A beautifully shot, intriguing and slightly flawed film.
The good is that the acting is top notch (let's ignore Domnhall's accent) and the plot is a very intriguing implementation of a simple concept.
The slight flaw is that the twists and turns are a little predictable.
I give the dance sequence props. I give the execution of all of it props.
And it is the ending that Westworld season 1 should have done....
8/10
I'll give this credit for trying to have a bit more pathos than the standard Marvel smash-athon.
For a sub-2 hour film in this anthology, it does contain a lot of filler. I liked the Inception style graphics for the first 10 minutes of their use but after an hour of it, I was done.
I cannot stand Benedict Cumberbatch normally but he was palatable here due to his many high quality costars.
The in-credits cameo was fun albeit completely out of context. The post credits speak to a follow up that is yet to land - though planned I'm sure.
7/10
So we have a harsh and low rating here...
I've loved film and the worlds it creates for most of my life. This film is often said to be one of the finest created....
What we have is 80 years old though. The acting is of the time - hammy and over-wrought. The cinematography is very impressive for what age it came from. The plot though is very slow-paced until the Susan story comes into play.
I struggled with the reputation and the quality of this film. It's not aged at all well. If anything, it gives us a perspective of how film has evolved and what a basic level of quality we have come to expect.
One thing I do congratulate is the aging special effects. The make up is on point in creating aging on Orson Welles. If only The Irishman had done as well 80 years on...
For all this, I cannot recommend a viewing. I've watched Fred Astaire films from this time and enjoyed them immensely... This one, I did not enjoy to any significant level.
4.5/10
Well made, charming. But the script and plot just aren't as good as they could be.
Enjoyable but overall underwhelming.
6.5/10
So boring that I couldn't finish it.... Honestly. I got 70 mins in and paused it to make a coffee. When I got back, I just couldn't bring myself to continue.
A mess of a film. Boring. Crappy CGI. Dodgy script, naff plot.
2/10 - this director and that cast should know better......
Bloody awful Bond film. Totally reverts to the types of film that kills each actor's reign...
Why do the producers do this? They start each Bond with a bang and then systematically remove what the audiences liked about them...
This one stinks.
Terrible plot, terrible turn by Waltz, the ridiculousness of the Bond shooting/fighting makes Casino Royale seem a million years ago.
Craig has one last stab at the role. I hope they give him a film like Casino Royale again to end his stint. My fear is it'll be a continuation of this tepid failure of a film.
5/10
Overall, this is an excellent film, Craig's best outing as Bond, and a Top 5 franchise film.
On the negative side - I don't like how they ditched the gritty reality of Casino Royale so quickly. And Javier Bardem doesn't quite hit the mark for me as a baddie for some reason.... Pacing isn't perfect and there's a little feeling of zero jeopardy once the film hits its stride. The (for me unnecessary) obligatory return of the Bond-isms.
Now the positives - visually stunning. A tried and tested plot but one that is executed well. Great chemistry & interplay between Bond and Moneypenny. Plenty of M. Spectacular fight scenes that don't go too Bourne with the editing.
I'd have loved for Casino Royale to be followed up with a film of this calibre but a more natural evolution of the character. It's streets ahead of Quantum of Solace (which is much better if watched as "Casino Royale extended cut") and the dreadful Spectre.
8.25/10
Pretty funny. A really good premise (we all use our phones too much these days) and some very funny jokes/set-pieces but it didn't make as much as it could from the scenarios.
It could have been a little better with 20 mins more depth to it. It feels lower budget though so I understand the shorter running time.
Well done overall and it really is pretty funny, if just a little predictable.
7.5/10
Astonishing and it does make you think about how much wastage is in the food chain/system of today's shoppers.
As a primarily veg eater, I'd love to have an app that points me to single ingredient items that would otherwise go to waste.
A reasonably well done docu that puts its point forward and evidences it well.
I saw this for free on Plex for what that may be worth.
7/10
This guy's a hero - balls of absolute steel!
For a docu made from clips taken on gopro and iPhone, this is fantastic.
His voice overs are fantastic - brilliant English wit, effortlessly engaging.
I found him on YouTube doing Alaska to Argentina. This Malaysia trip is where it all started - so start here, then do Alaska then do his detour to Vietnam, then wait for him to finish editing his Argentina videos...
What a guy. And it shows the world is a nice place filled with good people.
10/10
Horrible imagining of Superman.
Henry Cavill is awful as Clark Kent/Superman. Lois Lane should not be played by Amy Adams.
The plot is a mess. There is so much destruction that you'd feel as if earth was being invaded not helped by Superman.
Dreadful film sadly. And that this mistake lingers on in Batman v Superman, and Justice League.... Unforgiveable.
5/10 as I know much of my criticism is personal and due to casting.
Simon Massey's review is spot on.
In summary, makes a very natural trilogy for the Christopher Reeve Superman 1 and 2 films.
This is far superior to the horrendously dark and displeasing Man of Steel.
It isn't perfect by any means. I like most of the cast, I like the atmosphere, but I could do with less romanticism. It's crying out for an extended cut to give it that final oomph.
And the scenes of Superman flying are a real treat for someone who grew up with Reeve and Cain as his supermen. The use of the original John Williams score is excellent too.
7.25/10
A really messy, scattergun, episodic bunch of slow mo and action. So typical Michael Bay then...
Good cast, naff plot, nice locations, weak humour.
Loved the use of Florence. Rest was meh.
5.75/10
The theatrical release was turgid, undercooked, bleak nonsense. 4/10
The Ultimate edition is much more enjoyable and rounded. The story makes sense and the flow of the film is much better. It's epic now. 7/10
Why not a higher rating? Casting. I cannot abide Henry Cavill as Clark Kent. I can barely tolerate Amy Adams as Lois Lane. And Jesse as Luthor... Just no.
6/10 as a combined rating across all - but watch the Ultimate version only. Everything else is a waste of your time.
More of the same.
I have to spoil to comment unfortunately.
I didn't think the swaps worked. The slow talking Danny Glover and the Jersey boy Danny De Vito impressions by Kev and The Rock didn't work. Jack Black is usually hilarious but isn't here.
It's okay and entertaining enough but it's nothing spectacular or praiseworthy.
And I thought Danny De Vito was off his game here. Hammy and loud.
Some good CG, but a bit of a one-trick wonder. They'll need to step up the plot line for the inevitable 3rd instalment.
6.5/10
My favourite Scorcese film.
Perhaps not as flashy as Goodfellas but an absolutely epic ride. That it is based on real events is even more mind blowing!
Fabulous film with amazing performances by Sharon Stone, De Niro, Pesci and Woods. Love Don Rickles too!
9.25/10
After a long wait with huge anticipation (due to the Netflix tie-in) and the remarkable cast, I settled in for a 205 min marathon. Ultimately I came away a little underwhelmed.
Let's look at the good and bad.
Good:
- Pesci. An absolute joy to see him on screen again. What a legend. Hasn't lost a step.
-De Niro. He puts the apathy of the 90s and 00s to sleep here. Well earned legendary status.
- Epic nature of the film. It really does span decades and decades.
- Scorcese direction and Thelma's editing are always a treat. Some beautiful stuff here.
Bad:
- Pacino. I can't take him seriously anymore. He reverts to shouty Godfather III when doing scenes and after 25+ years of this, it's tiresome. I cannot recall a great performance from him in a very long time. He's the weakest of the legends in this film by some margin.
- The de-aging. It is hard to see what age anyone is meant to be. They look younger in the face but it is not necessarily how they looked when they were younger in real life. A 'young' De Niro here doesn't look like Bobby when we knew him in Taxi Driver, say. Also their body stays old moving. So it's hard to know if they are 25 or 45 as it is a 70 year old playing them.
- The final scenes. I'd have liked a little text wrap up.
Overall, it started well, got really strong then limped the final yard.
I feel that this was a hurrah by many of those involved. Could Marty be retiring? Thelma too? Pesci will return to his retirement (and can be rightly very proud of his contributions here). If De Niro and Pacino each retired, who could blame them... I got the air of a last hurrah from this.
7.75 /10 ultimately.
(8/10 first hour, 9/10 second hour, 7.5 third hour, 7 last 30 mins.)
Think Coen Brothers meets Wes Anderson and then dilute it. Very, very good but not great.
An excellent whodunit in the traditional sense. Very enjoyable, keeps you guessing and I doubt you'd be able to read the twists that come throughout.
Only ropey bit is Daniel Craig's accent...
8.75/10
Rating it as a martial arts flick, this is a cracker.
MJW is a monster. Some excellent fight scenes.
8/10
Not the greatest acting but as a vehicle for Gina Carano, it worked. The only decent film she has made since Haywire (where she has had major roles so I'm excluding Deadpool).
7/10
I don't remember a huge amount about the plot but I do recall scenes.
It was poignant and gritty, but not great.
6.5/10
This film has been written off by so many people, including the actors in it!!
But I love it.
Edward Norton is excellent and is a masterclass in acting. De Niro doesn't phone it in. Brando improvises his way through his scenes and seems to be enjoying himself.
Great setup, lovely pacing, nice payoff. What's not to like?
8.5/10
I have this film as one of my guilty pleasures. It's a really solid B-movie - but that is its failing.
The positive:
- Gina Carano is incredibly alluring. The camera loves her. Scenes where she's just being focused on with no action keep you riveted. A very beautiful woman. And she's exceptional in the fight scenes, much as you'd expect from an MMA fighter.
The flaws:
- Soderbergh - an excellent director in usual circumstances. This feels like he gave control to someone else and then just signed it off.
- The ADR. It doesn't mesh as the right tone throughout the film. I'd like to see a cut with Gina's voice and see why they felt the need to replace it.
- the chase scenes are a little overlong with little suspense.
This is far from a perfect film. It has a very solid cast. Carano was learning on the job and she has good points and bad points. But it could have been much better. I have however seen it 3 times that I can recall and I do enjoy it.
7/10
I first watched this film 20+ years ago as a teenager and I thought it was really well done and very funny.
Given it's always stood out in my mind, I sought a rewatch. And I am grateful I found it again.
Brilliant pacing, Bob Hope is hilarious and captivating. The self-mockery of his character to the plot is wonderful.
It wraps up a little quickly and it has a short running time - both likely due to limitations of the era. But it's a gem that has lasted 80 years.. so far!
A modern 8/10 giving respect to its age. 10/10 in 1939 I'd imagine.
This is a shame. A bit of a missed opportunity in my eyes.
At a time where every movie seems to be a Marvel superhero one - and most being mediocre - it was refreshing to watch a good old fashioned cop thriller.
However... It's not a strong one.
Biggest issue is that it is predictable and feels somewhat formulaic. I also struggled with the over-done soundtrack. It just feels a little heavy handed when there is a notable plot item.
On the plus side, Chadwick does a nice job playing a no-nonsense, chip-on-shoulder detective.
But the overall predictability and the shorter running time let this prime opportunity slip by.
6.5 / 10 - a shame as it had so much potential
PS. I wonder if this would have done better as a two-part mini series for TV...
Fairly light fare. Solid cast - Annabella Sciorra is a goddess here and Matthew Broderick has some semblance of a personality making it one of his better roles. There are a few cameos of famous faces too - probably RDN's influence as producer...?
An interesting plot idea, well executed mostly and there's a nice charm about it, particularly the pre-Sex In The City locations.
Worth watching just for Annabella Sciorra.
7/10
Nice movie that is funny because you're an adult looking back kn childhood.
There are some funny scenarios and there's laugh out loud moments throughout.
Enjoyed it in a sweet way. Harmless and quite charming.
7/10.
I recently rewatched the original since it was released and I saw it at the cinema. I also saw this sequel at the cinema and vaguely recall being disappointed.
On rewatch, I can elaborate...
Big problem areas:
- the creatures behaviour has changed. In an immediate time lined sequel, this is unforgivable.
- the plot is okay. It is well structured to create the scenario of returning to the caves but it is incredibly flawed around character behaviours. For instance the deaths at the end, and the 'twist' in the closing seconds.
I didn't feel the need to turn this off but I was overall underwhelmed.
5/10
I didn't know this was a video game adaptation... Watched it for the Rock after seeing a trailer as an ad on YouTube.
More good than bad points overall.
I liked the storyline. Not believable in the slightest but it was clever and a good premise.
The Rock does what he does and Naomie Harris was a treat. Jeffrey whatshisface played a silly overblown redneck. The rest of the cast were hamming it up to their stereotypes. The army guy who just won't listen...
Anywho... The bad bit.
The special effects are pretty ropey. The animals look great but some of the interactions are very sketchy.
I enjoyed this for the popcorn, mindless action and fun that it is. No complaints here after enjoying this viewing.
7/10
Pretty much flawless comedy. Extremely funny, not using swears for laughs, relatable and amazingly well executed.
One of my favorite stand up hours of all time.
Endlessly quotable.
10/10
