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Storms786
Reviews
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Too long, not enough black panther, boring story
Positives:
1. Great CGI and action sequences.
2. Some stellar performances.
3. You might spot The Nigerian Nightmare in it! (Kamaru Usman - MMA fighter)
Negatives:
1. Way too long at 2h 15 mins running time
2. Poor story line
3. Where was the superhero?!?
4. Too focused on being 'PC' and a slight dig at the French!
5. May make more sense to people who saw Black Panther 1
If they cut an hour from the running length, I would've given 6 stars. Way too long, tried to cram in too much virtue signalling stuff. You could snooze for 15 minutes in parts and still follow it without missing a beat.
The scientist character was strange (who was actually a student), why were they trying to kill her? Didn't make sense to me. She'd already invented the machine that could track them so what would killing her achieve? So, the US government wouldn't use her machine if she was assassinated? Didn't make sense to me. Although I admit to snoozing off for a good 30 minutes and had several toilet breaks!
I also haven't seen Black Panther 1, so some things were lost on me. I've just found out that the original Black Panther actor died - which explains some of the virtue signalling in this movie. Partly, it was a memorial to the original Black Panther actor.
Not for me, 1 out of 10.
Thrilla in Manila (2008)
What a blatant and biased hatchet job. HBO should be ashamed!
This is the most biased 'documentary' I've ever seen.
I am a big fan of that era of boxing and am particularly fond of Ali and Frazier. Both great men and what a great trilogy of fights. Sadly, this 'documentary' has demeaned a great fight. Any serious boxing fan knows that Ali deservedly won the fight and he tactically outsmarted Frazier. It was a marathon of a fight in very hot conditions, Frazier's only real chance was to knock Ali out.
Boxing is a tough sport and the fighters always trash talk each other to promote the fight. This 'documentary' has magnified Ali's trash talking and over analysed the trash talking.
Only hard core Frazier fans and Ali haters are up-voting this 'documentary'. Or maybe it's people who hate boxing, every boxing fan knows that trash talking goes on to promote the event. After the fight the trash talking stops. Ali actually said in the post match press conference 'he is a great fighter'
Having said all that, the 'documentary' has some very rare footage and is worth a watch just for that. Also, Ferdie Pacheco gives a great analysis and seems to realise early on that the makers were biased. I was going to give 1 star, but due to Ferdie's analysis and the rare footage I'm going to give it 3 stars
The Revenant (2015)
Emotional roller-coaster of a movie - full spectrum of humanity explored, from the brutal ruthless streak we have to the mercy and love we can express.
I have to say there were more than a few moments that brought a tear to my eye.
Glass had tragically lost his Native Indian wife, then was left alone to bring up his mixed-race son in such harsh circumstances. His son (Hawk) was all he had and then he loses his son in such a brutal manner whilst unable to lift a finger, I felt like I was going through the same emotions as Glass.
Then comes the determination of humanity. Being left for dead the only thing that drives him on to seek vengeance is the love for his son.
Dicaprio delivers an outstanding performance, Hardy nailed it too as the worst that humanity can offer. Cinematography is outstanding but it was the emotional story line that hooked me. It will rip your heart to shreds, more so if you are a single parent.
The best movie I've seen.
Brand X with Russell Brand (2012)
From ponderland to this??
I'm a fan of Russell's past work. I think ponderland is one of the funniest TV shows of all time, he was unhinged in BBBM and his radio shows were comedy genius.
I was expecting he'd deliver something at the same level with Brand X, however the show fails miserably. It's just not funny, too much of the corporate tag on it. It feels to me like Brand hasn't exerted his own zany style on the show and instead has conformed to what the network wants. I'm very disappointed.
If Russell ever reads this here's a message: you've lost your mojo man, don't tow the line with the corporate moneymakers, come back to the UK and try and recapture that zest you had from 10 years ago.
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
Timeless comedy - Sellers delivers a masterclass
This is the funniest film I've ever seen. Its comedy is timeless, and I can watch Dr. Strangelove's scenes over and over and still laugh out loud.
Sellers' performance sets him out as possibly the greatest actor of all time, particularly his improvised portrayal of Strangelove. Strangelove is the only one that is enjoying the impending destruction of the world, in every scene he has an eerie smirk. He's also the one they all turn to for advice on what to do next.
Strangelove the genius, hilarious, mad, (ex?) Nazi, scientist... who would be institutionalised as criminally insane had he not been a genius. In the end turns out to be our saviour!
Apocalypse Now (1979)
Not for me - too long
I watched this because of the high IMDb rating, however I had trouble staying awake whilst watching. The film is far too long, the length is accentuated by the long boring scenes where nothing much happens.
I also didn't follow why the captain just went straight into the renegade colonel's camp. Surely, an assassin would try and sneak in without anyone knowing... or attempt some kind of disguise.
Also, the colonel (M. Brando) didn't do or say anything that warranted his godlike position for me. It was obviously trying to portray some kind of deeper meaning. Well, I didn't get it so it was probably too deep for me!
Star Trek: Voyager: Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy (1999)
The best and funniest Star Trek episode I've ever seen
The beginning opera scene, the 'photonic canon', the females falling head over heels and the final climax... this episode had me in stitches throughout.
You'll only fully appreciate this episode if you're already familiar with the characters (i.e. make sure you've seen other episodes of Voyager so you know the characters, don't watch this as your first).
Typically of Star Trek there were some thought-provoking underlying points; e.g. how does ones imagination influence reality; and when a fantasy does become reality it's not quite what you imagined.
Brilliant!
District 9 (2009)
Very good film - but the shaky camera footage made me nauseous
I was sitting near the front of the cinema, so that probably contributed to the motion sickness that I felt.
However I wish the 'shaky camera' technique would go out of fashion quick. It spoils a good film for people like me who suffer from motion sickness. There were points in the film where I had to close my eyes to avoid puking up.
That aside, the film was very good. Showed how human nature can quickly change... the aliens were welcomed at first but the public quickly turned on the. The main character was brilliant... loved how he interacted with these 'monsters'.
Watch it (unless you hate shaky camera footage).
When We Were Kings (1996)
The greatest sporting event of all time brilliantly documented
This film should be made mandatory watching for all school children. Historically it covers the greatest sporting event of all time and at the same time chronicles the amazing man himself. The Champ is not just articulate and charismatic... he touched the hearts of all the oppressed people of the time. He was a poor mans champion... a ghetto superstar.
I wasn't alive at the time, but the film portrays brilliantly what an underdog Ali was and how everyone half expected Foreman to kill him. Then it shows how Ali very cleverly outwitted his opponent. Psychologically Ali was a heavyweight and Foreman a lightweight. With heart and determination he overcame the colossus that was Foreman.
Watching Foreman in this documentary and his awesome power... I don't believe any boxer since has had the punching power of this man. For god sake he came back at 45 and won the title! Imagine what he was like at 20. The Rumble in the Jungle destroyed Foreman... and propelled Ali onto a bigger stage.
It was held in Zaire, rebels were fighting, the dictator Mobutu, Don King in his prime, James Brown, the succubus, the witch doctors, Boom-aye, Ali, Foreman... The world must have shaken that night.
This documentary makes the hairs on the back of neck stand up... imagine what it must have been like to be alive at that time.
The Fourth Kind (2009)
Not worth watching at the cinema, barely worth watching on the TV
I saw this last night and I think to label it as a horror is being a little bit generous.
Imagine listening to some classical music on the radio and every so often the music is interrupted by the sound of a bomb exploding. This movie is akin to that experience, loud noises that make you jump.... but nothing in the story that would evoke horror.
The whole interlacing with archive footage didn't wash with me. The archive footage was obviously fake. This is a fiction film, to label this as a Mockumentary would be an injustice to District 9.
The director should have gone full steam into making it a spectacular work of fiction... show us the aliens, show us the monsters, show us the probing. Instead all we get is people talking on couches and then the screen goes hazy every time an alien approaches.
This is just a bad work of fiction. If I watched it on TV I'd probably switch channels after 10 minutes.
The Dark Knight (2008)
Edge of the seat stuff - top quality
All the hype made me go to the cinema to watch this (after a year of abstinence). The film was great, although a little over hyped. For me, it's not in the top ten films ever. More like a top 50 film. There were some things that didn't make sense; like where did the joker get all the money to pull off these elaborate stunts? He'd need the wealth of Bruce Wayne to pull off some of the terrorist plots. Why did he burn all the money from the mob?? Surely; that would come in handy to carry on his evil plotting.
Also, how did he manage to stuff two ships and a hospital full of explosives without anyone noticing?? Don't want to focus on the negatives though. I was gripped throughout the film. The Joker was played magnificently and outshone the rest of the cast. It was one thrilling action scene after another. This is the best action film I've ever seen.
The Hitcher (2007)
Awful - A 5 year old could pick holes in this movie
I would rather poke a pen into my eye than watch this movie again. I haven't seen the original but this was awful!! When they managed to escape from the hitchhiker the first time (after he nearly murdered them)
why oh why did they not think to go to a telephone box and report the whole incident to the police?? Instead they stop on the roadside and have a nice long snooze. All the more strange since they had told the baddie their destination
Thus giving him a chance to track them down 12 hours later!! And he obliged! In 12 hours I would have been on the other side of the world being molly cuddled by my mum for having been through such an ordeal.
It got more and more stupid. The café scene where the girlfriend was supposed to call the ambulance. Why did she tell the waitress to do it?? The waitress didn't know what was going on. Another stupid stupid scene. Anyone with half a brain would have been on the blower to the police themselves pouring their heart out about the murders they'd just witnessed.