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Sarah (7800 KP) rated Scream 2 (1997) in Movies
Nov 1, 2018
“By definition alone, sequels are inferior films”
As much as this sequel tries to be very clever and for the most part succeeds, you can’t help realising that the line uttered by Randy about sequels being inferior films and the ensuing discussion in the film class, pretty much sums up this entire film.
Released only a year after the original, this sequel keeps most of what made the first one great - just sadly in lesser amounts. Yes it’s funny, witty and has some great film references, but it just isn’t quite up to the level of the original. There are some shocks and lots of blood and gore, and the ending is still a little unpredictable (but not as much as the original. Great cast again, both returning and fairly well known faces. The opening scene too is just as disturbing even if it’s missing the signature Ghostface phone call and I loved the entire scene set in the film class. The debate about life imitating art is a shame relevant now as it was when this was made over 20 years ago. It amazes me to think this film is 21 years old, and aside from the retro technology, it doesn’t feel dated in the slightest.
For a sequel, this is definitely one of the better ones out there. Yes it doesn’t have quite the impact of the original, but it definitely doesn’t suck and at least sticks to Randy’s rules to create a successful sequel. Shame 3 and 4 couldn’t do the same...
Released only a year after the original, this sequel keeps most of what made the first one great - just sadly in lesser amounts. Yes it’s funny, witty and has some great film references, but it just isn’t quite up to the level of the original. There are some shocks and lots of blood and gore, and the ending is still a little unpredictable (but not as much as the original. Great cast again, both returning and fairly well known faces. The opening scene too is just as disturbing even if it’s missing the signature Ghostface phone call and I loved the entire scene set in the film class. The debate about life imitating art is a shame relevant now as it was when this was made over 20 years ago. It amazes me to think this film is 21 years old, and aside from the retro technology, it doesn’t feel dated in the slightest.
For a sequel, this is definitely one of the better ones out there. Yes it doesn’t have quite the impact of the original, but it definitely doesn’t suck and at least sticks to Randy’s rules to create a successful sequel. Shame 3 and 4 couldn’t do the same...
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Independence Day: Resurgence (2016) in Movies
Mar 3, 2022
The original Independence Day is a beloved sci-fi classic for a lot of people, so I can understand why this arguably unnecessary sequel takes on a lot of disdain and criticism. "Legacy sequels", a term I've heard thrown around a fair bit lately, can be very hit and miss, and Resurgence lands smack bang in the middle. It's not bad, it's not good, it's not Emmerich's best, but it's far from being his worst. It's just kind of there.
On the one hand, it's brimming with corny dialogue, bloated exposition, ridiculous set ups for sequels that will probably never happen, characters that are difficult to care about, and loads of plot points that don't make sense (the alien ship is so big, it has its own gravitational pull, causing mass destruction to Earth upon arrival, but then just fucks off at the end without any further damage)
On the other hand, I was surprised by how commited Jeff Goldblum is to his returning role, and is quite simply a pleasure for the entirety of his screentime, the ultra-destruction that's we're all here to see is visually pleasing and satisfying, there are some genuinely fun set pieces (the alien queen running around the desert fucking shit up is a blast), and it's all self aware enough to not disappear up its own arse.
I personally feel that Resurgence gets an unjustified bad rap. It doesn't need to exist, and is far from perfect, but there's enough here to enjoy. Just be sure to leave your brain at the door.
On the one hand, it's brimming with corny dialogue, bloated exposition, ridiculous set ups for sequels that will probably never happen, characters that are difficult to care about, and loads of plot points that don't make sense (the alien ship is so big, it has its own gravitational pull, causing mass destruction to Earth upon arrival, but then just fucks off at the end without any further damage)
On the other hand, I was surprised by how commited Jeff Goldblum is to his returning role, and is quite simply a pleasure for the entirety of his screentime, the ultra-destruction that's we're all here to see is visually pleasing and satisfying, there are some genuinely fun set pieces (the alien queen running around the desert fucking shit up is a blast), and it's all self aware enough to not disappear up its own arse.
I personally feel that Resurgence gets an unjustified bad rap. It doesn't need to exist, and is far from perfect, but there's enough here to enjoy. Just be sure to leave your brain at the door.
Mark Halpern (153 KP) rated Spider-Man 2 (2004) in Movies
Jan 19, 2018
MCU Sequel
As we all know sometimes sequels can let us down. This one was par for the course. We catch up with Spiderman doing his good deeds, still being love sick with Mary Jane and now dealing with his friend harry wanting the death of spiderman because he thinks he killed his dad and he is the head of Oscorp. Our new villian is Dr. Octopus. A physicist whose experiment goes wrong cause a robotic set of arms graphing to his spinal cord.
We also see Spiderman faltering during this movie losing some of his powers cause he relies on them too much and not himself. Not bad for a sequel and it keeps with the comic book better than most.
We also see Spiderman faltering during this movie losing some of his powers cause he relies on them too much and not himself. Not bad for a sequel and it keeps with the comic book better than most.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Jurassic Park (1993) in Movies
Feb 19, 2018 (Updated Feb 19, 2018)
Spielberg's eek-it's-a-dinosaur adventure movie may not have the gobsmack value it once possessed when photo-realistic CGI had yet to rule the earth, but still stands up well due to traditional storytelling virtues, retains the power to irritate palaeontologists with its dubious approach to nomenclature.
Billionaire with mysterious background (i.e. Lord Attenborough's accent wanders a bit) plans to open high-tech theme park with real live dinosaurs; clearly hasn't seen Westworld; chasing about ensues. Long build-up before the biting starts to happen, but Spielberg's corralling of the action sequences is masterly and the casting is extremely good. Still not sure it warranted five whole sequels, but that's what a massive box office take gets you, I suppose.
Billionaire with mysterious background (i.e. Lord Attenborough's accent wanders a bit) plans to open high-tech theme park with real live dinosaurs; clearly hasn't seen Westworld; chasing about ensues. Long build-up before the biting starts to happen, but Spielberg's corralling of the action sequences is masterly and the casting is extremely good. Still not sure it warranted five whole sequels, but that's what a massive box office take gets you, I suppose.
Kevin Phillipson (10072 KP) rated Halloween (2018) in Movies
Oct 25, 2018
Jamie Lee Curtis (3 more)
Michael myers
Theme
Gore
As I've been a fan of the original since I first watched it on the TV at the 12 late night wasn't sure at first if I was gonna like the new version was i disappointed no I liked it a lot I'm glad they ignored all the sequels and the rob zombie versions and give a us a proper sequel that stays true the original from start to finish plenty of gore which I like Jamie Lee Curtis back no longer the hunted but now ready to take down Michael with or without her family plus John carpenter back on the theme it took me back to what I liked about the original thumbs up.
David McK (3721 KP) rated Raven: Blood Eye (Raven 1) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
The first in a planned trilogy, Raven: Blood Eye is set during the early days of the Viking incursion into what would later become known as England. Pretty much the entire novel centres around one such such fictional raid: before, during and after the said event, with the subseqent sequels planning to 'open out' the Viking world.
If I had to compare it to other similar novels I've read, I would probably have to place it somewhere in the gap between Bernard Cornwell's (an author, incidentally, who Giles Kristian acknowledges as being part of his inspiration) series on Alfred the Great and Tim Severin's Viking books: not quite as polished as the former, nor as scholarly as the latter. Still an enjoyable enough read, though!
If I had to compare it to other similar novels I've read, I would probably have to place it somewhere in the gap between Bernard Cornwell's (an author, incidentally, who Giles Kristian acknowledges as being part of his inspiration) series on Alfred the Great and Tim Severin's Viking books: not quite as polished as the former, nor as scholarly as the latter. Still an enjoyable enough read, though!
Peter Segal recommended The Godfather: Part II (1974) in Movies (curated)
Dean (6927 KP) rated The Forever Purge (2021) in Movies
Jul 19, 2021
Better than expected
Thought I'd check this out as it looked OK from the Trailer. The Purge films are a mixed bag, the first was very good, a couple of OK sequels but the last one released was very poor. Thankfully this is definitely one of the better ones. Race and class divide play a big part of this one. Chaos ensues as Purgers carry on after the 12 hours are up. Can the group get to safety and fight to stay alive.
Good to see something a bit different and the tension builds as the group try to get to safety. With no end in sight or help from authorities it changes the stakes. Worth checking out.
Good to see something a bit different and the tension builds as the group try to get to safety. With no end in sight or help from authorities it changes the stakes. Worth checking out.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Matrix (1999) in Movies
Jul 14, 2019 (Updated Aug 11, 2019)
Age shall not diminish, nor dubious sequels reduce the magic of the Wachowskis' visionary blend of philosophical SF and hyperkinetic martial arts action. Arguably the origin of the current superhero movie, as uncertain hero Neo undergoes the conceptual breakthrough to end all conceptual breakthroughs, learns to access his inner potential, and discovers that black never goes out of fashion.
The script is still a marvel of economy and wit, the ideas underpinning it fascinating, and the action sequences, when they arrive, are phenomenal. Obviously a film of its time (the pseudo-1999 setting now feels a little quaint), but absolutely timeless in the way the very best films are. One of those movies it is almost impossible to change without making it worse.
The script is still a marvel of economy and wit, the ideas underpinning it fascinating, and the action sequences, when they arrive, are phenomenal. Obviously a film of its time (the pseudo-1999 setting now feels a little quaint), but absolutely timeless in the way the very best films are. One of those movies it is almost impossible to change without making it worse.
David McK (3721 KP) rated The Bourne Identity (2002) in Movies
Sep 30, 2020
The first Jason Bourne film, in which Matt Damon plays the titular character who is discovered floating in the sea off France, with no memory of how he came to be there or of his previous life, but with a very particular set of skills (to steal a phrase from another actioner).
As he struggles to regain his identity, he finds himself pursued by shadowy government operatives, who believe that he has gone rogue from his post as an elite government agent.
The film is full of some bruising action and car chases; it's just a pity that it is also full of 'shaky cam' work that led to certain members of my family feeling car sick watching it!
(The sequels even more so!)
As he struggles to regain his identity, he finds himself pursued by shadowy government operatives, who believe that he has gone rogue from his post as an elite government agent.
The film is full of some bruising action and car chases; it's just a pity that it is also full of 'shaky cam' work that led to certain members of my family feeling car sick watching it!
(The sequels even more so!)