Search
Search results
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Hannie Caulder (1971) in Movies
Oct 31, 2019
You'll Have a Blast Watching This
Set in the western frontier days, a woman seeks revenge after a gang of bandits abuse her and kill her husband.
Acting: 8
No one is winning any awards, but they get the job done. Raquel Welch holds her own in her primary role as Hannie Caulder. She’s tough as nails and I love the perfect timing with which she delivers her quips. It’s fun watching her kick all the ass. Shout-out to Robert Culp as well playing the role of gunslinger Thomas Luther Price. He approaches his role with the calm demeanor of one that only kills when he has to. Both actors killed it.
The ones playing the bandits, however, did not. it was like watching the Three Stooges try and be bad guys. Fortunately they didn’t ruin the enjoyment of the movie as it made me want them to get theirs even more.
Beginning: 10
First ten minutes does the job of a true beginning: Sets up the plot while getting you excited to watch the rest of the movie. By the end of it, you know who’s bad, who’s good, and who needs to be avenged. Let the rest of the movie commence!
Characters: 8
Loved the protagonists as characters, not so much the bad guys as mentioned above. The villains were bumbling idiots who seemed to do bad things off sheer luck. Fortunately Hannie and her motivation for revenge was enough to carry the story. While I thought they could’ve put more clothes on the poor girl (she spends most of the movie in a poncho with nothing underneath), her rise to becoming a gunslinger was fun to watch.
Cinematography/Visuals: 8
There are some really beautiful shots I adored in the movie. At the very beginning, we see Hannie standing over her dead husband against the backdrop of her burning home. It feels almost poetic. Beautiful shots of the landscape are captured so perfectly. The gun battles were also shot in such a way that the deaths felt more realistic which was a nice touch.
Conflict: 10
Entertainment Value: 9
You want fun? Check! Cool gun fights? Check! A quest for revenge that you can get behind? Done and done. I would be surprised if you didn’t have a blast during the film’s 85-minute runtime.
Memorability: 6
Pace: 10
Plot: 8
Much like Wonder Woman, the only thing this movie really suffers from is an unnecessary romance. it felt forced and happened way too quick. Hannie, like Diana, doesn’t need a man, not even in the slightest. Even if Thomas hadn’t trained her, I feel like she would have learned her way around a gun as her desire for revenge was so strong. You don’t need to fall in love to have a desire to kick ass. If anything, throwing love into the mix should have made Hannie question her motives. The rest of the story, though linear, was solid.
Resolution: 10
Overall: 87
I don’t say this lightly: I really enjoyed this movie. As campy as it can feel at times, a strong female lead makes it unique and memorable. If you like westerns, or even if you just like good movies, check this one out now for free on Amazon Prime Video or Hulu.
Acting: 8
No one is winning any awards, but they get the job done. Raquel Welch holds her own in her primary role as Hannie Caulder. She’s tough as nails and I love the perfect timing with which she delivers her quips. It’s fun watching her kick all the ass. Shout-out to Robert Culp as well playing the role of gunslinger Thomas Luther Price. He approaches his role with the calm demeanor of one that only kills when he has to. Both actors killed it.
The ones playing the bandits, however, did not. it was like watching the Three Stooges try and be bad guys. Fortunately they didn’t ruin the enjoyment of the movie as it made me want them to get theirs even more.
Beginning: 10
First ten minutes does the job of a true beginning: Sets up the plot while getting you excited to watch the rest of the movie. By the end of it, you know who’s bad, who’s good, and who needs to be avenged. Let the rest of the movie commence!
Characters: 8
Loved the protagonists as characters, not so much the bad guys as mentioned above. The villains were bumbling idiots who seemed to do bad things off sheer luck. Fortunately Hannie and her motivation for revenge was enough to carry the story. While I thought they could’ve put more clothes on the poor girl (she spends most of the movie in a poncho with nothing underneath), her rise to becoming a gunslinger was fun to watch.
Cinematography/Visuals: 8
There are some really beautiful shots I adored in the movie. At the very beginning, we see Hannie standing over her dead husband against the backdrop of her burning home. It feels almost poetic. Beautiful shots of the landscape are captured so perfectly. The gun battles were also shot in such a way that the deaths felt more realistic which was a nice touch.
Conflict: 10
Entertainment Value: 9
You want fun? Check! Cool gun fights? Check! A quest for revenge that you can get behind? Done and done. I would be surprised if you didn’t have a blast during the film’s 85-minute runtime.
Memorability: 6
Pace: 10
Plot: 8
Much like Wonder Woman, the only thing this movie really suffers from is an unnecessary romance. it felt forced and happened way too quick. Hannie, like Diana, doesn’t need a man, not even in the slightest. Even if Thomas hadn’t trained her, I feel like she would have learned her way around a gun as her desire for revenge was so strong. You don’t need to fall in love to have a desire to kick ass. If anything, throwing love into the mix should have made Hannie question her motives. The rest of the story, though linear, was solid.
Resolution: 10
Overall: 87
I don’t say this lightly: I really enjoyed this movie. As campy as it can feel at times, a strong female lead makes it unique and memorable. If you like westerns, or even if you just like good movies, check this one out now for free on Amazon Prime Video or Hulu.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Beyond the Red Mountains in Books
Nov 8, 2019
Kelvin has lived all his life in the city of Triopolis, a peaceful place between the mountains and the sea. After all there are no other towns or civilisations on the planet, not since the Dark Days when everything changed.
Kelvin's first clue that all might not be as he has been taught when he discovers an old book warning about a mysterious figure called Luther who seems to have been carefully erased from the history of Triopolis. And it is clear that he is not the only one who is aware of secrets.
Elizabeth is the princess of Westville, the centre of a civilisation that has conquered every other city in the world - there are not many. She is locked in a loveless and arranged marriage but is determined to find some way out.
When fate brings Kelvin and Elizabeth together they realise there is a lot more going on than the elders of either city would have them believe. Before long they are on the run, desperately trying to save themselves and their cities from dark forces. They have allies and enemies, but telling one from the other is only half the battle...
Beyond the Red Mountains is a fantasy novel that is of epic proportions but avoids all the tropes and cliches of 'epic' fantasy. There isn't really a great quest, there isn't a dark lord threatening all of existence. All of the characters seem very real and all have their own reasons for their actions, whether these are with or against the main protagonists.
There are many twists and turns and the story doesn't let itself get too bogged down in long conversations or descriptions, letting the story unfold to reveal the narrative and the history. Not every decision Kelvin and Elizabeth make is the right one, but it is always made with the best intentions. The characterisation really does stand out, with a lot of care taken to make the characters believable. I was particularly struck by one of the characters who are opposed to Kelvin and Elizabeth but the reader ends up feeling enormous sympathy for.
There is a (perhaps inevitable) romantic connection between Kelvin and Elizabeth but this is well played and unfolds very realistically and is never overplayed or overstated. Some of the keepers of ancient wisdom they meet are perhaps a little to forthcoming about forbidden knowledge but this means the story doesn't slow but can take the next step so this can be forgiven.
The prose is very simple, clearly aimed at a young adult audience, although some of the themes and scenes are perhaps not for the very young end of the spectrum. As an introduction to lengthy fantasy tales this works very well though. The ending is a real cliff hanger and definitely makes me want to read the sequel.
There were a few more spelling mistakes and incorrect (or plain missing) words in the eBook version I read but this wasn't really a problem, it was always clear what was intended.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wanted to tackle a human-scale epic fantasy novel with a difference, one that cared about all of its characters, even the ones nominally pitched against the 'heroes'.
Kelvin's first clue that all might not be as he has been taught when he discovers an old book warning about a mysterious figure called Luther who seems to have been carefully erased from the history of Triopolis. And it is clear that he is not the only one who is aware of secrets.
Elizabeth is the princess of Westville, the centre of a civilisation that has conquered every other city in the world - there are not many. She is locked in a loveless and arranged marriage but is determined to find some way out.
When fate brings Kelvin and Elizabeth together they realise there is a lot more going on than the elders of either city would have them believe. Before long they are on the run, desperately trying to save themselves and their cities from dark forces. They have allies and enemies, but telling one from the other is only half the battle...
Beyond the Red Mountains is a fantasy novel that is of epic proportions but avoids all the tropes and cliches of 'epic' fantasy. There isn't really a great quest, there isn't a dark lord threatening all of existence. All of the characters seem very real and all have their own reasons for their actions, whether these are with or against the main protagonists.
There are many twists and turns and the story doesn't let itself get too bogged down in long conversations or descriptions, letting the story unfold to reveal the narrative and the history. Not every decision Kelvin and Elizabeth make is the right one, but it is always made with the best intentions. The characterisation really does stand out, with a lot of care taken to make the characters believable. I was particularly struck by one of the characters who are opposed to Kelvin and Elizabeth but the reader ends up feeling enormous sympathy for.
There is a (perhaps inevitable) romantic connection between Kelvin and Elizabeth but this is well played and unfolds very realistically and is never overplayed or overstated. Some of the keepers of ancient wisdom they meet are perhaps a little to forthcoming about forbidden knowledge but this means the story doesn't slow but can take the next step so this can be forgiven.
The prose is very simple, clearly aimed at a young adult audience, although some of the themes and scenes are perhaps not for the very young end of the spectrum. As an introduction to lengthy fantasy tales this works very well though. The ending is a real cliff hanger and definitely makes me want to read the sequel.
There were a few more spelling mistakes and incorrect (or plain missing) words in the eBook version I read but this wasn't really a problem, it was always clear what was intended.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wanted to tackle a human-scale epic fantasy novel with a difference, one that cared about all of its characters, even the ones nominally pitched against the 'heroes'.
Connor Sheffield (293 KP) rated the Nintendo Switch version of PuPaiPo Space Deluxe in Video Games
Jan 21, 2020
Quick Gameplay (2 more)
Challenging
Adorable design
A Fun Fast Game
PuPaiPo Space Deluxe is a fun, fast paced game in which you battle wave after wave of enemies, shooting and dodging in order to survive and continue to the next stage. Each stage has it's own unique design which come with their own unique looking NPC's for you to dodge and shoot.
From developers BolHut, who also made the challenging yet entertaining game 'You Died But A Necromancer Revived You', have brought their adorable sprites to Nintendo Switch once again with their remastered deluxe edition of their very first game PuPaiPo Space.
You have a choice of characters to play as such as a rocket man, a pink octopus, a wooden character and a star man (not their official names), and with the choice to gather your friends and all play at once, you can enjoy a challenging battle to find the legendary space pizza. So gather your friends for a fun head to head co-op and see who can get the highest score and reach the pizza first, or play solo and take every slice for yourself!
The bosses of this game are challenging and fun to battle, as each loss is a learning curve in order for the player to learn each bosses move set, so that the next time you face them you can beat them with ease. Each sprite whether it's a common NPC, a boss, or the player themselves, has it's own unique personality that makes each design stand out from one another on screen, meaning you shouldn't get lost whilst flying around the armada of bullets and rockets fired.
The backgrounds for each stage give every level it's own personality as well, as each one comes with it's own types of enemies from fish in the deep water levels, to the fiery asteroids and bombs of the space levels. This keeps the game play interesting as there isn't much you can do with a shoot and dodge game, so each stage has to feel fresh and BolHut have managed to do just that with their retro art style and unique designs.
Among the battlefield, you'll also come across a variety of cool little power-ups that will aid you in your quest for the space pizza, from bigger bullets, to faster bullets, to a simple shield that helps add a little extra life to your character as you do your best to dodge the incoming dangers.
Overall the game is a fun and fast paced experience that you can either jump into to kill some time, or set up for a group of friends and challenge one another to see who can reach the pizza. It looks amazing on the switch and the sprites are adorable and unique to BolHut's style. I hope this company continues to bring more games out onto the Nintendo Switch because their designs and game play are always challenging and unique, which allows them to stand out among the ever growing library of indie games on the market.
PuPaiPo Space Deluxe is available on PC and will be available on Nintendo Switch on Thursday 23rd January 2020, but is available to pre-order now at a discounted price. However, talking of price, the release price of this game is £3.99 and any game that's this fun for under £5 is worth every penny, so go get this game, select which character you like best, give them a name that's better than any of the names I've given them in this review and find that delicious space pizza!
From developers BolHut, who also made the challenging yet entertaining game 'You Died But A Necromancer Revived You', have brought their adorable sprites to Nintendo Switch once again with their remastered deluxe edition of their very first game PuPaiPo Space.
You have a choice of characters to play as such as a rocket man, a pink octopus, a wooden character and a star man (not their official names), and with the choice to gather your friends and all play at once, you can enjoy a challenging battle to find the legendary space pizza. So gather your friends for a fun head to head co-op and see who can get the highest score and reach the pizza first, or play solo and take every slice for yourself!
The bosses of this game are challenging and fun to battle, as each loss is a learning curve in order for the player to learn each bosses move set, so that the next time you face them you can beat them with ease. Each sprite whether it's a common NPC, a boss, or the player themselves, has it's own unique personality that makes each design stand out from one another on screen, meaning you shouldn't get lost whilst flying around the armada of bullets and rockets fired.
The backgrounds for each stage give every level it's own personality as well, as each one comes with it's own types of enemies from fish in the deep water levels, to the fiery asteroids and bombs of the space levels. This keeps the game play interesting as there isn't much you can do with a shoot and dodge game, so each stage has to feel fresh and BolHut have managed to do just that with their retro art style and unique designs.
Among the battlefield, you'll also come across a variety of cool little power-ups that will aid you in your quest for the space pizza, from bigger bullets, to faster bullets, to a simple shield that helps add a little extra life to your character as you do your best to dodge the incoming dangers.
Overall the game is a fun and fast paced experience that you can either jump into to kill some time, or set up for a group of friends and challenge one another to see who can reach the pizza. It looks amazing on the switch and the sprites are adorable and unique to BolHut's style. I hope this company continues to bring more games out onto the Nintendo Switch because their designs and game play are always challenging and unique, which allows them to stand out among the ever growing library of indie games on the market.
PuPaiPo Space Deluxe is available on PC and will be available on Nintendo Switch on Thursday 23rd January 2020, but is available to pre-order now at a discounted price. However, talking of price, the release price of this game is £3.99 and any game that's this fun for under £5 is worth every penny, so go get this game, select which character you like best, give them a name that's better than any of the names I've given them in this review and find that delicious space pizza!
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Second Siege (The Tapestry, #2) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
Original Review posted on <a title="The Second Siege by Henry H. Neff" href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2013/05/review-the-second-siege-by-henry-h-neff.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Original Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Owls
Note: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste
In the second book to The Tapestry series, Astaroth has already been released from his confinement and is causing trouble in the outside world with his allies. Max McDaniels and his roommate David Menlo are traveling to different worlds on a quest to acquire the dangerous Book of Thoth before Astaroth gets to it first.
I'm sorry if I can't help but compare the series to Harry Potter (actually, I can't help but compare a lot of books to another book/series...). Both series are just so... similar in so many ways. It may sound ironic, but in my humble opinion, Astaroth isn't that... villainy. I mean, sure, he's cunning and evil when necessary, but I'm pretty sure that if Voldy and Astaroth had a face off, Voldy would probably crush him. Big time. Even if he's noseless. Basically because Voldy is evil 24/7.
<img src="http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll152/Contele_Draqula/VoldemortandDeathEaters.jpg"; width="200" height="143" />
On the other hand, Astaroth's "minions" are well... completely the opposite of the Death Eaters. The Death Eaters are pretty loyal, but there's always these little loose knots here and there when it comes to loyalty. Apparently, Astaroth's minions are too loyal to the demon, that there are practically no loose ends at all. One big happy family in taking over the world? Possibly... but don't take my word for granted. I may be wrong for all I know and all of his minions will soon overthrow him as leader of Malevolency.
In a nutshell, you can say I'm sadly disappointed that Astaroth just doesn't seem like a villain at certain times. I don't know. Maybe he'll be more evil later in the series, but for now, I think I'll categorize him a bit as Mr. Nice Guy. I'll nominate him as Dr. Evil II when he has more of the muahaha added in (okay, not exactly muahaha, but closer).
<img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OjrbRW6e1VE/THP3sett2tI/AAAAAAAAFBw/rsQC8kBELBw/s200/Dr_Evil.jpg"; />
So, the ending. Er, not exactly. Kind of a happy-sad ending, but not exactly an ending that will make me emotional that I'll need a Kleenex in hand and hide someplace so no one sees me crying, because if I get seen crying, it'll be as embarrassing as saying something in an awkward silence.. But I'm pretty glad that Max and his father saw someone they deeply cared for at least one more time after so many years. It's also not an ending where there's this lovely cliffhanger that keeps you at the edge of the seat, eager to read the next book.
As much as I hate cliffhangers, I just feel that there needs to be some sort of cliff waiting to catch more "victims" at the end when it comes to a series (maybe I'm so used to that frame of mind...), which I find missing in The Second Siege. Though hopefully I'm just missing that cliffhanger and just need to dig deeper...
Original Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Owls
Note: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste
In the second book to The Tapestry series, Astaroth has already been released from his confinement and is causing trouble in the outside world with his allies. Max McDaniels and his roommate David Menlo are traveling to different worlds on a quest to acquire the dangerous Book of Thoth before Astaroth gets to it first.
I'm sorry if I can't help but compare the series to Harry Potter (actually, I can't help but compare a lot of books to another book/series...). Both series are just so... similar in so many ways. It may sound ironic, but in my humble opinion, Astaroth isn't that... villainy. I mean, sure, he's cunning and evil when necessary, but I'm pretty sure that if Voldy and Astaroth had a face off, Voldy would probably crush him. Big time. Even if he's noseless. Basically because Voldy is evil 24/7.
<img src="http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll152/Contele_Draqula/VoldemortandDeathEaters.jpg"; width="200" height="143" />
On the other hand, Astaroth's "minions" are well... completely the opposite of the Death Eaters. The Death Eaters are pretty loyal, but there's always these little loose knots here and there when it comes to loyalty. Apparently, Astaroth's minions are too loyal to the demon, that there are practically no loose ends at all. One big happy family in taking over the world? Possibly... but don't take my word for granted. I may be wrong for all I know and all of his minions will soon overthrow him as leader of Malevolency.
In a nutshell, you can say I'm sadly disappointed that Astaroth just doesn't seem like a villain at certain times. I don't know. Maybe he'll be more evil later in the series, but for now, I think I'll categorize him a bit as Mr. Nice Guy. I'll nominate him as Dr. Evil II when he has more of the muahaha added in (okay, not exactly muahaha, but closer).
<img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OjrbRW6e1VE/THP3sett2tI/AAAAAAAAFBw/rsQC8kBELBw/s200/Dr_Evil.jpg"; />
So, the ending. Er, not exactly. Kind of a happy-sad ending, but not exactly an ending that will make me emotional that I'll need a Kleenex in hand and hide someplace so no one sees me crying, because if I get seen crying, it'll be as embarrassing as saying something in an awkward silence.. But I'm pretty glad that Max and his father saw someone they deeply cared for at least one more time after so many years. It's also not an ending where there's this lovely cliffhanger that keeps you at the edge of the seat, eager to read the next book.
As much as I hate cliffhangers, I just feel that there needs to be some sort of cliff waiting to catch more "victims" at the end when it comes to a series (maybe I'm so used to that frame of mind...), which I find missing in The Second Siege. Though hopefully I'm just missing that cliffhanger and just need to dig deeper...
JT (287 KP) rated RoboCop (2014) in Movies
Mar 17, 2020
Reboot taints the original's good name
If you’re going to remake one of the 80s most iconic action films you’ve got to do it with some balls. Sadly José Padilha dropped this particular ball, pretty spectacularly in fact, to give us a sorry remake and leave fans of the original baying for blood (something which was missing in this).
It’s a story that was disjointed, rushed and ill-conceived in every possible way, with a leading actor who was miscast and non-believable in the role he was trusted to uphold. Kinnaman is Alex Murphy a Detroit Detective whose ill-fated sting operation ends badly after his cover is blown leaving him high on the villains most wanted list.
In the background is OmniCorp a leading company in robot technology priding itself on making the world a safer place with drones and the all too familiar ED-209 looking to serve and protect. Lead by CEO Raymond Sellars (Michael Keaton) the initiative has not reached American soil due to Government legislation and a bill that prohibits the use of robots on the streets.
Needing a new way to reach the public, Sellars turns to Murphy as a part-man part machine creation to reach out and grab justice by the throat and give America the hope it longs for, and a hero to put their faith in. The PG-13 rating and lack of graphic violence is stark contrast to the original, while the action scenes might be slick and bolstered with nifty CGI it does little to hide the fact that there isn’t a drop of claret anywhere to be seen.
While not completely adhering to the original it nods in its direction a few times, but only because it has to appease the die-hard fan. Once Robocop is up and about after being resurrected under the watchful eye of Dr Dennett Norton (Gary Oldman) he goes on a quick hunt to bring the perpetrators who tried to have him killed to justice.
Unlike Clarence J. Boddicker, Antoine Vallon (Patrick Garrow) is only a bit part villain, hopelessly moving illegal guns around the city he’s duly finished off in one of the film’s more colourful action shoot outs. The film is comical but not in a good way when Murphy demands to see what is behind the suit you almost laugh and then hang your head that Padilha could have included and thought up such a ridiculous scene.
Supporting cast do little to add much either, Samuel L. Jackson waves his arms and shouts a lot like a current affairs news anchor that in some way pays homage to the cut to’s of the Casey Wong era. Abbie Cornish is shockingly bad, and Jackie Earle Haley as much so, all in all, a pity. Only Oldman provides any shinning light in something that was slumping before it had even made it halfway through.
Robocop continues his quest back into the Detroit Police department, where corruption is rife and all trailing back to OmniCorps big cheese in charge, culminating in a finale that does little to finish on a high note. Paul Verhoeven will be able to rest easy at night knowing that his 1987 classic will continue to live long in the memory of true Robocop fans, while its 2014 compatriot should be cast aside into the recycle bin.
It’s a story that was disjointed, rushed and ill-conceived in every possible way, with a leading actor who was miscast and non-believable in the role he was trusted to uphold. Kinnaman is Alex Murphy a Detroit Detective whose ill-fated sting operation ends badly after his cover is blown leaving him high on the villains most wanted list.
In the background is OmniCorp a leading company in robot technology priding itself on making the world a safer place with drones and the all too familiar ED-209 looking to serve and protect. Lead by CEO Raymond Sellars (Michael Keaton) the initiative has not reached American soil due to Government legislation and a bill that prohibits the use of robots on the streets.
Needing a new way to reach the public, Sellars turns to Murphy as a part-man part machine creation to reach out and grab justice by the throat and give America the hope it longs for, and a hero to put their faith in. The PG-13 rating and lack of graphic violence is stark contrast to the original, while the action scenes might be slick and bolstered with nifty CGI it does little to hide the fact that there isn’t a drop of claret anywhere to be seen.
While not completely adhering to the original it nods in its direction a few times, but only because it has to appease the die-hard fan. Once Robocop is up and about after being resurrected under the watchful eye of Dr Dennett Norton (Gary Oldman) he goes on a quick hunt to bring the perpetrators who tried to have him killed to justice.
Unlike Clarence J. Boddicker, Antoine Vallon (Patrick Garrow) is only a bit part villain, hopelessly moving illegal guns around the city he’s duly finished off in one of the film’s more colourful action shoot outs. The film is comical but not in a good way when Murphy demands to see what is behind the suit you almost laugh and then hang your head that Padilha could have included and thought up such a ridiculous scene.
Supporting cast do little to add much either, Samuel L. Jackson waves his arms and shouts a lot like a current affairs news anchor that in some way pays homage to the cut to’s of the Casey Wong era. Abbie Cornish is shockingly bad, and Jackie Earle Haley as much so, all in all, a pity. Only Oldman provides any shinning light in something that was slumping before it had even made it halfway through.
Robocop continues his quest back into the Detroit Police department, where corruption is rife and all trailing back to OmniCorps big cheese in charge, culminating in a finale that does little to finish on a high note. Paul Verhoeven will be able to rest easy at night knowing that his 1987 classic will continue to live long in the memory of true Robocop fans, while its 2014 compatriot should be cast aside into the recycle bin.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law return once again as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows“. In this installment, a series of bombings across Europe has positioned the nations of the world on the brink of war. Holmes is convinced that there is a criminal mastermind behind the numerous, seemingly unrelated events and he believes it is renowned scholar James Moriarty (Jared Harris).
Watson, well-accustomed to Holmes’ eccentric and erratic behavior, is dubious of Holmes claims. Besides, Watson has his upcoming wedding to focus on, and only deigns to spend time with Holmes at the promise of a stag party at an upscale gentlemen’s club. While the bachelor party includes an entertaining Stephen Fry playing Holmes’ brother, Mycroft, Holmes has ulterior motives for taking Watson to this particular club. Early in the film, Holmes had cleverly intercepted a message from Irene Adler (Amy McAdams), that led him to a fortuneteller named Madam Simza Heron (Noomi Rapace), a woman Holmes believes has been targeted for death by Moriarty, who just happens to be working at the gentlemen’s club.
Eventually a meeting with Moriarty is arranged for Holmes. The two intellectuals spar with one another verbally in a civilized manner, with menacing undertones. Holmes isn’t able to convince Moriarty that Watson is no longer a partner in any of his endeavors and, Holmes is forced to take drastic measures to ensure the doctor and his new wife stay out of harm’s way. From Paris to Germany and other European locales, Holmes, Watson, and Simza and her gypsy friends race against time to uncover the diabolical plot that Moriarty has set for their demise in his quest to drive nations to war.
The film is an absolute delight and is a rare sequel that is even better than the previous film in the series. Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law have amazing chemistry with one another and their timing is absolutely perfect. The duo deftly mix action and comedy as well as the serious subject matter of the plot line and are utterly captivating and enjoyable to watch every step of the way. Rapace continues to impress in a much softer character than her Lisbeth Salandar role in the “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” Swedish trilogy. and is poised to become one of Hollywood’s new leading ladies.
Having become familiar with Harris’ work on the series Mad Men, I was delighted to see him expertly portray such a complex character as Moriarty: a gentleman scholar of impeccable upbringing and education who is also a twisted and evil genius. Harris plays Moriarty perfectly and never lets you forget the dark and sinister side of him without ever becoming a campy or cartoony vaudeville villain.
Guy Ritchie returns as director and lets his stars carry the film. The action has been ramped up this time around with some spectacular action sequences but the action never overshadows the character-driven story. The film was well-paced and an absolute thrill ride from beginning to end mixing fantastic action and some great humor for a very winning combination that is not to be missed. I am already looking forward to future outings of Holmes and Watson on the big screen as this was a truly enjoyable experience that shows you how action comedies are supposed to be made.
Watson, well-accustomed to Holmes’ eccentric and erratic behavior, is dubious of Holmes claims. Besides, Watson has his upcoming wedding to focus on, and only deigns to spend time with Holmes at the promise of a stag party at an upscale gentlemen’s club. While the bachelor party includes an entertaining Stephen Fry playing Holmes’ brother, Mycroft, Holmes has ulterior motives for taking Watson to this particular club. Early in the film, Holmes had cleverly intercepted a message from Irene Adler (Amy McAdams), that led him to a fortuneteller named Madam Simza Heron (Noomi Rapace), a woman Holmes believes has been targeted for death by Moriarty, who just happens to be working at the gentlemen’s club.
Eventually a meeting with Moriarty is arranged for Holmes. The two intellectuals spar with one another verbally in a civilized manner, with menacing undertones. Holmes isn’t able to convince Moriarty that Watson is no longer a partner in any of his endeavors and, Holmes is forced to take drastic measures to ensure the doctor and his new wife stay out of harm’s way. From Paris to Germany and other European locales, Holmes, Watson, and Simza and her gypsy friends race against time to uncover the diabolical plot that Moriarty has set for their demise in his quest to drive nations to war.
The film is an absolute delight and is a rare sequel that is even better than the previous film in the series. Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law have amazing chemistry with one another and their timing is absolutely perfect. The duo deftly mix action and comedy as well as the serious subject matter of the plot line and are utterly captivating and enjoyable to watch every step of the way. Rapace continues to impress in a much softer character than her Lisbeth Salandar role in the “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” Swedish trilogy. and is poised to become one of Hollywood’s new leading ladies.
Having become familiar with Harris’ work on the series Mad Men, I was delighted to see him expertly portray such a complex character as Moriarty: a gentleman scholar of impeccable upbringing and education who is also a twisted and evil genius. Harris plays Moriarty perfectly and never lets you forget the dark and sinister side of him without ever becoming a campy or cartoony vaudeville villain.
Guy Ritchie returns as director and lets his stars carry the film. The action has been ramped up this time around with some spectacular action sequences but the action never overshadows the character-driven story. The film was well-paced and an absolute thrill ride from beginning to end mixing fantastic action and some great humor for a very winning combination that is not to be missed. I am already looking forward to future outings of Holmes and Watson on the big screen as this was a truly enjoyable experience that shows you how action comedies are supposed to be made.
Thinkrolls: Kings & Queens
Education and Games
App
Thinkrolls Kings & Queens is an epic adventure of logic, physics and fun! Practice reasoning, memory...
The Witch With No Name HD
Book and Games
App
The Witch With No Name is an artful blend of story and games *** Featured in the book "iPad Apps...
Lybrate - Consult a Doctor
Medical, Health & Fitness and Stickers
App
Lybrate – Consult a Doctor is India’s #1 Medical platform connecting over 10 million users to...
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated All About Steve (2009) in Movies
Jun 15, 2020
A Movie About a Crossword Puzzle Designer? Ummm...
With a mindblowing 6% Rating on Rotten Tomatoes (mindblowing because it’s too high), All About Steve is the story of a crossword puzzle designer who travels across the country with the hopes of convincing a CNN newsreporter that they belong together. I can feel your excitement. It’s palpable.
Acting: 3
Have you ever seen a mouse try and get off of a glue trap? That’s the equivalent of the acting work in this movie. Let’s start with the woman of the hour, Sandra Bullock playing the leading role of Mary Horowitz. I couldn’t help but think as she runs through her lines, “Do you even want to be on set right now?” She reads the lines of her character like a robocaller at times. I can actually say that for quite a few of the actors that bought into this dud.
Beginning: 6
I’ve seen worse starts to movies, I’ll be honest. The career fair scene is actually pretty hilarious which is probably about the only nice thing I have to say about this movie. If the entire movie had been like this, the overall score would have been double. Unfortunately the movie still would have been shit.
Characters: 5
I’ve always said, if you hate the main character of a movie, there’s a good chance you’re going to hate the movie. That theory definitely holds true here as Mary pains me with every single scene I watch her in. And the way they paint Bradley Cooper’s character Steve out to be such a jerk is just wrong. I mean this a reverse Pepe Le Peu situation we got going on here but he is the one we’re supposed to be mad at? Nightmare.
Cinematography/Visuals: 5
Conflict: 1
Yeah, there’s nothing I care about that’s happening throughout the duration of this movie. I could care less about Mary’s quest to win Steve because it’s just wrong. She’s a psycopath! When I say, “Nothing to see here!” I mean it.
Entertainment Value: 2
Ok, so here’s why I gave it a 2 despite how dreadful the entire movie was: I kept waiting to see how much worse things would get. The further I went down the rabbit hole, things just got more and more painful. Ever watch elementary school kids play basketball? Pretty much the same kind of train wreck here.
Memorability: 0
Pace: 0
Considering this is one of the worst movies imaginable, it’s no secret that “snail’s pace” doesn’t do it justice. Getting through All About Steve almost requires much drinking. Sure, you can survive it sober. Not advisable.
Plot: 1
It’s a story that makes no sense revolving around characters that don’t have a single solid motivation to their name. Even when you think for a moment that things might redeem themselves, the movie manages to set itself on fire again. Lost count of the number of times I asked myself, “Where the hell is this going?”
Resolution: 3
Overall: 26
Maybe it was because I was tired. Maybe it’s because I think Sandra Bullock is beautiful and who the hell would be stupid enough to run from that? Maybe it was because I had just watched A Quiet Place right before and was blown away by how incredible it was. Or maybe…All About Steve is just a terrible terrible movie. Yeah, I think I’ll go with the latter.
Acting: 3
Have you ever seen a mouse try and get off of a glue trap? That’s the equivalent of the acting work in this movie. Let’s start with the woman of the hour, Sandra Bullock playing the leading role of Mary Horowitz. I couldn’t help but think as she runs through her lines, “Do you even want to be on set right now?” She reads the lines of her character like a robocaller at times. I can actually say that for quite a few of the actors that bought into this dud.
Beginning: 6
I’ve seen worse starts to movies, I’ll be honest. The career fair scene is actually pretty hilarious which is probably about the only nice thing I have to say about this movie. If the entire movie had been like this, the overall score would have been double. Unfortunately the movie still would have been shit.
Characters: 5
I’ve always said, if you hate the main character of a movie, there’s a good chance you’re going to hate the movie. That theory definitely holds true here as Mary pains me with every single scene I watch her in. And the way they paint Bradley Cooper’s character Steve out to be such a jerk is just wrong. I mean this a reverse Pepe Le Peu situation we got going on here but he is the one we’re supposed to be mad at? Nightmare.
Cinematography/Visuals: 5
Conflict: 1
Yeah, there’s nothing I care about that’s happening throughout the duration of this movie. I could care less about Mary’s quest to win Steve because it’s just wrong. She’s a psycopath! When I say, “Nothing to see here!” I mean it.
Entertainment Value: 2
Ok, so here’s why I gave it a 2 despite how dreadful the entire movie was: I kept waiting to see how much worse things would get. The further I went down the rabbit hole, things just got more and more painful. Ever watch elementary school kids play basketball? Pretty much the same kind of train wreck here.
Memorability: 0
Pace: 0
Considering this is one of the worst movies imaginable, it’s no secret that “snail’s pace” doesn’t do it justice. Getting through All About Steve almost requires much drinking. Sure, you can survive it sober. Not advisable.
Plot: 1
It’s a story that makes no sense revolving around characters that don’t have a single solid motivation to their name. Even when you think for a moment that things might redeem themselves, the movie manages to set itself on fire again. Lost count of the number of times I asked myself, “Where the hell is this going?”
Resolution: 3
Overall: 26
Maybe it was because I was tired. Maybe it’s because I think Sandra Bullock is beautiful and who the hell would be stupid enough to run from that? Maybe it was because I had just watched A Quiet Place right before and was blown away by how incredible it was. Or maybe…All About Steve is just a terrible terrible movie. Yeah, I think I’ll go with the latter.