platform on the 30th of June 2017. It smashed pre sale records, with tons of people choosing to put a deposit down in order of not missing the game. It consists of three of the crash games; Crash Bandicoot, Cortex Strikes Back, and Warped. The three most iconic of the crash series. All three had a major face lift, which was going to be obvious due to sheer jump in technology and graphics we’ve had. Yet nothing about the actual game has really changed. The levels, characters, and sounds have all stayed the same. Here’s a review of what the game was like to play.
Game Play
The first thing that a lot of people pointed out is, the game is hard to play. Well, harder than when most of us were kids and attempting it. But this shouldn’t be classed as a negative. It added excitement to the game, and if anything, made game play last longer. The graphics were incredible. Everything was so sharp and defined, it really made the characters and scenery pop to life. It also sort of made the game easier to play. Although the levels were hard, moving through them was easy. There were no annoying glitches, the characters were extra responsive to movements, and it really just had a smoother feeling compared to its very older brother. This game was review on a standard PS4, the graphics would have been 10x better on a custom gaming pc, it would have been interesting to compare the difference.
The attention to detail that Vicarious Visions (the developer) has gone to is outstanding. One huge improvement is the enemies. In the first lot of the three games, the enemies were always so hard to kill. It is very noticeable that in the new series, enemies move more fluidly, and are easier to kill or dodge. There’s no lag what so ever during the game which is perfect. The sounds are also crisper, with additional noises such as feet crunching on the floor, or the wind blowing have been added. It doesn’t affect gameplay, but it’s a nice additional touch. The best of the three games is definitely Cortex Strikes Back, it’s much more fun, crash is able to move around better, and it’s just generally more engaging.
Characters
All of the original characters still appear in the new games. There’s Aku Aku, the mask that appears making the funny noise. Crush, Crunch, Coco, Doctor Neo Cortex to name but a few. As with the scenery of the game, they’ve all had a little face lift too. It’s so much easier to see the features of the character’s. They look so crisp and clear in the HD platform. They all play exactly the same role as they did in the beginning, and seeing them all together in a high definition view really offers something nostalgic. Crash still remains the main character throughout the game.
Price
The price of the game when first released was around $35-$55 depending on which store you got it from. It has now rapidly reduced to around $20-$30. There’s also cool collectable extras to take a look at. You can get model figures of most of the main crash characters from the internet. If you can collect all of them, they might be worth something a little more in the future!
Negatives
There’s only two negatives of this game. One being the fact it is only available on the PS4 platform. Many xbox lovers weren’t too happy about this, but at the same time, crash has always been on playstation. It wouldn’t be right to release it on all platforms. If they had done however, there profit could have been exponential compared to what it was. Although this didn’t have PS4 lover’s complaining. The second issue is just how damn hard the levels were. Yes it’s good to have a little bit of a challenge, but not three whole games worth of rock solid challenges. It did anger a lot of people, especially parents. The game was simply just too hard to play for some children. I think if they had the chance to do it again, they should have options that let you choose game play difficulty. That way it’ll be suitable for all ages. But even so, the game did need to be toned down a bit.
http://sknr.net/2017/10/11/crash-bandicoot-n-sane-trilogy-review/
Game Play
The first thing that a lot of people pointed out is, the game is hard to play. Well, harder than when most of us were kids and attempting it. But this shouldn’t be classed as a negative. It added excitement to the game, and if anything, made game play last longer. The graphics were incredible. Everything was so sharp and defined, it really made the characters and scenery pop to life. It also sort of made the game easier to play. Although the levels were hard, moving through them was easy. There were no annoying glitches, the characters were extra responsive to movements, and it really just had a smoother feeling compared to its very older brother. This game was review on a standard PS4, the graphics would have been 10x better on a custom gaming pc, it would have been interesting to compare the difference.
The attention to detail that Vicarious Visions (the developer) has gone to is outstanding. One huge improvement is the enemies. In the first lot of the three games, the enemies were always so hard to kill. It is very noticeable that in the new series, enemies move more fluidly, and are easier to kill or dodge. There’s no lag what so ever during the game which is perfect. The sounds are also crisper, with additional noises such as feet crunching on the floor, or the wind blowing have been added. It doesn’t affect gameplay, but it’s a nice additional touch. The best of the three games is definitely Cortex Strikes Back, it’s much more fun, crash is able to move around better, and it’s just generally more engaging.
Characters
All of the original characters still appear in the new games. There’s Aku Aku, the mask that appears making the funny noise. Crush, Crunch, Coco, Doctor Neo Cortex to name but a few. As with the scenery of the game, they’ve all had a little face lift too. It’s so much easier to see the features of the character’s. They look so crisp and clear in the HD platform. They all play exactly the same role as they did in the beginning, and seeing them all together in a high definition view really offers something nostalgic. Crash still remains the main character throughout the game.
Price
The price of the game when first released was around $35-$55 depending on which store you got it from. It has now rapidly reduced to around $20-$30. There’s also cool collectable extras to take a look at. You can get model figures of most of the main crash characters from the internet. If you can collect all of them, they might be worth something a little more in the future!
Negatives
There’s only two negatives of this game. One being the fact it is only available on the PS4 platform. Many xbox lovers weren’t too happy about this, but at the same time, crash has always been on playstation. It wouldn’t be right to release it on all platforms. If they had done however, there profit could have been exponential compared to what it was. Although this didn’t have PS4 lover’s complaining. The second issue is just how damn hard the levels were. Yes it’s good to have a little bit of a challenge, but not three whole games worth of rock solid challenges. It did anger a lot of people, especially parents. The game was simply just too hard to play for some children. I think if they had the chance to do it again, they should have options that let you choose game play difficulty. That way it’ll be suitable for all ages. But even so, the game did need to be toned down a bit.
http://sknr.net/2017/10/11/crash-bandicoot-n-sane-trilogy-review/
Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Transformers (2007) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019 (Updated Jun 22, 2019)
Transformers being made into a live action film sounds like every fan's dream come true on paper, but throw Michael Bay into the equation and you lose a good portion of that audience. Bay is a director who tends to rely solely on action sequences. He's known for creating superb and intense scenes in his films, but they always rely on heavy explosions or pure destruction. That's not to say that's a bad thing, but it's hard to name a memorable scene in a Michael Bay film that doesn't include those elements. Everything else in his films (the story, the dialogue, the initial scenes that bridge the gap between each action sequence, etc) all seem to be lacking that extra spark his action sequences have. So those doubts carried over to Transformers and Bay's version seems to be more enjoyable for people who aren't rabid fans of the franchise.
The film revolves around the Autobots fighting off the Decepticons from gaining possession of the Allspark, which has the power to save them from extinction or grant them ultimate power. Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots, is trying to save Cybertron (their home planet) while Megatron, the leader of the Decepticons, wants to conquer the universe and will do whatever it takes to accomplish that goal. In 1935, Megatron had found the Allspark on Earth in the Arctic Ocean, but was eventually frozen in his quest to capture it. Megatron used the last of his energy to embed the location of the Allspark in the glasses of a captain who accidentally found Megatron buried deep beneath the ice. That captain was the great, great grandfather of Sam Witwicky who is now in possession of said glasses. In the present day, Sam's father buys Sam his first car; a yellow Camaro which turns out to be Autobot, Bumblebee. As the Transformers arrive on Earth, their first objectives are to find Sam Witwicky, acquire possession of the glasses, and hopefully attain an advantage over their enemy.
The movie relies solely on giant robots fighting each other to be the selling point of the film, so if you're expecting much else story-wise then you'll probably walk away from the film disappointed. The special effects are top notch as the Transformers themselves look incredibly realistic. Scenes in other films that rely heavily on characters that are purely computer generated have a sense of being unrealistic since it's usually noticeable that the actors on screen are reacting to something that isn't really there. CGI characters don't usually look this good though. Most of the time, when the actors interact with the computer generated characters, those actors also become computer generated. Like when Doctor Octopus carries Mary Jane up a skyscraper after kidnapping her from the coffee shop in Spider-Man 2 is a great example. They're both noticeably computer generated. While in Transformers, the actors either weren't CGI or the effect was achieved to a greater degree because it looked phenomenal and believable the entire time. As believable as transforming robots can be anyway. The fight scenes between the Autobots and the Decepticons are where the movie hooks its audience though. There is so much going on that the movie requires multiple viewings just to see everything that's going on.
While Transformers is an incredibly fun ride, it does have its down side. The humor of the film is often on the cheesy side and not really funny at all ("I NEED A CREDIT CARD," the entire Glen Whitmann character, Jazz's dialogue, "This is easily 100 times cooler than Armageddon," etc). A trait that seems to carry over into Revenge of the Fallen as the same sense of humor is in the trailer footage. Another issue is the action scenes. While they are intriguing, they're also incredibly confusing most of the time. The camera is almost always too close during those sequences and telling the difference between an Autobot and a Decepticon while they're rolling around in the air is near impossible. The camera looks like it's pulled out a bit in Revenge of the Fallen, so hopefully that problem has been addressed and taken care of. Looks like we'll find out June 24th.
Despite hardcore Transformers fans being displeased (to say the least) with the film, it can't be denied that the 2007 film was one of the biggest blockbuster films at the box office that year. Transformers is exciting and action packed from beginning to end. It is basically a two and a half hour adrenaline rush. So, bottom line, see Transformers if you're looking for an action packed adventure that'll make your heart race and put you on the edge of your seat.
The film revolves around the Autobots fighting off the Decepticons from gaining possession of the Allspark, which has the power to save them from extinction or grant them ultimate power. Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots, is trying to save Cybertron (their home planet) while Megatron, the leader of the Decepticons, wants to conquer the universe and will do whatever it takes to accomplish that goal. In 1935, Megatron had found the Allspark on Earth in the Arctic Ocean, but was eventually frozen in his quest to capture it. Megatron used the last of his energy to embed the location of the Allspark in the glasses of a captain who accidentally found Megatron buried deep beneath the ice. That captain was the great, great grandfather of Sam Witwicky who is now in possession of said glasses. In the present day, Sam's father buys Sam his first car; a yellow Camaro which turns out to be Autobot, Bumblebee. As the Transformers arrive on Earth, their first objectives are to find Sam Witwicky, acquire possession of the glasses, and hopefully attain an advantage over their enemy.
The movie relies solely on giant robots fighting each other to be the selling point of the film, so if you're expecting much else story-wise then you'll probably walk away from the film disappointed. The special effects are top notch as the Transformers themselves look incredibly realistic. Scenes in other films that rely heavily on characters that are purely computer generated have a sense of being unrealistic since it's usually noticeable that the actors on screen are reacting to something that isn't really there. CGI characters don't usually look this good though. Most of the time, when the actors interact with the computer generated characters, those actors also become computer generated. Like when Doctor Octopus carries Mary Jane up a skyscraper after kidnapping her from the coffee shop in Spider-Man 2 is a great example. They're both noticeably computer generated. While in Transformers, the actors either weren't CGI or the effect was achieved to a greater degree because it looked phenomenal and believable the entire time. As believable as transforming robots can be anyway. The fight scenes between the Autobots and the Decepticons are where the movie hooks its audience though. There is so much going on that the movie requires multiple viewings just to see everything that's going on.
While Transformers is an incredibly fun ride, it does have its down side. The humor of the film is often on the cheesy side and not really funny at all ("I NEED A CREDIT CARD," the entire Glen Whitmann character, Jazz's dialogue, "This is easily 100 times cooler than Armageddon," etc). A trait that seems to carry over into Revenge of the Fallen as the same sense of humor is in the trailer footage. Another issue is the action scenes. While they are intriguing, they're also incredibly confusing most of the time. The camera is almost always too close during those sequences and telling the difference between an Autobot and a Decepticon while they're rolling around in the air is near impossible. The camera looks like it's pulled out a bit in Revenge of the Fallen, so hopefully that problem has been addressed and taken care of. Looks like we'll find out June 24th.
Despite hardcore Transformers fans being displeased (to say the least) with the film, it can't be denied that the 2007 film was one of the biggest blockbuster films at the box office that year. Transformers is exciting and action packed from beginning to end. It is basically a two and a half hour adrenaline rush. So, bottom line, see Transformers if you're looking for an action packed adventure that'll make your heart race and put you on the edge of your seat.
Darren (1599 KP) rated A Time to Kill (1996) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: A Time to Kill starts a we see 10-year-old Tonya beaten and raped by Billy Ray Cobb (Katt) and James Louis Willard (Hutchison) and with the case taken to court it looks like they will get off the charge, her father Carl Lee Hailey (Jackson) takes matters into his own hands.
Carl Lee facing a double murder charge Jake Tyler Brigance (McConaughey) takes the case having to go up against powerful DA Rufus Buckley (Spacey) in what is a case fuelled with racial tension.
When the case brings the Ku Klux Klan back from grave Jake puts his own family in danger but thanks to young law student Ellen Roark (Bullock) and his mentor Lucien Wilbanks (D.Sutherland) to help him keep his business a float and win this case.
A Time to Kill is a racial driven courtroom crime thriller that touches on everything with the nice amount of time. We get left to question what you would do if you were in any of the position between the case which is a huge plus for the film. The idea that we get the racial tension going on because of how the case could be treated differently depending on the skin colour of a character also helps drive the story. when it comes to courtroom drama this is by fair one of the best out there.
Actor Review
Matthew McConaughey: Jake Tyler Brigance is a young lawyer who has taken over a small law firm from his mentor who struggles to keep the business afloat. When this case comes his way he wants to do the right thing because he knows how this can be a difficult decision and believe he can win the case against the odds. Matthew shows early on in his career he could handle the serious films in leading role.
Sandra Bullock: Ellen Roark is a young law student who has helped on many murder cases and wants to help Jake with this case to help clear Carl Lee from the charges. She has different political beliefs to him which they do class on but their passion together can drive the case. Sandra shines in this role in her early career showing how she can pull of the serious roles too.
Samuel L Jackson: Carl Lee Hailey is the man that finds his daughter beaten and raped and decides to take justice into his own hands by killing the men involved. He doesn’t care what happens to him just as long as he makes these men pay but not faces a double murder charge. Samuel is great in this role as a man who got pushed to his limits.
Kevin Spacey: D A Rufus Buckley is the cocky DA who thinks this case is a slam dunk as he knows he can get the white man’s vote on the jury and questions Jake ability in a courtroom. Kevin while playing a standard character for the villain of the courtroom hit it ot the park in every scene.
Support Cast: A Time to Kill has a supporting cast which is filled with stars in nearly every scene and each one gives a brilliant performance throughout the film.
Director Review: Joel Schumacher – Joel gives us one of his best films that balance the racial tension with the crime case perfectly.
Crime: A Time to Kill leaves us in the middle of a court case handle a sensitive subject which poses us questions on where you would stand on such a case.
Thriller: A Time to Kill does keep us one edge wondering where the next twist will come in the story be it in the courtroom or the tension building outside the courts.
Settings: A Time to Kill keeps nearly all the settings within the Louisiana town where racial tension is still strong and you can see the difference in both sides even with the same struggles.
Suggestion: A Time to Kill is one of the most must watch courtroom dramas out there with such a sensitive subject. (Must Watch)
Best Part: Closing speech.
Worst Part: Slightly long if you are being picky.
Believability: Parts could be.
Chances of Tears: No
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Budget: $40 Million
Runtime: 2 Hours 29 Minutes
Tagline: A lawyer and his assistant fighting to save a father on trial for murder. A time to question what they believe. A time to doubt what they trust. And no time for mistakes.
Overall: One of the all-time best courtroom drams out there
https://moviesreview101.com/2016/11/06/matthew-mcconaughey-weekend-a-time-to-kill-1996/
Carl Lee facing a double murder charge Jake Tyler Brigance (McConaughey) takes the case having to go up against powerful DA Rufus Buckley (Spacey) in what is a case fuelled with racial tension.
When the case brings the Ku Klux Klan back from grave Jake puts his own family in danger but thanks to young law student Ellen Roark (Bullock) and his mentor Lucien Wilbanks (D.Sutherland) to help him keep his business a float and win this case.
A Time to Kill is a racial driven courtroom crime thriller that touches on everything with the nice amount of time. We get left to question what you would do if you were in any of the position between the case which is a huge plus for the film. The idea that we get the racial tension going on because of how the case could be treated differently depending on the skin colour of a character also helps drive the story. when it comes to courtroom drama this is by fair one of the best out there.
Actor Review
Matthew McConaughey: Jake Tyler Brigance is a young lawyer who has taken over a small law firm from his mentor who struggles to keep the business afloat. When this case comes his way he wants to do the right thing because he knows how this can be a difficult decision and believe he can win the case against the odds. Matthew shows early on in his career he could handle the serious films in leading role.
Sandra Bullock: Ellen Roark is a young law student who has helped on many murder cases and wants to help Jake with this case to help clear Carl Lee from the charges. She has different political beliefs to him which they do class on but their passion together can drive the case. Sandra shines in this role in her early career showing how she can pull of the serious roles too.
Samuel L Jackson: Carl Lee Hailey is the man that finds his daughter beaten and raped and decides to take justice into his own hands by killing the men involved. He doesn’t care what happens to him just as long as he makes these men pay but not faces a double murder charge. Samuel is great in this role as a man who got pushed to his limits.
Kevin Spacey: D A Rufus Buckley is the cocky DA who thinks this case is a slam dunk as he knows he can get the white man’s vote on the jury and questions Jake ability in a courtroom. Kevin while playing a standard character for the villain of the courtroom hit it ot the park in every scene.
Support Cast: A Time to Kill has a supporting cast which is filled with stars in nearly every scene and each one gives a brilliant performance throughout the film.
Director Review: Joel Schumacher – Joel gives us one of his best films that balance the racial tension with the crime case perfectly.
Crime: A Time to Kill leaves us in the middle of a court case handle a sensitive subject which poses us questions on where you would stand on such a case.
Thriller: A Time to Kill does keep us one edge wondering where the next twist will come in the story be it in the courtroom or the tension building outside the courts.
Settings: A Time to Kill keeps nearly all the settings within the Louisiana town where racial tension is still strong and you can see the difference in both sides even with the same struggles.
Suggestion: A Time to Kill is one of the most must watch courtroom dramas out there with such a sensitive subject. (Must Watch)
Best Part: Closing speech.
Worst Part: Slightly long if you are being picky.
Believability: Parts could be.
Chances of Tears: No
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Budget: $40 Million
Runtime: 2 Hours 29 Minutes
Tagline: A lawyer and his assistant fighting to save a father on trial for murder. A time to question what they believe. A time to doubt what they trust. And no time for mistakes.
Overall: One of the all-time best courtroom drams out there
https://moviesreview101.com/2016/11/06/matthew-mcconaughey-weekend-a-time-to-kill-1996/