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JT (287 KP) rated Fast & Furious 6 (2013) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
I've been a fan of this franchise since the very first film, and while Tokyo Drift might have been a little blip, or bump in the road, there is no denying that the films have delivered box office success. Fast and Furious 6 is the second film to be left on a cliffhanger (we’ll get to that later) and delves deep into the story of the mystery surrounding Letty’s (Michelle Rodriguez) death a few films ago. I don’t regard that as a plot spoiler as it’s in the trailer. Having demolished most of Rio and now living peacefully in a country with no extradition Dom and new dad Brian think that they have put all their troubles behind them.
After the opening credits montage, agent Hobbs (Johnson) comes knocking. His offer requires all the team converge once again, this time they have to track down and capture a ruthless mercenary called Owen Shaw (Luke Evans). Hobbs and Toretto have to stand side by side working together to take down the villain. Letty of course has returned and is working for the bad guys but has no memory of her past life. If you’re a true fan then the plot will reveal more back story and as it turns out part six is practically a sequel to part four with past villains announcing a few home truths.
The film and action is set in the heart of London which, includes a car chase that defies belief, a ménage à trois of fist fights on the underground, shoot outs and a drag race that drifts through Piccadilly Circus. The action is pulsating and over the top but you shouldn’t care in the least about that. What were you expecting the film to do? Each vehicular sequence is more mind bending than the next.
Take the opening chase for example. A modified F1 style car pursued by Toretto and his crew as well as local police weaves its way through the streets with the ability to flip oncoming cars. Justin Lin who directed the last four films is well in control and more than happy to up the action.
Fast and Furious 6 is guilty of plot holes, but these will only be deconstructed by people who have nothing better to do. That said, even I was left wondering what distance the longest runway in the world was? There is a good level of humour with Tyrese Gibson’s Roman providing much of the light heartedness that the film needed. Let’s face it The Avengers had the same level of action and humour mixed and that seemed to work.
One of the dangers for this was having a cast that was pretty extensive, regrouping the team meant that there was jostling for position. But on the whole everyone has their time to shine and no one is really cast to the shadows. Evans does a good job as the main antagonist and Gina Carano also proves her worth after the abject Haywire a few years back.
Fast and Furious 7 takes place back in LA after the events of this film and has a teasing post credit sequence that will bait those fans to come back once again. James Wan steps into the directors chair for the seventh film switching from the comfort of the horror genre. I found Fast and Furious 6 to be a highly entertaining film, and you’ll need to check your brain in at the door. To quote a cliché it ‘does what it says on the tin’, and doesn’t take itself too seriously.
After the opening credits montage, agent Hobbs (Johnson) comes knocking. His offer requires all the team converge once again, this time they have to track down and capture a ruthless mercenary called Owen Shaw (Luke Evans). Hobbs and Toretto have to stand side by side working together to take down the villain. Letty of course has returned and is working for the bad guys but has no memory of her past life. If you’re a true fan then the plot will reveal more back story and as it turns out part six is practically a sequel to part four with past villains announcing a few home truths.
The film and action is set in the heart of London which, includes a car chase that defies belief, a ménage à trois of fist fights on the underground, shoot outs and a drag race that drifts through Piccadilly Circus. The action is pulsating and over the top but you shouldn’t care in the least about that. What were you expecting the film to do? Each vehicular sequence is more mind bending than the next.
Take the opening chase for example. A modified F1 style car pursued by Toretto and his crew as well as local police weaves its way through the streets with the ability to flip oncoming cars. Justin Lin who directed the last four films is well in control and more than happy to up the action.
Fast and Furious 6 is guilty of plot holes, but these will only be deconstructed by people who have nothing better to do. That said, even I was left wondering what distance the longest runway in the world was? There is a good level of humour with Tyrese Gibson’s Roman providing much of the light heartedness that the film needed. Let’s face it The Avengers had the same level of action and humour mixed and that seemed to work.
One of the dangers for this was having a cast that was pretty extensive, regrouping the team meant that there was jostling for position. But on the whole everyone has their time to shine and no one is really cast to the shadows. Evans does a good job as the main antagonist and Gina Carano also proves her worth after the abject Haywire a few years back.
Fast and Furious 7 takes place back in LA after the events of this film and has a teasing post credit sequence that will bait those fans to come back once again. James Wan steps into the directors chair for the seventh film switching from the comfort of the horror genre. I found Fast and Furious 6 to be a highly entertaining film, and you’ll need to check your brain in at the door. To quote a cliché it ‘does what it says on the tin’, and doesn’t take itself too seriously.
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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Thunder Force (2021) in Movies
May 23, 2021
I love Octavia Spencer's versatility, so a superhero type of film was intriguing, and the combination of her and Melissa McCarthy felt right. Then they throw in Bobby Cannavale and Jason Bateman too? There appears to be a lot to love about this film.
Lydia and Emily, once the best of friends, are brought back together by a school reunion. But things take a turn as the serum devised by Emily to help their city ends up accidentally changing their lives in a way they hadn't planned for.
We start with a wonderful comic book opening that give a very succinct review of how the whole has shaped the tale we're about to hear. That then drops us into Lydia and Emily's friendship. I really did enjoy this part, and the young Lydia's were particularly good. It gave a solid start to the film and I was feeling optimistic about what was to come after having enjoyed the trailer.
But at this point it starts to show a few issues.
Grown-up Emily (Spencer) feels a little inconsistent. She's reserved initially but it fluctuates a lot throughout, which doesn't feel right for a woman in her position.
Lydia seemed to be much more believable, and the outlandish behaviour was quite amusing while still cementing the caring person that she is, and what we can expect from her going forward.
Spencer and McCarthy do work well together, and the back and forth when it's there is really good, but Emily is never as strong in scenes that they share.
Bobby Cannavale as The King makes an excellent baddie, and Pom Klementieff as a henchwoman is too. They're backed by some wonderfully comedic "muscle", and as a team they work well together. But... while every character is a little quirky, The Crab is where my problems begin. Jason Bateman acts well during the "serious" scenes, but the humour that is attached to his character just didn't land. I was pleased they added in crab-like characteristics, but its amusement was short-lived.
The main problem with the humour in Thunder Force is something I see in other Melissa McCarthy films. It rushes up to the line of going too far, stops briefly, and the crab scuttles straight across it and far off into the distance. Why make one joke when you can make five in a row? This is particularly evident in Lydia and The Crab's interactions, and its repetition became a little tiresome.
The script didn't just mess with these characters, it also ruined a perfectly good (though mildly inexplicable) scene where The King and Laser come face to face with Lydia and Emily. It was going so well and then it jumped over that line. It does do some good things though. There's an ongoing joke with Lydia and her training that did land well every time, and it had some lovely moments of bonding with Tracy and Lydia. How all these things made it into the same film I don't know.
My time watching this didn't feel wasted, but I don't think I'd need to watch it again anytime soon. And that's a shame, because there's a really good film hiding in Thunder Force.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/05/thunder-force-movie-review.html
Lydia and Emily, once the best of friends, are brought back together by a school reunion. But things take a turn as the serum devised by Emily to help their city ends up accidentally changing their lives in a way they hadn't planned for.
We start with a wonderful comic book opening that give a very succinct review of how the whole has shaped the tale we're about to hear. That then drops us into Lydia and Emily's friendship. I really did enjoy this part, and the young Lydia's were particularly good. It gave a solid start to the film and I was feeling optimistic about what was to come after having enjoyed the trailer.
But at this point it starts to show a few issues.
Grown-up Emily (Spencer) feels a little inconsistent. She's reserved initially but it fluctuates a lot throughout, which doesn't feel right for a woman in her position.
Lydia seemed to be much more believable, and the outlandish behaviour was quite amusing while still cementing the caring person that she is, and what we can expect from her going forward.
Spencer and McCarthy do work well together, and the back and forth when it's there is really good, but Emily is never as strong in scenes that they share.
Bobby Cannavale as The King makes an excellent baddie, and Pom Klementieff as a henchwoman is too. They're backed by some wonderfully comedic "muscle", and as a team they work well together. But... while every character is a little quirky, The Crab is where my problems begin. Jason Bateman acts well during the "serious" scenes, but the humour that is attached to his character just didn't land. I was pleased they added in crab-like characteristics, but its amusement was short-lived.
The main problem with the humour in Thunder Force is something I see in other Melissa McCarthy films. It rushes up to the line of going too far, stops briefly, and the crab scuttles straight across it and far off into the distance. Why make one joke when you can make five in a row? This is particularly evident in Lydia and The Crab's interactions, and its repetition became a little tiresome.
The script didn't just mess with these characters, it also ruined a perfectly good (though mildly inexplicable) scene where The King and Laser come face to face with Lydia and Emily. It was going so well and then it jumped over that line. It does do some good things though. There's an ongoing joke with Lydia and her training that did land well every time, and it had some lovely moments of bonding with Tracy and Lydia. How all these things made it into the same film I don't know.
My time watching this didn't feel wasted, but I don't think I'd need to watch it again anytime soon. And that's a shame, because there's a really good film hiding in Thunder Force.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/05/thunder-force-movie-review.html
Ross (3284 KP) rated Doctor Strange (2016) in Movies
Dec 18, 2017
The humour (on the rare occasion there is any) (1 more)
The visual effects
Visually, this film is stunning. It takes what Inception did and takes it into a whole new dimension (literally). With fights going on around constantly moving scenery, standing on the walls of buildings, or while the world around the fighters goes backwards it really was a visual treat.
However, the rest of the film seems like something of an afterthought. The story follows super-surgeon Steven Strange (not that one) trying everything possible to heal his badly damaged hands after a car crash that he caused himself by being an arrogant twat. This desire to fix his hands takes him to Tibet where he is taught lots of waving arms and making orange sparks appear in the air. All of this is rushed through and he just suddenly manages it. Once he manages to use the mystical power the first time he suddenly becomes a master at it ("we need a montage") and becomes his old arrogant, know-it-all self. And then he starts battling Mads Mikkelson, gets a magic cloak and stops the end of the world.
I'll be honest - very little of this film makes sense, and that's in the context of the Marvel Universe. What he's doing with his power, how he's doing it and what he is ultimately capable of is barely explained and you just have to accept it.
I hope Doctor Strange is a critical component of the Infinity Wars storyline, otherwise this was just a very pretty waste of time (a bit like Kelly Brook).
However, the rest of the film seems like something of an afterthought. The story follows super-surgeon Steven Strange (not that one) trying everything possible to heal his badly damaged hands after a car crash that he caused himself by being an arrogant twat. This desire to fix his hands takes him to Tibet where he is taught lots of waving arms and making orange sparks appear in the air. All of this is rushed through and he just suddenly manages it. Once he manages to use the mystical power the first time he suddenly becomes a master at it ("we need a montage") and becomes his old arrogant, know-it-all self. And then he starts battling Mads Mikkelson, gets a magic cloak and stops the end of the world.
I'll be honest - very little of this film makes sense, and that's in the context of the Marvel Universe. What he's doing with his power, how he's doing it and what he is ultimately capable of is barely explained and you just have to accept it.
I hope Doctor Strange is a critical component of the Infinity Wars storyline, otherwise this was just a very pretty waste of time (a bit like Kelly Brook).
Charlotte (210 KP) rated Black Mirror - Season 4 in TV
Jan 4, 2018
each episode is unique and interesting in their own right (the only slight exception to this rule is the final episode, Black Museum, which makes a few references to those that precede it) (4 more)
humour seems to play a slightly larger role in this season, although do not be fooled!! it's certainly not a lighthearted series
FEMALE LEAD IN EVERY EPISODE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this isn't something that i should have to celebrate but it was really refreshing to be able to watch a series (especially a sci fi series??) with a variety of convincing female characters
incredibly thought provoking and relevant in the modern world
dark, terrifying, heartbreaking, funny and thrilling in equal measures
still being in the honeymoon stage with this season means i'm struggling to find major flaws- some of the concepts were ones i'd considered before (am i just really paranoid???) so did not find them as unique as i could have [cont.] (1 more)
[cont. from above] HOWEVER this made some of them more interesting as i got to see these ideas brought to life and considered from a really interesting perspective!!
black mirror is my favourite show so please do excuse a certain bias here, i am trying to remain neutral!! this season was highly awaited and i watched it all of the way through twice within the first 48 of its release- you might call that dedication but this was very much influenced by being very ill and unable to move (every cloud, eh??) THAT SAID, i would highly recommend watching each episode again after you've seen the series to spot the hints and sinister details that may have slipped by unnoticed the first time round!!
Connor Sheffield (293 KP) rated Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End (2007) in Movies
Jun 5, 2017
Great Action (2 more)
Beautiful Visuals
Great Humour
Doesn't quite entertain as much as the others (1 more)
Too many characters to really care for anyone other than the original cast
Probably my least favourite installment
At World's End is not a bad film, but it's not great either. It's a necessary installment to the franchise to finish of the story of Davey Jones, and to lead the franchise to the latest installment, 'Salazar's Revenge'.
I was excited to see the finale to the Davey Jones chapter of this fantasy film franchise, but was somewhat disappointed to find this film lacking something special, and not quite living up to the previous installments.
The action is thrilling, and the visuals are ever improving with each film, which still makes this film a good addition to the franchise, and I will always watch them as a franchise and leave none unwatched in a marathon of the films. However it would not be a first choice when recommending a pirate film to anyone.
The brilliant cast of the previous two films return, joined by many new faces from the pirates of Singapore to the Pirate Lords of Shipwreck Cove. Some of which are memorable but not all. This is where the film drifts from being as good as it could have been. With so many characters it is hard to care for anyone we haven't already spent two films caring for.
Overall this film will be the one you watch, only if you are having a marathon. It won't be the most memorable of the franchise, but it shouldn't be forgotten.
I was excited to see the finale to the Davey Jones chapter of this fantasy film franchise, but was somewhat disappointed to find this film lacking something special, and not quite living up to the previous installments.
The action is thrilling, and the visuals are ever improving with each film, which still makes this film a good addition to the franchise, and I will always watch them as a franchise and leave none unwatched in a marathon of the films. However it would not be a first choice when recommending a pirate film to anyone.
The brilliant cast of the previous two films return, joined by many new faces from the pirates of Singapore to the Pirate Lords of Shipwreck Cove. Some of which are memorable but not all. This is where the film drifts from being as good as it could have been. With so many characters it is hard to care for anyone we haven't already spent two films caring for.
Overall this film will be the one you watch, only if you are having a marathon. It won't be the most memorable of the franchise, but it shouldn't be forgotten.
Merissa (13346 KP) rated Finding Home in Books
Jul 5, 2017
Finding Home by Meg Harding
Finding Home starts off with Jared. He has lost his job, is living back with his mother as his husband cheated with someone else, and now he finds out that his grandma has died. His mother wants him out of the house so she sends him off to hell (Florida in May) where he finds more than he bargained for, and learns about just who he is and what he wants.
This is a sweet and steamy, low angst, story full of feel-good factors. Jared's brothers are all brilliant, and Chase is... well, Chase is Chase and I wouldn't change a thing. Jared's neuroses were a tad annoying to start with, but as his story became clear, all was forgiven as I literally couldn't see him growing up any differently given the circumstances.
One thing I loved in particular (without giving away any spoilers) is when Jared does something that others might not agree with, but he does it for himself, for his own reasons, and to find things out about himself. I LOVED THAT!!! He is aware of what jumping into something might be like, but he is prepared to work with himself to ensure that everything goes the way it should.
With no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, this was a page-turner that had humour, family, hotness, and love. Definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This is a sweet and steamy, low angst, story full of feel-good factors. Jared's brothers are all brilliant, and Chase is... well, Chase is Chase and I wouldn't change a thing. Jared's neuroses were a tad annoying to start with, but as his story became clear, all was forgiven as I literally couldn't see him growing up any differently given the circumstances.
One thing I loved in particular (without giving away any spoilers) is when Jared does something that others might not agree with, but he does it for himself, for his own reasons, and to find things out about himself. I LOVED THAT!!! He is aware of what jumping into something might be like, but he is prepared to work with himself to ensure that everything goes the way it should.
With no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, this was a page-turner that had humour, family, hotness, and love. Definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Midge (525 KP) rated A Case of Bier in Books
Feb 14, 2019
An Enjoyable Cozy Mystery
An enjoyable, cute cozy mystery! This is the first book I have read by Mary Daheim and it won't be my last.
After a busy summer, Judith McMonigle Flynn desperately needs a holiday. Her thoughtful husband, Joe, surprises her with a trip to the Canadian Rockies. Thrilled to be getting away, Judith’s overjoyed when Cousin Renie and Bill agree to join them. Though the husbands have made the arrangements, how bad can a short time away in the beautiful mountains be? Judith and Renie are about to find out!
However, the other guests who are camping nearby, are rather strange and peculiar. They’ve gathered on the mountainside to give a relative a proper and permanent send-off, but Judith realises that paying their respects might be a little premature. It’s up to her and Renie to save a would-be corpse from an early date with death.
I really enjoyed the main character and her husband. There was a lot of good humour in this book, which helped with the cozy atmosphere and I loved the random approach they had when trying to solve the case.
A CASE OF BIER is entertaining and a fairly fast read, with a quick pace. I was able to follow the characters and their backgrounds without any problem, even though I haven't read any of the previous books in this series. I would like to read the other books since I enjoyed this one.
Thank you to Edelweiss, William Morrow and Mary Daheim for a free ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.
After a busy summer, Judith McMonigle Flynn desperately needs a holiday. Her thoughtful husband, Joe, surprises her with a trip to the Canadian Rockies. Thrilled to be getting away, Judith’s overjoyed when Cousin Renie and Bill agree to join them. Though the husbands have made the arrangements, how bad can a short time away in the beautiful mountains be? Judith and Renie are about to find out!
However, the other guests who are camping nearby, are rather strange and peculiar. They’ve gathered on the mountainside to give a relative a proper and permanent send-off, but Judith realises that paying their respects might be a little premature. It’s up to her and Renie to save a would-be corpse from an early date with death.
I really enjoyed the main character and her husband. There was a lot of good humour in this book, which helped with the cozy atmosphere and I loved the random approach they had when trying to solve the case.
A CASE OF BIER is entertaining and a fairly fast read, with a quick pace. I was able to follow the characters and their backgrounds without any problem, even though I haven't read any of the previous books in this series. I would like to read the other books since I enjoyed this one.
Thank you to Edelweiss, William Morrow and Mary Daheim for a free ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) in Movies
Apr 20, 2019
Not bad, but nothing special
The first Ant-Man film was a pleasant surprise and much better than expected, but it was still lacking in some of the magic of the other Marvel films. Sadly Ant-Man and The Wasp suffers even more than the first.
I love Paul Rudd and I think he's the best thing about this film by far, his Scott Lang is nothing other than lovable. The second best things about this film are Michael Douglas who is surprisingly funny and of course Michael Pena, but sadly the rest of the cast fall flat. The bad guys aren't particularly threatening and the whole film lacks any real threat, tension or suspense. I'm also not a big fan of Hope. I have nothing against Evangeline Lilly but I find Hope a little dull and irritating and not endearing in the slightest.
The effects in this are good but after the first film there's nothing particularly remarkable. The plot just seems a bit generic and boring, and the film drags and it isn't even on for 2 hours. I just found the whole thing a bit meh, it's entertaining enough with just enough humour and nods to the other Marvel characters but it's nothing special. What I liked the most was the toy-like end credits sequence. Oh and the post credits scene is totally not worth it. This isn't a bad Marvel film, and certainly isn't anywhere near the likes of Iron Man 3, but it's just a good/average film lacking anything memorable. And that's not good enough when it has to follow something like Infinity War.
I love Paul Rudd and I think he's the best thing about this film by far, his Scott Lang is nothing other than lovable. The second best things about this film are Michael Douglas who is surprisingly funny and of course Michael Pena, but sadly the rest of the cast fall flat. The bad guys aren't particularly threatening and the whole film lacks any real threat, tension or suspense. I'm also not a big fan of Hope. I have nothing against Evangeline Lilly but I find Hope a little dull and irritating and not endearing in the slightest.
The effects in this are good but after the first film there's nothing particularly remarkable. The plot just seems a bit generic and boring, and the film drags and it isn't even on for 2 hours. I just found the whole thing a bit meh, it's entertaining enough with just enough humour and nods to the other Marvel characters but it's nothing special. What I liked the most was the toy-like end credits sequence. Oh and the post credits scene is totally not worth it. This isn't a bad Marvel film, and certainly isn't anywhere near the likes of Iron Man 3, but it's just a good/average film lacking anything memorable. And that's not good enough when it has to follow something like Infinity War.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Shazam! (2019) in Movies
May 14, 2019 (Updated Dec 15, 2019)
A refreshing, and often humourous entry into the otherwise troubled DCEU
Contains spoilers, click to show
I went into Shazam! with low expectations, after not being particularly taken with the majority of past DCEU films.
I left feeling pretty positive about the whole goofy experience.
As with most DC material, the film starts on a fairly dark note, introducing us to a young Dr Sivana (a truly old school super villain, dating all the way back to the late 30s).
After a bit of back story as to why he gets all villainy, the movie wastes no time introducing us to Billy Batson (Asher Angel) and the rest of his foster family, and the movie succeeds in making all of the younger characters likable.
After a bit of comic book magic, we're eventually acquainted with the true power of Shazam!
Zachary Levi absolutely shines as he clearly relishes in playing this goofy, excitable teenager trapped in the body of a God. He bounces back and forth with Jack Dylan Grazer pretty well, and for the most part the relentless stream of jokes land nicely.
The film starts to waiver slightly towards the end, as the story hurtles towards a standard comic book movie CGI showdown, with a by the numbers comic book movie performance from Mark Strong, and some sketchy CGI cloud monsters, but it's hard not to grin with the surprise introduction of the Shazam! family (something I would surely expect from a sequel).
Shazam! also struggles at times to balance it's humour with it's more serious beats, but for the most part is an enjoyable origin story that the whole family can enjoy.
I left feeling pretty positive about the whole goofy experience.
As with most DC material, the film starts on a fairly dark note, introducing us to a young Dr Sivana (a truly old school super villain, dating all the way back to the late 30s).
After a bit of back story as to why he gets all villainy, the movie wastes no time introducing us to Billy Batson (Asher Angel) and the rest of his foster family, and the movie succeeds in making all of the younger characters likable.
After a bit of comic book magic, we're eventually acquainted with the true power of Shazam!
Zachary Levi absolutely shines as he clearly relishes in playing this goofy, excitable teenager trapped in the body of a God. He bounces back and forth with Jack Dylan Grazer pretty well, and for the most part the relentless stream of jokes land nicely.
The film starts to waiver slightly towards the end, as the story hurtles towards a standard comic book movie CGI showdown, with a by the numbers comic book movie performance from Mark Strong, and some sketchy CGI cloud monsters, but it's hard not to grin with the surprise introduction of the Shazam! family (something I would surely expect from a sequel).
Shazam! also struggles at times to balance it's humour with it's more serious beats, but for the most part is an enjoyable origin story that the whole family can enjoy.