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Lee (2222 KP) rated Paddington 2 (2017) in Movies
Nov 13, 2017
The Perfect Family Movie
I'm always wary heading into the cinema to see a 'family' movie, especially those featuring a CGI main character interacting with live human actors. Alvin and the Chipmunks, The Smurfs, The Scooby Doo movie - they've all done a pretty good job of destroying the genre, along with countless others. Even the better films struggle to engage the interest of kids and adults alike. But Paddington is just different. The sequel greatly improves on an already enjoyable first movie, and to be honest it's pretty difficult for me to write anything negative about it at all.
The story is a simple one. Paddington wants to buy a very special present for his Aunt Lucy's 100th birthday, and sets his sights on buying her a lovely pop-up book of London landmarks, London being the one place she always wanted to visit. The book is quite expensive though, so Paddington sets about earning the money himself. Unfortunately things go very wrong, with Paddington ending up jailed for a crime he did not commit.
An all-star cast play a huge variety of strange and wonderful characters, but the best of them all is the villain of the story. Hugh Grant gets to ham things hilariously up as Phoenix Buchanan, an actor longing for the limelight once more, reduced instead to starring in dog food commercials. Visual gags are carefully staged, then perfectly executed and the whole movie provides the ideal mix of laughs, peril, warmth and charm. The perfect family movie!
The story is a simple one. Paddington wants to buy a very special present for his Aunt Lucy's 100th birthday, and sets his sights on buying her a lovely pop-up book of London landmarks, London being the one place she always wanted to visit. The book is quite expensive though, so Paddington sets about earning the money himself. Unfortunately things go very wrong, with Paddington ending up jailed for a crime he did not commit.
An all-star cast play a huge variety of strange and wonderful characters, but the best of them all is the villain of the story. Hugh Grant gets to ham things hilariously up as Phoenix Buchanan, an actor longing for the limelight once more, reduced instead to starring in dog food commercials. Visual gags are carefully staged, then perfectly executed and the whole movie provides the ideal mix of laughs, peril, warmth and charm. The perfect family movie!
jameswelsh (3 KP) rated Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) in Movies
Jul 16, 2017
great script (3 more)
very good main villain
fits so well into the mcu
back on form for spidey
spidey back on form
spiderman homecoming, a return to form for the webslinger after a series of disapointing movies. Not since spiderman 2 has there been such a good version of the character. Is it as good as those films know but in terms of the 3rd rami film and the mark webb films this movies is head and shoulder above them. Tom holland is perfectly cast as the hero. He balances the awkwardness and geeky charm of peter parker mixed with the wisecracking and heroism of spidey perfectly. Michael Keaton plays a rare beast a good mcu villian. He plays it so well you hate what he is doing but you can feel for the guy because of what he has been through. all other characters fit there purpose even a small role from iron man brings more connection with the wider mcu and helps further the story. I like the fact they went with the more john hughs feel with this movie. Its good there keeping the character in high school because in my opinion they skipped over that two fast in previous films.
my only criticism is that i found the spiderman suit too gimmicky. he is spiderman not iron spiderman.
in all this is a great film. with a fantastic cast and a great entry into the mcu. I look forward to more spidey in the future.
my only criticism is that i found the spiderman suit too gimmicky. he is spiderman not iron spiderman.
in all this is a great film. with a fantastic cast and a great entry into the mcu. I look forward to more spidey in the future.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Ahsoka in Books
May 8, 2018
I've been wanting to read this novel for a long time, as Ahsoka Tano is my favorite character from the Clone Wars cartoon, and second-favorite in the entire Star Wars series. (Because General Leia exists.) I picked the book up at a used book store in Oregon when we went home from the holidays, but I've just had so many other things to read. I finally read it for May 4th, Star Wars Day.
I didn't like it as much as I wanted to. I've read another book by Johnston, That Inevitable Victorian Thing, which I enjoyed but thought was too fluffy. And comparing this to the last Star Wars book I read - Phasma - this tilts that way too. It's not as fluffy as TIVT - people die, and the Empire is the ever-looming possible doom that it always is - but it just didn't feel as gritty as Phasma did. Perhaps it shouldn't; Phasma is a villain, and her backstory is suitably dark. And Ahsoka, here, is floundering a little in the wake of Order 66, and being alive when none of her compatriots, to her knowledge, are.
I did enjoy learning how she got her lightsabers back, and the story should lead well into the Rebels cartoon, which I have yet to watch.
So I don't know. It was an entertaining book, and it was effective at furthering Ahsoka's story, it just...wasn't quite what I wanted.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
I didn't like it as much as I wanted to. I've read another book by Johnston, That Inevitable Victorian Thing, which I enjoyed but thought was too fluffy. And comparing this to the last Star Wars book I read - Phasma - this tilts that way too. It's not as fluffy as TIVT - people die, and the Empire is the ever-looming possible doom that it always is - but it just didn't feel as gritty as Phasma did. Perhaps it shouldn't; Phasma is a villain, and her backstory is suitably dark. And Ahsoka, here, is floundering a little in the wake of Order 66, and being alive when none of her compatriots, to her knowledge, are.
I did enjoy learning how she got her lightsabers back, and the story should lead well into the Rebels cartoon, which I have yet to watch.
So I don't know. It was an entertaining book, and it was effective at furthering Ahsoka's story, it just...wasn't quite what I wanted.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Avengers: Infinity War (2018) in Movies
May 24, 2019 (Updated May 24, 2019)
Comic book perfection
It's a moment all comic movie fans have been waiting for - all these beloved characters in one film - and Infinity War delivers on so many levels.
With such a huge roster of well established characters, being played by so many A-List actors, it's an absolute marvel (excuse the pun) how the Russo Brothers manage to pull it off with such aplomb, with every hero being on screen for the right amount of time - it's quite incredible.
On top of all of the reliable heroes throughout, IW also properly introduces us to Thanos, who has been teased several times in the past, and he is a incredibly well realised big villain - you see where he's coming from, he's relatable, and still utterly terrifying and ruthless in how he relentlessly chases what he wants, no matter how much he loses in the process.
The CGI and motion capture used to create him is pretty flawless, and Josh Brolins booming voice completes the package.
The battle scenes are slick and tight and flow smoothly with the rest of the film - the humour is on point throughout - the scenes shared between members of the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy are so so great - it's hard to think of anything I didn't love about IW.
And just to top it all off, IW delivers an absolute gut punch of an ending, delivering the single biggest disaster to happen so far in the MCU.
As far as comic book movies go, I can't think how this will ever be beaten. A true epic.
With such a huge roster of well established characters, being played by so many A-List actors, it's an absolute marvel (excuse the pun) how the Russo Brothers manage to pull it off with such aplomb, with every hero being on screen for the right amount of time - it's quite incredible.
On top of all of the reliable heroes throughout, IW also properly introduces us to Thanos, who has been teased several times in the past, and he is a incredibly well realised big villain - you see where he's coming from, he's relatable, and still utterly terrifying and ruthless in how he relentlessly chases what he wants, no matter how much he loses in the process.
The CGI and motion capture used to create him is pretty flawless, and Josh Brolins booming voice completes the package.
The battle scenes are slick and tight and flow smoothly with the rest of the film - the humour is on point throughout - the scenes shared between members of the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy are so so great - it's hard to think of anything I didn't love about IW.
And just to top it all off, IW delivers an absolute gut punch of an ending, delivering the single biggest disaster to happen so far in the MCU.
As far as comic book movies go, I can't think how this will ever be beaten. A true epic.
ArecRain (8 KP) rated The Thirteenth Earl in Books
Jan 18, 2018
What a delightful read. After being stuck in contemporary romance limbo, it was refreshing to return to a good historical romance especially since there are so many historical romances pumped out. This one had me from page one, especially since it dealt with a lot of topics not typically seen in this genre. The first is the mental deterioration of people as they age and the other two are spiritualism and ghosts. All of these very much existed during this time, but are generally misunderstood or considered taboo. It was interesting to read the authors take on them in her story.
Overall, the plot is very simple. I felt that the twist or surprise wasnt surprising at all and could be seen from the moment the villain was introduced. Despite that, it was still a delight to read. Thax is among my favorite historical heroes for multiple reasons. He could be dense and rash but his love for the heroine felt genuine and could be seen in his actions towards her. The female characters in this story were equally as enjoyable. They were strong and intelligent without losing a shred of their femininity. I appreciated their resourcefulness.
The Thirteenth Earl is an uncomplicated love story about two people trying to muddle through the drama in their life and end up finding happiness in each other. If you are searching for a heartwarming romance, filled with realistic and likable characters, this novel may be your next rainy day read.
Overall, the plot is very simple. I felt that the twist or surprise wasnt surprising at all and could be seen from the moment the villain was introduced. Despite that, it was still a delight to read. Thax is among my favorite historical heroes for multiple reasons. He could be dense and rash but his love for the heroine felt genuine and could be seen in his actions towards her. The female characters in this story were equally as enjoyable. They were strong and intelligent without losing a shred of their femininity. I appreciated their resourcefulness.
The Thirteenth Earl is an uncomplicated love story about two people trying to muddle through the drama in their life and end up finding happiness in each other. If you are searching for a heartwarming romance, filled with realistic and likable characters, this novel may be your next rainy day read.
Purrsistently (46 KP) rated The Sign of the Cat in Books
Jun 24, 2018 (Updated Jun 24, 2018)
Kitten, Tigers, Eels, Oh My!
I really loved this middle grade offering. The cats are an obvious draw themselves of course but it was well constructed apart from its feline charm.
The plot kept one guessing enough to be engaged (I finished in one long sitting), there were interesting lovable characters (if not perhaps the most fleshed out- though I’d say it was easily on par with Narnia in that regard), the dialogue wasn’t anything you’d find in Austen but there were moments that drew chuckles and I was satisfied on that score for the age group it is intended to appeal to.
The narrative had its insightful moments, and the writing itself was pleasant. I’d think the vocabulary employed would be largely comfortable but stretching (in a good way) for most 4th-6th graders, though obviously that depends on the child.
The only warning I would have for very young sensitive animal loving children is that the villain might be a tad dark for them. I’m certain I would have cried and been furious at a couple points as a child and probably would have ranted to family and friends about how despicable he was. One part drew a “well, F***!” from me as it is, and a couple descriptions made me a bit squeamish but they were not graphic and I’m pretty squeamish about such things in general. I would gladly recommend it to most any kiddo I know or even an adult who really likes cats. :P
The plot kept one guessing enough to be engaged (I finished in one long sitting), there were interesting lovable characters (if not perhaps the most fleshed out- though I’d say it was easily on par with Narnia in that regard), the dialogue wasn’t anything you’d find in Austen but there were moments that drew chuckles and I was satisfied on that score for the age group it is intended to appeal to.
The narrative had its insightful moments, and the writing itself was pleasant. I’d think the vocabulary employed would be largely comfortable but stretching (in a good way) for most 4th-6th graders, though obviously that depends on the child.
The only warning I would have for very young sensitive animal loving children is that the villain might be a tad dark for them. I’m certain I would have cried and been furious at a couple points as a child and probably would have ranted to family and friends about how despicable he was. One part drew a “well, F***!” from me as it is, and a couple descriptions made me a bit squeamish but they were not graphic and I’m pretty squeamish about such things in general. I would gladly recommend it to most any kiddo I know or even an adult who really likes cats. :P
Sarah (7800 KP) rated R.I.P.D. (2013) in Movies
Oct 24, 2018
So bad it’s actually vaguely enjoyable
I remember watching this when it first came out at the cinema and I wasn’t particularly impressed, however on watching it again recently I can admit that this is definitely one of those films that’s so bad it’s actually quite entertaining. Mostly due to Jeff Bridges.
Let’s start with this obvious: I know this is based on a comic, but this is such a blatant rip off of Men in Black, it’s just a shame it comes off as a much poorer relation. Everything about this from the plot progression to the deados just echoes MIB, and that’s high expectations to live up to.
The main humour from this film comes from how the characters look normally versus how they appear in the real world, which admittedly is pretty hilarious but this is the only decent attempt at humour. The plot is completely dull and the Kevin Bacon as the villain is uninteresting too. The special effects are surprisingly good in parts, but then ruined by the downright terrible effects used on the deados. The true saviours of this film are Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds. The relationship and communication between their characters is the most entertaining thing about this film and Jeff Bridges is in fine form hamming it up to the max as Roy. He may be going a little over the top, but it’s damn funny to watch. Just a shame they couldn’t have put more effort into the rest of the story.
Let’s start with this obvious: I know this is based on a comic, but this is such a blatant rip off of Men in Black, it’s just a shame it comes off as a much poorer relation. Everything about this from the plot progression to the deados just echoes MIB, and that’s high expectations to live up to.
The main humour from this film comes from how the characters look normally versus how they appear in the real world, which admittedly is pretty hilarious but this is the only decent attempt at humour. The plot is completely dull and the Kevin Bacon as the villain is uninteresting too. The special effects are surprisingly good in parts, but then ruined by the downright terrible effects used on the deados. The true saviours of this film are Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds. The relationship and communication between their characters is the most entertaining thing about this film and Jeff Bridges is in fine form hamming it up to the max as Roy. He may be going a little over the top, but it’s damn funny to watch. Just a shame they couldn’t have put more effort into the rest of the story.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Scream (1996) in Movies
Nov 1, 2018
A truly classic slasher
While I know that most will say that the classic slasher films are the likes of Halloween, Friday the 13th etc and I’d agree in that they really helped move the genre along, for me Scream is the true classic. Not only is it beyond witty, it’s full of humour and plays wonderfully on the entire horror movie genre.
I love this film because of how it pokes so much fun at your stereotypical slasher films, not least because Sidney isn’t your average damsel in distress and is a very strong protagonist. All of the characters in fact are well developed, likeable and well acted, but I have to admit, my favourites would either have to be Randy or Stu as they’re both highly entertaining. The references to other horror films bring an entirely different spin and completely modernises the slasher genre. This is such a slick, fun and surprisingly unpredictable film that keeps you guessing right to the end. It’s fairly gory and the large amount of humour doesn’t detract from the fact that this is still a horror film. It may not be massively scary, but it’s still very creepy and delivers some classic horror lines alongside an iconic villain in Ghostface. There’s not many films that could get away with killing off their most famous star in the opening scene, and I think anyone watching this for the first time now would still be shocked at this.
Without a doubt, my all time favourite horror film.
I love this film because of how it pokes so much fun at your stereotypical slasher films, not least because Sidney isn’t your average damsel in distress and is a very strong protagonist. All of the characters in fact are well developed, likeable and well acted, but I have to admit, my favourites would either have to be Randy or Stu as they’re both highly entertaining. The references to other horror films bring an entirely different spin and completely modernises the slasher genre. This is such a slick, fun and surprisingly unpredictable film that keeps you guessing right to the end. It’s fairly gory and the large amount of humour doesn’t detract from the fact that this is still a horror film. It may not be massively scary, but it’s still very creepy and delivers some classic horror lines alongside an iconic villain in Ghostface. There’s not many films that could get away with killing off their most famous star in the opening scene, and I think anyone watching this for the first time now would still be shocked at this.
Without a doubt, my all time favourite horror film.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Final Destination (2000) in Movies
Aug 10, 2019 (Updated Oct 25, 2019)
Final Destination is certainly a product of it's time. Releasing in the year 2000, it arrived amidst a wave of popular teen movies such as such as American Pie, Dude Where's My Car etc.
FD plays out like one of those films, but with gory death scenes thrown in - it's a winning formula that saw it perform nicely at the box office.
The premise is nice and simple - the main character (in this case, Alex Browning) experiences a premonition of an imminent horrible accident. He manages to avoid said accident, along with a handful of others, thus cheating death.
As the movie progresses, death comes for the survivors one by one, in ridiculously grisly ways as they desperately try to figure out how to escape deaths grip.
There are several reasons why I really don't mind Final Destination. For a start, it's nice to have a horror movie where the villain is a almost a force of nature, rather than a physical boogeyman.
It makes for some pretty inventive death scenes.
I also enjoyed just how silly it is. There are some corny one liners whilst you sit there in anticipation of what ridiculous thing is going to happen next. It's pure popcorn horror.
It's not particularly scary, and even though it has its moments, it's a pretty average watch.
It's certainly not deserving of standing side by side with the big boys of horror, but you could also do a lot worse.
Also it's got Tony Todd in it, and just who doesn't love that scary MF.
FD plays out like one of those films, but with gory death scenes thrown in - it's a winning formula that saw it perform nicely at the box office.
The premise is nice and simple - the main character (in this case, Alex Browning) experiences a premonition of an imminent horrible accident. He manages to avoid said accident, along with a handful of others, thus cheating death.
As the movie progresses, death comes for the survivors one by one, in ridiculously grisly ways as they desperately try to figure out how to escape deaths grip.
There are several reasons why I really don't mind Final Destination. For a start, it's nice to have a horror movie where the villain is a almost a force of nature, rather than a physical boogeyman.
It makes for some pretty inventive death scenes.
I also enjoyed just how silly it is. There are some corny one liners whilst you sit there in anticipation of what ridiculous thing is going to happen next. It's pure popcorn horror.
It's not particularly scary, and even though it has its moments, it's a pretty average watch.
It's certainly not deserving of standing side by side with the big boys of horror, but you could also do a lot worse.
Also it's got Tony Todd in it, and just who doesn't love that scary MF.
RyzorGick (43 KP) rated Doctor Sleep (2019) in Movies
Nov 11, 2019
Atmosphere (3 more)
Acting
Effective Horror Moments
Special Effects
I was a bit dubious about this sequel to The Shining. I didn't think Kubrick style was really something that could be reproduced. Luckily the film mainly does it's own thing but when it does call back to the original film I felt it did succeed.
I've seen some people complain abouy Rebecca Ferguson being wrong for the role of villain but I have to disagree. She does behave animated and feels less serious in some scenes but this does fit her character. She is powerful being that has lived longer than natural and feels she has little to fear, so it makes sense she would be overly confident and nonchalant.
Overall this film succeeds as a sequel. It gives us answers about what happened to the characters of the first film while having it's own plot and themes that connects to the original without relying on it too much. However some references may go over your head if you've not seen The Shining for a while.
It was a bit jarring to have people playing Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall but they did give it their all.
Doctor Sleep is a horror film that has more than just the usual jump scares. It's atmosphere and sense of foreboding are what truly sold me on it from the very beginning of the film. (I will never look at a shower curtain the same way again.)
I've seen some people complain abouy Rebecca Ferguson being wrong for the role of villain but I have to disagree. She does behave animated and feels less serious in some scenes but this does fit her character. She is powerful being that has lived longer than natural and feels she has little to fear, so it makes sense she would be overly confident and nonchalant.
Overall this film succeeds as a sequel. It gives us answers about what happened to the characters of the first film while having it's own plot and themes that connects to the original without relying on it too much. However some references may go over your head if you've not seen The Shining for a while.
It was a bit jarring to have people playing Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall but they did give it their all.
Doctor Sleep is a horror film that has more than just the usual jump scares. It's atmosphere and sense of foreboding are what truly sold me on it from the very beginning of the film. (I will never look at a shower curtain the same way again.)