A fantastic visual spectacle as you'd expect from Terry Gilliam. I love the bureaucratic dystopia that is created, and the movie balances out its darkness by also being very funny. I would recommend this to anybody and everybody.
Reviews
194 Reviews
Mystery Road
(2013)
Slow but overall effective Australian mystery
2 June 2020
A good Australian mystery movie, perfectly utilising the stark locations to build the atmosphere in a small town. The movie is slow at times, but the stylish direction and likeable lead performance by Aaron Pedersen mean it's worth the time. The sequel "Goldstone" is far better, however, I recommend both.
Into the Woods
(2014)
Starts Solid But Fizzles Out
27 January 2015
I was dubious about the quality of this work before entering the cinema. Although I hadn't seen the musical, I knew that Disney's quality ranges from very good, to cringe-worth bad. What convinced me to see it in the end was solid early word-of-mouth, and curiosity of what they did with the strong cast that was attached to the film.
The first half of this movie is very good. Solid performances by Anna Kendrick, James Corden and Emily Blunt keep the fantasy elements in check, and the mise-en-scene by director Rob Marshall is interesting, vibrant and colourful. While it took me a while to take Meryl Streep seriously as the wicked witch, she eventually ended up bringing a large, booming presence to the role that was impossible to ignore. Chris Pine's over the top performance as the Prince was one complaint I had with the performances, but this is minor, as I think he did the best he could with the cartoonish role, and it was a character far more suited to the stage.
Another thing the movie does well is the music. This sounds obvious, given that the movie is a musical, but many modern musicals have had boring soundtracks that are bland and perfectly inoffensive in every way. Here, some or most of the songs are at least interesting or entertaining to listen to, and advance the story.
The story is quite clever, as it combines multiple fairy tales to make one complete story. It takes a while to take off, but when it does it is a fun ride for the first 80 minutes, and a pleasant movie experience for the whole family.
Unfortunately, after the promising start, the movie keeps going after its natural end. The movie goes on for about 20 to 40 minutes long, which again, may have been better and more natural in the stage play. After the movie reaches this point, it becomes far harder to take the cheesy moments seriously.
Without spoiling anything, there are some parts of the storyline that are repeated just for the sake of continuing the multi-storied arc (The Jack and the beanstalk story is a noticeable example of this). This would have made the movie shorter, and if they'd done this I think that the movie would have been a very good 100-minute experience. The whole Rapunzel storyline also feels very pointless, and, as it leads nowhere, feels like it should have been left out completely, almost like it is forgotten leftovers that belong in an extended edition.
Overall, this is a very good modern musical for the first 80 minutes of the 120-minute runtime. Good musicals are far more rare in modern times than they used to be, and so I was enjoying the experience of this film for the first two-thirds. Unfortunately the weak third-act meant that the movie seriously fizzled out, and the movie ends up leaving a sour taste in my mouth.
Score: 4/10
The first half of this movie is very good. Solid performances by Anna Kendrick, James Corden and Emily Blunt keep the fantasy elements in check, and the mise-en-scene by director Rob Marshall is interesting, vibrant and colourful. While it took me a while to take Meryl Streep seriously as the wicked witch, she eventually ended up bringing a large, booming presence to the role that was impossible to ignore. Chris Pine's over the top performance as the Prince was one complaint I had with the performances, but this is minor, as I think he did the best he could with the cartoonish role, and it was a character far more suited to the stage.
Another thing the movie does well is the music. This sounds obvious, given that the movie is a musical, but many modern musicals have had boring soundtracks that are bland and perfectly inoffensive in every way. Here, some or most of the songs are at least interesting or entertaining to listen to, and advance the story.
The story is quite clever, as it combines multiple fairy tales to make one complete story. It takes a while to take off, but when it does it is a fun ride for the first 80 minutes, and a pleasant movie experience for the whole family.
Unfortunately, after the promising start, the movie keeps going after its natural end. The movie goes on for about 20 to 40 minutes long, which again, may have been better and more natural in the stage play. After the movie reaches this point, it becomes far harder to take the cheesy moments seriously.
Without spoiling anything, there are some parts of the storyline that are repeated just for the sake of continuing the multi-storied arc (The Jack and the beanstalk story is a noticeable example of this). This would have made the movie shorter, and if they'd done this I think that the movie would have been a very good 100-minute experience. The whole Rapunzel storyline also feels very pointless, and, as it leads nowhere, feels like it should have been left out completely, almost like it is forgotten leftovers that belong in an extended edition.
Overall, this is a very good modern musical for the first 80 minutes of the 120-minute runtime. Good musicals are far more rare in modern times than they used to be, and so I was enjoying the experience of this film for the first two-thirds. Unfortunately the weak third-act meant that the movie seriously fizzled out, and the movie ends up leaving a sour taste in my mouth.
Score: 4/10
The Imitation Game
(2014)
What Better Way is There to Learn History?
12 January 2015
An entertaining narrative and amazing performances by actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley, combined with fleshed out characters and old-fashioned epic styled cinematography, cover up minor moments of typical biopic cheesiness, making this movie highly worthwhile.
I must confess that I knew very little about Alan Turing before going into this film. An incredibly fleeting preview look at who he was showed him to be a highly influential figure in the British victory in World War II, and as somebody later in life prosecuted for the then-crime of homosexual acts.
Although Turing himself seemed like an interesting man to read about, I was initially slightly hesitant. Biography pictures have never been my cup of tea, and even the presence of talented actors such as Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightly and Mark Strong were not enough to convince me of this film's potential quality.
In the end what convinced me to see it was the mix of a good trailer, solid early reviews on the movie's quality, and the fact that the director Morten Tyldum's last movie was the very exciting, and very good, "Headhunters", which showed a lot of potential in him as a director.
The movie does a lot well straight off the bat. It's a highly entertaining film which moves at a fast pace, as it focuses mainly on Turing and his team of code-breakers as they try to break Enigma, the Nazi military code machine. Along with the main plot the story cuts back to Turing's childhood, when he was an outcast who was picked on at school before a boy named Christopher befriended him and introduced him to the codes which would play such a large role in his life. Also featured is Turing after the war, where police are investigating a break in at his house, which ultimately leads to him being targeted as a potential homosexual. By changing the time-frames that the story is being told in, and slightly messing with chronological order, the story is made infinitely more interesting, and we get to learn far more about the man Alan Turing.
Unlike failed biographical films, this movie has characters that feel genuine, and don't just feel like actors saying famous lines that the person was famous for saying. Of course, there are scenes where that does happen, but for the most part it is not a problem. The direction is top-notch throughout this whole work, and Tyldum gives the film the look of an old-school spy thriller, giving each shot an air of importance and, along with the work of the script by Graham Moore (and adapted from the book by Andrew Hodges), keeps what could be a slow and plodding story moving at a brisk pace.
Although the movie gets a lot right, it does have some moments that bring it down from a potentially great movie, and keep it at just being very good. For most of the movie, the soundtrack is superb, and atmosphere building, however on some occasions it is overbearing and creates some cheesy moments. In general, melodrama proves to be the film's main problem, with a few cringe-worthy scenes that are quite typically found in the biopic genre. In these scenes, characters act far more earnestly then they most likely would in real life so as to build the tension of dramatic moments. That being said, this dramatic flair is also what makes the movie interesting, so I suppose moments like this are easily forgiven. Another small problem I had with the film is that some historical moments just feel like they were added for the sake of it, almost like they had a check-list of things to cross-off that had to be in the film so as not to bother history buffs. In a movie that already flirts dangerously with what is fact and what is fiction, some of these definitely don't feel necessary.
Overall, despite some flaws, the movie works as it is incredibly entertaining with a clever narrative that shows the effect that Alan Turing had on the war. From what I hear the facts are exaggerated, but that feels understandable, and the movie still results in a smartly directed and worthwhile movie that has potential to be a genuine crowd-pleaser, in the old-fashioned meaning of the word.
The lame and more cliché moments in the script perhaps keep the movie from being great, and the no-risk approach to maintaining the likability of Turing perhaps is why it just misses out on taking the movie to the next level. That in mind, I would definitely recommend this to anybody looking for a movie to go and see in cinemas. Cumberbatch and Knightley are brilliant, and I will definitely be eager to see Tyldum's next feature film.
Score: 7/10
I must confess that I knew very little about Alan Turing before going into this film. An incredibly fleeting preview look at who he was showed him to be a highly influential figure in the British victory in World War II, and as somebody later in life prosecuted for the then-crime of homosexual acts.
Although Turing himself seemed like an interesting man to read about, I was initially slightly hesitant. Biography pictures have never been my cup of tea, and even the presence of talented actors such as Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightly and Mark Strong were not enough to convince me of this film's potential quality.
In the end what convinced me to see it was the mix of a good trailer, solid early reviews on the movie's quality, and the fact that the director Morten Tyldum's last movie was the very exciting, and very good, "Headhunters", which showed a lot of potential in him as a director.
The movie does a lot well straight off the bat. It's a highly entertaining film which moves at a fast pace, as it focuses mainly on Turing and his team of code-breakers as they try to break Enigma, the Nazi military code machine. Along with the main plot the story cuts back to Turing's childhood, when he was an outcast who was picked on at school before a boy named Christopher befriended him and introduced him to the codes which would play such a large role in his life. Also featured is Turing after the war, where police are investigating a break in at his house, which ultimately leads to him being targeted as a potential homosexual. By changing the time-frames that the story is being told in, and slightly messing with chronological order, the story is made infinitely more interesting, and we get to learn far more about the man Alan Turing.
Unlike failed biographical films, this movie has characters that feel genuine, and don't just feel like actors saying famous lines that the person was famous for saying. Of course, there are scenes where that does happen, but for the most part it is not a problem. The direction is top-notch throughout this whole work, and Tyldum gives the film the look of an old-school spy thriller, giving each shot an air of importance and, along with the work of the script by Graham Moore (and adapted from the book by Andrew Hodges), keeps what could be a slow and plodding story moving at a brisk pace.
Although the movie gets a lot right, it does have some moments that bring it down from a potentially great movie, and keep it at just being very good. For most of the movie, the soundtrack is superb, and atmosphere building, however on some occasions it is overbearing and creates some cheesy moments. In general, melodrama proves to be the film's main problem, with a few cringe-worthy scenes that are quite typically found in the biopic genre. In these scenes, characters act far more earnestly then they most likely would in real life so as to build the tension of dramatic moments. That being said, this dramatic flair is also what makes the movie interesting, so I suppose moments like this are easily forgiven. Another small problem I had with the film is that some historical moments just feel like they were added for the sake of it, almost like they had a check-list of things to cross-off that had to be in the film so as not to bother history buffs. In a movie that already flirts dangerously with what is fact and what is fiction, some of these definitely don't feel necessary.
Overall, despite some flaws, the movie works as it is incredibly entertaining with a clever narrative that shows the effect that Alan Turing had on the war. From what I hear the facts are exaggerated, but that feels understandable, and the movie still results in a smartly directed and worthwhile movie that has potential to be a genuine crowd-pleaser, in the old-fashioned meaning of the word.
The lame and more cliché moments in the script perhaps keep the movie from being great, and the no-risk approach to maintaining the likability of Turing perhaps is why it just misses out on taking the movie to the next level. That in mind, I would definitely recommend this to anybody looking for a movie to go and see in cinemas. Cumberbatch and Knightley are brilliant, and I will definitely be eager to see Tyldum's next feature film.
Score: 7/10
Penguins of Madagascar
(2014)
The Most Inevitable of Spin-off's Has Finally Arrived
7 January 2015
The Most Inevitable of Spin-off's Has Finally Arrived: Although it is far from unwatchable, the cute antics of the Penguins from Dreamwork Animation's highly successful "Madagascar" franchise have finally begun to reach their tipping point, and now risk becoming simply another side-character annoyance.
When the first "Madagascar" movie came out in 2005, I was a big fan. Now, given, I was nine at the time, and admittedly filled the target audience for this film a bit more then I do now, but as the sequels have come out in 2008 and 2012, I have continued to find the "Madgascar" franchise a fun series, albeit one without the emotional or cinematic depth of other family offerings from companies like Pixar, or family films from overseas.
For kids, the vibrant colours of the animation, the fast-paced humour in the script and lovable characters of this series have proved too good to resist each time. For this reason, a spin-off featuring the penguins is no surprise, as they were one of the most memorable things about the original trilogy, for children and critics alike.
The question going into this movie was whether the penguins could carry the weight of their own solo movie. Time and time again, franchises have tried putting increasing focus on side characters, only to ruin what made the first film so good, and even sometimes make us question why we liked those characters in the first place. This was the test "Penguins of Madagascar" had to pass in order to not only be a worthwhile movie, but also for the possible future success of the "Madagascar" franchise.
One of the things that the movie does well, but inconsistently, is humour. There is a joke fired about twice a minute, resulting in many funny moments, but also far more examples where a joke falls flat on its face. The opening scene featuring our protagonists Skipper, Kowalski, Private and Rico's origins is cute and funny, and features simultaneously the films funniest moment, and the most emotionally resonant. For this scene, the addition of a documentary crew determined to make an interesting documentary about penguins at any cost, proves to be a highlight.
A problem with some spin-offs is lead characters having to become more developed to suit being a lead character in the story, and making this believable for fans of the original works by in keeping with that character. Fortunately, for the most part, this is the case in the film, however there is clear examples throughout of when extra tension and characteristics are added just to add some emotional depth to the story, and sometimes this doesn't feel in tune with what we know about the protagonists.
The animation is creative for the most part, and while the character designs and background aren't exactly original, it suits the look of the film. Voicework is assisted by stars John Malkovich and Benedict Cumberbatch, who liven up the characters and really personify them.
Although it's funny, the characters stay enjoyable, the animation is solid, and the voice work is spot on, these feats are largely overshadowed by what the movie didn't do very well. The third act of the movie completely halts the progress of the first two-thirds, and the ridiculous motivation used by the main villain becomes too much of a problem to put up with as the movie nears its end.
The unbelievable added tension between main characters also clearly highlights the fact that they are not equipped to be main characters, and flaws such as the plot and lack of development of characters are joked about in meta ways, which just doesn't make up for the poorness of the storytelling. Although the audience is predominantly children, the writers aren't, and they should know better then to cover up their own laziness with such band-aid methods.
The movie struggles to work, but stays watchable with the occasional solid laugh it provides. The frenetic nature of the plot and the jokes keep the pace going so fast that no individual moments stay annoying for too long. However, because of this, no moments truly land, and the jokes and scenes in the "Madagascar" series seemed to have a lot more clarity and purpose to them.
Overall, the movie doesn't achieve the already modest highs of the preceding trilogy of films, if only just for the reason that the main characters were designed as sidekicks, and the four penguins just don't make for compelling enough protagonists. The movie remains OK throughout and even good at times until the last act which becomes far less funny, and a typical and uninspired final action scene also sets this movie on a collision course directly for mediocrity, and ultimately ends up dragging the movie down into becoming a failure.
Score: 4/10
When the first "Madagascar" movie came out in 2005, I was a big fan. Now, given, I was nine at the time, and admittedly filled the target audience for this film a bit more then I do now, but as the sequels have come out in 2008 and 2012, I have continued to find the "Madgascar" franchise a fun series, albeit one without the emotional or cinematic depth of other family offerings from companies like Pixar, or family films from overseas.
For kids, the vibrant colours of the animation, the fast-paced humour in the script and lovable characters of this series have proved too good to resist each time. For this reason, a spin-off featuring the penguins is no surprise, as they were one of the most memorable things about the original trilogy, for children and critics alike.
The question going into this movie was whether the penguins could carry the weight of their own solo movie. Time and time again, franchises have tried putting increasing focus on side characters, only to ruin what made the first film so good, and even sometimes make us question why we liked those characters in the first place. This was the test "Penguins of Madagascar" had to pass in order to not only be a worthwhile movie, but also for the possible future success of the "Madagascar" franchise.
One of the things that the movie does well, but inconsistently, is humour. There is a joke fired about twice a minute, resulting in many funny moments, but also far more examples where a joke falls flat on its face. The opening scene featuring our protagonists Skipper, Kowalski, Private and Rico's origins is cute and funny, and features simultaneously the films funniest moment, and the most emotionally resonant. For this scene, the addition of a documentary crew determined to make an interesting documentary about penguins at any cost, proves to be a highlight.
A problem with some spin-offs is lead characters having to become more developed to suit being a lead character in the story, and making this believable for fans of the original works by in keeping with that character. Fortunately, for the most part, this is the case in the film, however there is clear examples throughout of when extra tension and characteristics are added just to add some emotional depth to the story, and sometimes this doesn't feel in tune with what we know about the protagonists.
The animation is creative for the most part, and while the character designs and background aren't exactly original, it suits the look of the film. Voicework is assisted by stars John Malkovich and Benedict Cumberbatch, who liven up the characters and really personify them.
Although it's funny, the characters stay enjoyable, the animation is solid, and the voice work is spot on, these feats are largely overshadowed by what the movie didn't do very well. The third act of the movie completely halts the progress of the first two-thirds, and the ridiculous motivation used by the main villain becomes too much of a problem to put up with as the movie nears its end.
The unbelievable added tension between main characters also clearly highlights the fact that they are not equipped to be main characters, and flaws such as the plot and lack of development of characters are joked about in meta ways, which just doesn't make up for the poorness of the storytelling. Although the audience is predominantly children, the writers aren't, and they should know better then to cover up their own laziness with such band-aid methods.
The movie struggles to work, but stays watchable with the occasional solid laugh it provides. The frenetic nature of the plot and the jokes keep the pace going so fast that no individual moments stay annoying for too long. However, because of this, no moments truly land, and the jokes and scenes in the "Madagascar" series seemed to have a lot more clarity and purpose to them.
Overall, the movie doesn't achieve the already modest highs of the preceding trilogy of films, if only just for the reason that the main characters were designed as sidekicks, and the four penguins just don't make for compelling enough protagonists. The movie remains OK throughout and even good at times until the last act which becomes far less funny, and a typical and uninspired final action scene also sets this movie on a collision course directly for mediocrity, and ultimately ends up dragging the movie down into becoming a failure.
Score: 4/10
Old Dogs
(I) (2009)
Satisfactory kids movie
7 January 2010
A lot of people have bagged this movie since it came out, whether it is because of the predictability of the storyline or voicing disapproval of the jokes. What these people don't seem to realize is that this is a kids film. A movie not meant to thrill the older members of the family, but to be at least something bearable for them to do with there kids, and in this respect this movie succeeds. I have heard people mention that this film shows how dumb movies think kids are, and that kids deserve to have a movie with thought, but not all adult movies require thought, and most people are OK with that (the sensible ones) and since there is kids movies with thought coming out quite often at the moment (Coraline, Fantastic Mr. Fox) it seems quite reasonable that they can balance this out with brainless fun like this film. For negatives, while Robin Williams and John Travolta do there parts to the best of their ability the supporting cast is lackluster, while there are funny cameos by numerous comedy faces the supporting characters that actually matter (mum and friend) are not very good and don't add anything to the fun of the movie. This being said, Robin Williams and John Travolta hold it together all the way through with just a couple not very funny scenes. Overall, if you want to take your kid to a movie you could do a lot worse then "Old Dogs". 5/10.
Fantastic Mr. Fox
(2009)
Not Anderson's best, in my opinion, but certainly a very entertaining movie
6 January 2010
Fantastic Mr. Fox based off the classic story by Roald Dahl is a very abstract kids film done by legendary director Wes Anderson. This film by Anderson is aimed more at the family market (Which was expected to all those who have read or heard of the book) and it seems like he pulled it off. The movie is lined with a strong cast of acting professionals, ranging from starring roles (George Clooney, Merryl Streep) too supporting roles (Bill Murray) just to name a few. The movie sometimes goes out on a bit of a limb and while most of the time is funny and entertaining there are moments which are just plain annoying. The story, while not staying very true to the book, is executed moderately well by Anderson and although his style of directing may not fit as well into the family film market he certainly has made an entertaining film worth a watch. Overall I would give it a 7/10.
Good TOH but not great
4 November 2009
I, like many Simpson's fans make it an annual tradition to sit down and watch the Simpson's tree house of horror specials (Which don't air on Halloween) and although always liking one of the segments the specials of late have been sadly below my expectations. Unfortunately this episode, while having many likable moments is not a fantastic episode by any means. I will now go into my analysis of all 3 segments.
Dial M For Murder Or Press # To Return To Main Menu: 7/10 This segment (Obviously) is a spoof of horror legend Alfred Hitchcock and the particular spoof they have here is of classic 1951 movie "Strangers On A Train". The plot line of this short has Lisa and Bart both in detention and bitter against the teacher where Bart has the plan to criss-cross and ding-dong-ditch the teacher. Bart then kills Lisa's teacher and Lisa, mistaking the ding-dong-ditch to be just a harmless prank fails to impress Bart and Bart tries to get her to take care of his business. This short is incredibly clever in the many spoofs of Hitchcock and there are many enjoyable moments in the 5 minutes this short takes up.
Don't Have A Cow, Mankind: 8/10 This is the best special of the night which is a spoof of the fantastic zombie film "28 Days Later" where Krusty Burger sells tainted meat which infects all of Springfield with an infection which turns them all into blood thirsty zombies. They then find out Bart is immune to infection and, with the help of Apu try to get him outside of Springfield to the "Safe Zone". This short is, while short, incredibly enjoyable and funny for a zombie fan. The only problem with this segment I have is that Homer was incredibly annoying in this short (More annoying than he has been usual in this normal series which is bearable) but that was not enough to put too much of a dampener on this generally hilarious spoof.
Sweeny Todd Type Spoof 5/10 While the second one was the best segment this one unfortunately fails to reach the standard of the first two (Which usually is n't how they do it in TOH episodes). This segment had some funny and well thought out moments but a lot of it seemed rushed. I can sadly only give this one 5/10.
Overall while this was n't the best TOH episodes it is probably the best from the last 3 years or so. Overall I'd give this a 7,
Dial M For Murder Or Press # To Return To Main Menu: 7/10 This segment (Obviously) is a spoof of horror legend Alfred Hitchcock and the particular spoof they have here is of classic 1951 movie "Strangers On A Train". The plot line of this short has Lisa and Bart both in detention and bitter against the teacher where Bart has the plan to criss-cross and ding-dong-ditch the teacher. Bart then kills Lisa's teacher and Lisa, mistaking the ding-dong-ditch to be just a harmless prank fails to impress Bart and Bart tries to get her to take care of his business. This short is incredibly clever in the many spoofs of Hitchcock and there are many enjoyable moments in the 5 minutes this short takes up.
Don't Have A Cow, Mankind: 8/10 This is the best special of the night which is a spoof of the fantastic zombie film "28 Days Later" where Krusty Burger sells tainted meat which infects all of Springfield with an infection which turns them all into blood thirsty zombies. They then find out Bart is immune to infection and, with the help of Apu try to get him outside of Springfield to the "Safe Zone". This short is, while short, incredibly enjoyable and funny for a zombie fan. The only problem with this segment I have is that Homer was incredibly annoying in this short (More annoying than he has been usual in this normal series which is bearable) but that was not enough to put too much of a dampener on this generally hilarious spoof.
Sweeny Todd Type Spoof 5/10 While the second one was the best segment this one unfortunately fails to reach the standard of the first two (Which usually is n't how they do it in TOH episodes). This segment had some funny and well thought out moments but a lot of it seemed rushed. I can sadly only give this one 5/10.
Overall while this was n't the best TOH episodes it is probably the best from the last 3 years or so. Overall I'd give this a 7,
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
(2009)
Ordinary popcorn movie
5 August 2009
This movie may have a questionable script, some sub-par actors (Some were surprisingly good for a popcorn movie which is applaudable) and some Team America style action (They seemed to cause a lot more damage to Paris then the terrorists plan to) but the film can not help but be entertaining. It has what Transformers 2 had which was good special effects, but what Transformers 2 lacked was entertainment which this movie definitely has, even if it is n't a very good movie from a movie point of view.
While lots of people and critics alike are going to bag the hell out of this film, I think as long as you go in with an open mind a low expectancy of the movie to hold any sort of realism you will have a pretty good time, which is really the reason the film was made (After the money of course).
Overall, this film is a good watch for non fans of the series at least but, not having seen the cartoon I cant speak for existing fans of G.I. Joe but I had a good time, and I think a lot of other people will 2 as long as they can maintain an open mind.
While lots of people and critics alike are going to bag the hell out of this film, I think as long as you go in with an open mind a low expectancy of the movie to hold any sort of realism you will have a pretty good time, which is really the reason the film was made (After the money of course).
Overall, this film is a good watch for non fans of the series at least but, not having seen the cartoon I cant speak for existing fans of G.I. Joe but I had a good time, and I think a lot of other people will 2 as long as they can maintain an open mind.
Sometimes funny, sometimes not
5 July 2009
This is the third movie in the highly enjoyed Ice Age trilogy and after the fantastic first one and sadly slightly lackluster second movie, my reactions when I heard of this movie was that of not caring. But when I had seen everything else at the cinema I went, and I must say this movie was pretty entertaining. Its plot, while predictable kept me entertained and the character's were kept true to their usual self's.
Some negative movies though is the humour it resorts to if a scene starts to drag on a little and this film we saw a lot of the same humour used in 100 films before it but only a small fraction of the films jokes were taken up with this and mostly the film kept original.
Overall, I think I enjoyed the movie more then the second one, but the second one had this bit for style and grace. I will give this movie 52%.
Some negative movies though is the humour it resorts to if a scene starts to drag on a little and this film we saw a lot of the same humour used in 100 films before it but only a small fraction of the films jokes were taken up with this and mostly the film kept original.
Overall, I think I enjoyed the movie more then the second one, but the second one had this bit for style and grace. I will give this movie 52%.
The Hangover
(2009)
Hilarious film! One of the best comedies of 2009 (So far)
5 July 2009
This has n't really been a good year for comedies this year and when I saw this trailer I did n't really expect much. But, always open to seeing a comedy movie, I went to the drive and really enjoyed myself. It was really funny all the way along and even when it stopped to set up a scene it was still really interesting to watch and I never got bored throughout the movie. I think most people are used to films like this right now, with the shock value level set high and trying to make as many people annoyed as possible, but I like to think this film has a lot more going for it, with much better humour and if not that, much funnier character's.
The film also uses its concept better then all the other comedies that have been released this year, and the plot line does n't disappoint and the disaster theme, while used in thousands of other Hollywood films before this is again done really well and keeps this film interesting and lively.
Overall, this was a much funnier movie then I thought it was and is another movie that has really surprised me by doing the opposite of what I thought it would be like (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and I was very glad I decided to this. I give this movie 83%. I would recommend this for lovers of Apatrow styled movies (Knocked Up, Superbad, Zack And Miri Make A Porno).
The film also uses its concept better then all the other comedies that have been released this year, and the plot line does n't disappoint and the disaster theme, while used in thousands of other Hollywood films before this is again done really well and keeps this film interesting and lively.
Overall, this was a much funnier movie then I thought it was and is another movie that has really surprised me by doing the opposite of what I thought it would be like (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and I was very glad I decided to this. I give this movie 83%. I would recommend this for lovers of Apatrow styled movies (Knocked Up, Superbad, Zack And Miri Make A Porno).
Ice Age: The Meltdown
(2006)
Not as good as the first movie, but highly enjoyable
5 July 2009
This movie suffers from sequel fever, it probably should n't have been made, and that nearly kills it in the first place. However the writers and cast of this 2006 made sequel seem to pull it into a pretty decent film.
In this movie we see Manfred, Sid and Diego living in their version of paradise before they are forced out of their home by unforeseen events, they then begin their journey to a safe location.
The movie has lots of character's, most of them are funny and add to the sorry but some feel forced and just there to provide slapstick humour (Crash and Eddie did n't get laughs from some of the kids even) but to the films credit, it does n't completely stuff up the original character's, and they still take front and center in this sequel.
Overall, this film does not even compare to the first film but is an enjoyable watch for fans of the first movie. This is a very good movie for families to sit down and enjoy together.
In this movie we see Manfred, Sid and Diego living in their version of paradise before they are forced out of their home by unforeseen events, they then begin their journey to a safe location.
The movie has lots of character's, most of them are funny and add to the sorry but some feel forced and just there to provide slapstick humour (Crash and Eddie did n't get laughs from some of the kids even) but to the films credit, it does n't completely stuff up the original character's, and they still take front and center in this sequel.
Overall, this film does not even compare to the first film but is an enjoyable watch for fans of the first movie. This is a very good movie for families to sit down and enjoy together.
Ice Age
(2002)
Now THIS is a family film
5 July 2009
There has been a lot of bad kids films in the past decade which relied on tired jokes, predictable story lines and fart humour but this show is n't like that and really can be enjoyed by everyone in the family.
The plot starts with Sid the sloth, who, after being abandoned by his family after migration, finds Manfred, a depressed mammoth who just wants to be left alone. Together, they find a baby and decide to take him to his tribe to be with his family. While this is going on, a gang of saber toothed tigers hunt for the baby and send fellow tiger Diego to find the baby, but when he finds the baby in the care of Manfred and Sid he decides to lead them, acting as a tracker right into an ambush. Here begins the humour.
The plot is more balanced and the characters more likable then in your ordinary kid film. In this film we see more then just the usual fart and slapstick humour and begin to see jokes about their actual situation and while it does have most of the jokes aimed at kids, the jokes are fresh enough that adults will respect the experience as well.
Second, this film has a great back up of not only a good storyline and animation but all the voice actors support each other beautifully and help add quite a style to this movie that also adds to its enjoyability.
Overall, the film is funny and has many enjoyable moments. I definitely recommend it for the whole family from the kids to the adults. This is (As usual) the best film in the series.
The plot starts with Sid the sloth, who, after being abandoned by his family after migration, finds Manfred, a depressed mammoth who just wants to be left alone. Together, they find a baby and decide to take him to his tribe to be with his family. While this is going on, a gang of saber toothed tigers hunt for the baby and send fellow tiger Diego to find the baby, but when he finds the baby in the care of Manfred and Sid he decides to lead them, acting as a tracker right into an ambush. Here begins the humour.
The plot is more balanced and the characters more likable then in your ordinary kid film. In this film we see more then just the usual fart and slapstick humour and begin to see jokes about their actual situation and while it does have most of the jokes aimed at kids, the jokes are fresh enough that adults will respect the experience as well.
Second, this film has a great back up of not only a good storyline and animation but all the voice actors support each other beautifully and help add quite a style to this movie that also adds to its enjoyability.
Overall, the film is funny and has many enjoyable moments. I definitely recommend it for the whole family from the kids to the adults. This is (As usual) the best film in the series.
Red Dwarf
(1988– )
One of my favourite shows of all time.
3 July 2009
Warning: Spoilers
I was a bit hesitant about renting out "Red Dwarf" the first time one of my friends recommended it too me but I got it out anyway because I always like finding a new fantastic show, and this was definitely all that and more. While in the early series having a tiny budget used on props and the sets it still managed to produce fantastic story lines and new characters every episode, it was when they got a bigger budget(Season 3 or 4 and over) that they really let their creative style loose going to different funny dimensions, meeting equally funny new character's and with jokes about what different dimensions existed they still had great character jokes, which really made the humour of this show something to be reckoned with.
The character's in the show are a great example of how character interaction alone can make a show 100 times better, and in this we see such a wide range of character's, lead and co starring that make this show great on its own even without all the other dimensions (This was, as I said earlier most of what the first 2 or 3 seasons were like). First there is Dave Lister, who is a slob but is also a deep down very caring and compassionate guy and to the writers credit, they really make it so that just when you think Dave is just a useless slob they write an episode which reveals more about that character and how he is really a good guy. Then there is Rimmer, and prude sort of fellow who has always wanted to become an officer but, not being able to, due to being a complete incompetent worker and a general nuisance to be around has convinced himself that he is a great worker, but has not been promoted due to being so good at what he does (Head Vending Machine Maitenence man). Anyway, as the series progresses he is one of the best walls to bounce jokes with between him and Lister, and while they are always fighting deep down they both don't hate each other and Lister is actually quite understanding of the fact that Rimmer is a complete and utter Smeghead. After that there is Kryten, one of my favourite character's in a TV show in the 20th centuries, from him trying to be more human to his pathetic whining he is another great wall of jokes with all the character's. Last of the main character's from the early seasons (Kochanski replacing Rimmer for a small time in season 7) is the obnoxious but oddly lovable Cat, who is a descendant from a cat Lister smuggled aboard (Which is the reason Dave was put into stasis and how he became the only human alive) who has now become a human looking and sounding up himself cat mutant who has an odd addiction to fashion. All these character's make the show what it is and what it always will be.
Overall the time has become a classic that will (Hopefully) live on forever bringing in new waves of followers. Red Dwarf Forver!!!.
The character's in the show are a great example of how character interaction alone can make a show 100 times better, and in this we see such a wide range of character's, lead and co starring that make this show great on its own even without all the other dimensions (This was, as I said earlier most of what the first 2 or 3 seasons were like). First there is Dave Lister, who is a slob but is also a deep down very caring and compassionate guy and to the writers credit, they really make it so that just when you think Dave is just a useless slob they write an episode which reveals more about that character and how he is really a good guy. Then there is Rimmer, and prude sort of fellow who has always wanted to become an officer but, not being able to, due to being a complete incompetent worker and a general nuisance to be around has convinced himself that he is a great worker, but has not been promoted due to being so good at what he does (Head Vending Machine Maitenence man). Anyway, as the series progresses he is one of the best walls to bounce jokes with between him and Lister, and while they are always fighting deep down they both don't hate each other and Lister is actually quite understanding of the fact that Rimmer is a complete and utter Smeghead. After that there is Kryten, one of my favourite character's in a TV show in the 20th centuries, from him trying to be more human to his pathetic whining he is another great wall of jokes with all the character's. Last of the main character's from the early seasons (Kochanski replacing Rimmer for a small time in season 7) is the obnoxious but oddly lovable Cat, who is a descendant from a cat Lister smuggled aboard (Which is the reason Dave was put into stasis and how he became the only human alive) who has now become a human looking and sounding up himself cat mutant who has an odd addiction to fashion. All these character's make the show what it is and what it always will be.
Overall the time has become a classic that will (Hopefully) live on forever bringing in new waves of followers. Red Dwarf Forver!!!.
The Shawshank Redemption
(1994)
Fantastic storytelling. A modern movie classic.
30 June 2009
Warning: Spoilers
I was not born when this movie came out so I have just had the chance to watch this movie and actually appreciate it recently and I must say I can see why this movie is recognized as one of the best movies of all times. The movie generally gets across human emotion and the acting and directing of everyone involved makes this movie a brilliant show alone. Not only is the movie well made but the story of it is fantastic and certainly does not mess up Stephen Kings novel. Even in it's near 3 hour runtime it does not ever get boring (and this is coming from someone who comes from the add generation) and always has a story to tell. Everything in this movie is important about the storytelling, from the main story to even Brooks story of him spending 50 years in prison and then being released and realizing he is completely dependent on the prison and has become used to being enclosed in its walls.
Overall, the film is a masterpiece and I am glad I got to watch such a fantastic film. It is certainly up there in terms of the best movie of all time, and even though I am a little hesitant to call it the best, I would definitely put it in the top 10. I give this movie 96%.
Overall, the film is a masterpiece and I am glad I got to watch such a fantastic film. It is certainly up there in terms of the best movie of all time, and even though I am a little hesitant to call it the best, I would definitely put it in the top 10. I give this movie 96%.
Not as good as the first one but is better then most Hollywood dribble
29 June 2009
I remember not expecting anything good when I walked into the first Transformers movie since I had not liked the animated series, I was not a big fan of Micheal Bay's (Judging from Pearl Harbour and Armarrgedon being terrible) but, since there was nothing else good I went anyway and I was surprised, since it had good special effects (Well I saw THAT coming) and actually had a storyline and I was impressed, it was definitely a step up movie wise for Hollywood/Micheal Bay.
Then when I heard about the second movie and I think with my high expectations I was pretty much down there. I expected the same fantastic quality of the first one and while this movie is good, it does not ever reach the quality the first one did.
In this one Sam goes off to college 2 years after his first battle with the decepticons. But adventure follows him there and he is led into the second major battle of good vs. evil.
The story is alright although lacking in some places, the movie does use its long run time well though and never stops unless it has to. Although the special effects take up this one more, this was not the only problem. They added too many of the characters just for kid humour, something which was lacking in the first one (which is a good thing) and I hated the twins that talked give even though that has not been considered a cool thing to have in a movie in about 5-10 years.
Overall, the movie fails to reach up to the standards of the first movie but is pretty good and well worth a watch for fans of the first movie and the show. I rate it 62% for being an entertaining popcorn movie. Nothing more.
Then when I heard about the second movie and I think with my high expectations I was pretty much down there. I expected the same fantastic quality of the first one and while this movie is good, it does not ever reach the quality the first one did.
In this one Sam goes off to college 2 years after his first battle with the decepticons. But adventure follows him there and he is led into the second major battle of good vs. evil.
The story is alright although lacking in some places, the movie does use its long run time well though and never stops unless it has to. Although the special effects take up this one more, this was not the only problem. They added too many of the characters just for kid humour, something which was lacking in the first one (which is a good thing) and I hated the twins that talked give even though that has not been considered a cool thing to have in a movie in about 5-10 years.
Overall, the movie fails to reach up to the standards of the first movie but is pretty good and well worth a watch for fans of the first movie and the show. I rate it 62% for being an entertaining popcorn movie. Nothing more.
Life on Mars
(2006–2007)
Absolutely brilliant
13 April 2009
I don't rate many shows the full 10/10 and I will never rate a show the full 100%, but this show (Among with The Simpsons, Futurama and Scrubs) is one of the closest you will ever get. It has got everything, good story lines, good characters and it is just as much of a surprise when things happen to you as it is to the actual characters. The mystery of the show is so brilliantly well written and the show as it goes on really becomes something of its own.
The show, for those who don't know stars Sam Tyler who after a car crash finds himself in 1973, he does n't know whats going on and neither does the audience as all 16 episodes of this series slowly getting to the conclusion of the mystery behind the show.
The characters really bring a lot to the show and if you did n't feel for them there would be a lot missing from the show (Kinda like the American version suffers from every now and then). There is of course Sam who is the fish out of water, he provides the voice of reason behind decisions made by his superior officer, DCI Gene Hunt who is a reckless alcholic who is only used to his "Fists first, Questions later" policy and it is Sams job. 2 of Hunts loyal comarados are Ray Carling, a slightly irresponsible cop who Sam hates. There is also Chris, a clumsy rising up detective who you really begin to feel for as the show goes on. At the other end of the coop comes Annie, the girl keeping Sam sane, she is stuck at a worse job the other detectives because she is a women and resents that. Along the series Sam and Annies relationship becomes in depth.
With these characters, you can really feel why Sam would feel so out of water. I think this show was right in its decision to pull the plug early so it would n't get boring of bogged down. While I would have liked to have seen another season I can see why they quit while they are ahead.
The show, for those who don't know stars Sam Tyler who after a car crash finds himself in 1973, he does n't know whats going on and neither does the audience as all 16 episodes of this series slowly getting to the conclusion of the mystery behind the show.
The characters really bring a lot to the show and if you did n't feel for them there would be a lot missing from the show (Kinda like the American version suffers from every now and then). There is of course Sam who is the fish out of water, he provides the voice of reason behind decisions made by his superior officer, DCI Gene Hunt who is a reckless alcholic who is only used to his "Fists first, Questions later" policy and it is Sams job. 2 of Hunts loyal comarados are Ray Carling, a slightly irresponsible cop who Sam hates. There is also Chris, a clumsy rising up detective who you really begin to feel for as the show goes on. At the other end of the coop comes Annie, the girl keeping Sam sane, she is stuck at a worse job the other detectives because she is a women and resents that. Along the series Sam and Annies relationship becomes in depth.
With these characters, you can really feel why Sam would feel so out of water. I think this show was right in its decision to pull the plug early so it would n't get boring of bogged down. While I would have liked to have seen another season I can see why they quit while they are ahead.
Monsters vs. Aliens
(2009)
A fun movie full of funny in jokes to the sci fi genre and great cameos
13 April 2009
After seeing the trailer for this movie about 3 months ago I was n't really impressed and did n't really think this was the type of film I would want to see. But after seeing some of the big name stars they had in this film I decided to give it a try and I must say I am happy with it. It is another generally funny family film by Pixar.
The next paragraph is just plot, if you know it you can skip to the third paragraph.
The films plot starts at the wedding of Susan Murphy (Reese Witherspoon), who is getting wed to a cocky news reporter (Paul Rudd) who has a long plan to become head anchor of a big city, instead of the small local community he conducts from currently, but when Susan is hit by a meteorite she grows 50-100 feet tall (I think its that tall) and is placed in a government quarantine by General WR. Monger (Kiefer Sutherland from "24") with B.O.B (Seth Rogan) a big blue blob without a brain, The Missing Link (Will Arnett) who is a lizard thing captured after terrorizing teenagers on a beach, Dr. Cockroach Ph.D who was a scientist studying how humans could become more like cockroaches but then becomes one and Insectasourous a huge and dumb animal but still lovable . Anyway eventually they have to take on Galaxar (Rainn Wilson) who is trying to blow up then world in return to have his own planet of clones.
OK out of plot time
The next paragraph is just plot, if you know it you can skip to the third paragraph.
The films plot starts at the wedding of Susan Murphy (Reese Witherspoon), who is getting wed to a cocky news reporter (Paul Rudd) who has a long plan to become head anchor of a big city, instead of the small local community he conducts from currently, but when Susan is hit by a meteorite she grows 50-100 feet tall (I think its that tall) and is placed in a government quarantine by General WR. Monger (Kiefer Sutherland from "24") with B.O.B (Seth Rogan) a big blue blob without a brain, The Missing Link (Will Arnett) who is a lizard thing captured after terrorizing teenagers on a beach, Dr. Cockroach Ph.D who was a scientist studying how humans could become more like cockroaches but then becomes one and Insectasourous a huge and dumb animal but still lovable . Anyway eventually they have to take on Galaxar (Rainn Wilson) who is trying to blow up then world in return to have his own planet of clones.
OK out of plot time
Great Movie
4 January 2009
I just got back from watching this with myself and a few friends as the second of six movies I was seeing for my birthday (This follows the Disney film "Bedtime Stories") and I was amazed at the skill and heart put into the film.
First of all, this is based of the incredible short story of the same name written by F. Scott Fitsgerald written in the 1920's and the movie follows his words so well and makes them into one of the finest movies (I would say it was in the top 10) of the year and possible the decade. All the actors are fantastic and seem to know just how much needed to be put into the film, and no one goes to far like in some of the other dramas I have been watching recently.
Anyway Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett a great parts of this movie and without them I think it would be hard to think of anyone else who could play them like the did. They share a great on screen presence and I would certainly like if they teamed up again in a future picture.
The storyline is a big one, they all take defining moments of ones life and what one can expect to go through in life and really look at this through the eyes of another, who, by chance cant witness things like he would want to.
Overall, this is a fantastic film and I will definitely watch it again. If you have not seen it by now you should plan to see it as soon as you can. It is a beautifully written, directed, acted and thought out film. I rate it 84%.
First of all, this is based of the incredible short story of the same name written by F. Scott Fitsgerald written in the 1920's and the movie follows his words so well and makes them into one of the finest movies (I would say it was in the top 10) of the year and possible the decade. All the actors are fantastic and seem to know just how much needed to be put into the film, and no one goes to far like in some of the other dramas I have been watching recently.
Anyway Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett a great parts of this movie and without them I think it would be hard to think of anyone else who could play them like the did. They share a great on screen presence and I would certainly like if they teamed up again in a future picture.
The storyline is a big one, they all take defining moments of ones life and what one can expect to go through in life and really look at this through the eyes of another, who, by chance cant witness things like he would want to.
Overall, this is a fantastic film and I will definitely watch it again. If you have not seen it by now you should plan to see it as soon as you can. It is a beautifully written, directed, acted and thought out film. I rate it 84%.
Bedtime Stories
(2008)
Ordinary Disney Film With A Twist
3 January 2009
Warning: Spoilers
This is the first movie I went to see in a group of 6 of films with friends to celebrate my birthday and since this was the film right before "The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button" I of course did not expect much. Anyway here is how the movie was....
Disney in this decade has had a tendency to release very bland and predictable movies out of the shelf every year. With each of them starting and ending the same way, with the middle being a slight twist on that every different film. In this film however they have the added bonus in that Adam Sandler who is no exactly known for his kiddy humor, but it instead more of the goody comedy type stars in this, along with radio host/actor Russell Brand and together they make the movie barable. Also the difference with this film is that the actors seem to be able to work well off each other, whether Sandler is talking to his friend, boss or enemies they all seem to be able to work off each other without it wanting you to rip your eyes out.
Anyway this film is not without it's problems. Some of the jokes are in their for no reason and you can sense the ending anywhere. But that is fine anyway since it is a kid film and is just meant to be enjoyable. The in jokes to some of the other films Adam Sandler made were quite enjoyable (Such as Rob Schneiders cameo and the thief).
Overall, I think this is a good movie to watch with the kids but I would just recommend waiting for it to go to DVD. I rate it a B+ at 50%.
Disney in this decade has had a tendency to release very bland and predictable movies out of the shelf every year. With each of them starting and ending the same way, with the middle being a slight twist on that every different film. In this film however they have the added bonus in that Adam Sandler who is no exactly known for his kiddy humor, but it instead more of the goody comedy type stars in this, along with radio host/actor Russell Brand and together they make the movie barable. Also the difference with this film is that the actors seem to be able to work well off each other, whether Sandler is talking to his friend, boss or enemies they all seem to be able to work off each other without it wanting you to rip your eyes out.
Anyway this film is not without it's problems. Some of the jokes are in their for no reason and you can sense the ending anywhere. But that is fine anyway since it is a kid film and is just meant to be enjoyable. The in jokes to some of the other films Adam Sandler made were quite enjoyable (Such as Rob Schneiders cameo and the thief).
Overall, I think this is a good movie to watch with the kids but I would just recommend waiting for it to go to DVD. I rate it a B+ at 50%.
City of Ember
(2008)
Good Film
20 December 2008
I originally only wanted to see this with a friend because I had been sick for a long time and wanted to get out but not REALLY get out and so I did n't really expect much from this film and all I knew was that it had comedy genius(and overall genius) Bill Murray an that was all I needed to see this instead of seeing "Quantom Of Solace" again.
Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this movie. It has the right amount of message, storyline and even humor such as the robot "Worker" who is inept at its job and the whole cast does a great job and I would n't be surprised if some of them are n't seen more in the near future. And of course Bill Murray does a great job as the overweight and corrupt mayor of Ember.
Anyway the movie is a good movie not only for acting and entertaining storyline but the message is very good and truly does capture how people can deny a problem that is right infront of their eyes and their believe that help would come when if you think about it there is no help unless you help yourself.
Overall, this is a very good film and I recommend it for anyone who is in the mood for a good movie. I rate it 64%.
Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this movie. It has the right amount of message, storyline and even humor such as the robot "Worker" who is inept at its job and the whole cast does a great job and I would n't be surprised if some of them are n't seen more in the near future. And of course Bill Murray does a great job as the overweight and corrupt mayor of Ember.
Anyway the movie is a good movie not only for acting and entertaining storyline but the message is very good and truly does capture how people can deny a problem that is right infront of their eyes and their believe that help would come when if you think about it there is no help unless you help yourself.
Overall, this is a very good film and I recommend it for anyone who is in the mood for a good movie. I rate it 64%.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
(2008)
This is NOT Star Wars
17 December 2008
Warning: Spoilers
The fact I am giving this 5 out of 10 is not by the Star Wars fan inside me, but because this movie really is n't that bad. Yes the humor is stupid and most of the ways they get out of the action scenes are not Star Wars or even things you could ever imagine in the stupidest of Star Wars moments (She pulls down a wall and it goes straight over his head, that is like a kiddie comedy not a SW film).
Anyway from a Star Wars perspective, this is worse then Episode 1 by a LONG way, the film has way too much humor that is just there to be humor (Sometimes worse the Jar Jar Binks humor) and that bit with the Baby Jabba in the car and she says "Oh you woke the baby" nearly made me walk out of the cinema right then, but I did n't because I have gotten to the end of all the Star Wars films (Of course some are easier to get through then others) and so I kept on watching it and I have to admit, it did get better for a while and sort of kept my interest until the ending which was predictable.
Enough Comlaining about the movie itself, the film is alright for the right audience which I would say is 8-10 year old boys who have still just recently seen the Star Wars films. And if you are within that age (Not to say liking it if your not is stupid since I am about to rate it 2 and a half stars) then it is an extremely good ride and I recommend if your a parent who is not a Star Wars fanatic you should get the DVD and let them enjoy the new film as long as they have seen the originals as well.
Overall, you SHOULD watch this as a SW fan just because it is part of the series. It should just be taken as a light hearted Child comedy SW film. I rate it 50%.
Anyway from a Star Wars perspective, this is worse then Episode 1 by a LONG way, the film has way too much humor that is just there to be humor (Sometimes worse the Jar Jar Binks humor) and that bit with the Baby Jabba in the car and she says "Oh you woke the baby" nearly made me walk out of the cinema right then, but I did n't because I have gotten to the end of all the Star Wars films (Of course some are easier to get through then others) and so I kept on watching it and I have to admit, it did get better for a while and sort of kept my interest until the ending which was predictable.
Enough Comlaining about the movie itself, the film is alright for the right audience which I would say is 8-10 year old boys who have still just recently seen the Star Wars films. And if you are within that age (Not to say liking it if your not is stupid since I am about to rate it 2 and a half stars) then it is an extremely good ride and I recommend if your a parent who is not a Star Wars fanatic you should get the DVD and let them enjoy the new film as long as they have seen the originals as well.
Overall, you SHOULD watch this as a SW fan just because it is part of the series. It should just be taken as a light hearted Child comedy SW film. I rate it 50%.
Not My Favourite Bond Film, But Not My Least Favourite
15 December 2008
Warning: Spoilers
It seems with this film there is a mixed bag. No this film did n't bomb like many people believe it did but it seems that a few years ago people would answer straight away "OHMSS" if asked what their least favourite Bond film was. Now it seems people are seeming to like it for it being closer to the book than any other Bond movie has, and in my opinion I am a bit mixed.
There are many recognizable jokes about the recasting of Bond in this movie that if you pay attention to are really funny (Except for the montage one which was boring and pointless) and those sort of jokes they felt were important so people got used to the new Bond.
As for the acting of Bond in this movie, George Lanzenby certainly is NO Sean Connery, to be honest I don't know why they would have casted him, an Australian model who had little to no acting experience and they decided he would be the best Bond, but despite these setbacks I must admit he does a good job although I do prefer the other Bonds over him.
The Bond girl in this has a lucky award, she is the first Bond girl Bond has ever decided to marry, and the sad ending in this is the first of only two films where he has fallen in love and lost all within a matter of seconds.
As for the film compared to the others before it, On Her Majestys Secret Service I fell can not be deemed better or worse, it is better in some ways with the different feel to bond, and worse in some ways as in Lazenby and the montage scene at the end.
Overall, Lazenby is alright by this is definitely not my favorite Bond film. I rate it 63%.
There are many recognizable jokes about the recasting of Bond in this movie that if you pay attention to are really funny (Except for the montage one which was boring and pointless) and those sort of jokes they felt were important so people got used to the new Bond.
As for the acting of Bond in this movie, George Lanzenby certainly is NO Sean Connery, to be honest I don't know why they would have casted him, an Australian model who had little to no acting experience and they decided he would be the best Bond, but despite these setbacks I must admit he does a good job although I do prefer the other Bonds over him.
The Bond girl in this has a lucky award, she is the first Bond girl Bond has ever decided to marry, and the sad ending in this is the first of only two films where he has fallen in love and lost all within a matter of seconds.
As for the film compared to the others before it, On Her Majestys Secret Service I fell can not be deemed better or worse, it is better in some ways with the different feel to bond, and worse in some ways as in Lazenby and the montage scene at the end.
Overall, Lazenby is alright by this is definitely not my favorite Bond film. I rate it 63%.
You Only Live Twice
(1967)
Bond strikes again
15 December 2008
In this film we see Bond fake his own death for more elbow room on his cases, and we then see him on a mission in Japan hunting down Bloefeld and his evil plan to cause was between USA and Russia.
This film again has the Sean Connery style all real fans of the series love and have always loved. He again owned the role and showed everyone he is one of the best Bonds the world will ever see.
As for the Bond girl, we have a Japanese one this time, to suit he is in the Japanese country, and she does a good job doing what all Bond girls do best in the early Bond's and that is to be Bond's girl.
Bloefeld is a great bad guy and always has been. From not actually seeing his face in FRWL and seeing about half his body in Thunderball he is the real Bond villain, he has it all the wit, the evilness and most of all in an early Bond film, he has the power to get away with what he wants to, unfortunately for him Bond is on the job when he activates his plans.
As for this movie compared to the others, this is quite good and I definitely like it more then Dr. No and Thunderball, but this film is not up to the task set up to by FRWL and "Goldfinger".
Overall, most Bond film fans will like this is they have already not seen it and look for the hilarious scene where Bond is meant to look Japanese and yet he does n't look or sound Japanese at all. Think of the character's disguise in Team America and you will know how bad the disguise is. Anyway that is just a bad bit for a good movie. I rate it 72%.
This film again has the Sean Connery style all real fans of the series love and have always loved. He again owned the role and showed everyone he is one of the best Bonds the world will ever see.
As for the Bond girl, we have a Japanese one this time, to suit he is in the Japanese country, and she does a good job doing what all Bond girls do best in the early Bond's and that is to be Bond's girl.
Bloefeld is a great bad guy and always has been. From not actually seeing his face in FRWL and seeing about half his body in Thunderball he is the real Bond villain, he has it all the wit, the evilness and most of all in an early Bond film, he has the power to get away with what he wants to, unfortunately for him Bond is on the job when he activates his plans.
As for this movie compared to the others, this is quite good and I definitely like it more then Dr. No and Thunderball, but this film is not up to the task set up to by FRWL and "Goldfinger".
Overall, most Bond film fans will like this is they have already not seen it and look for the hilarious scene where Bond is meant to look Japanese and yet he does n't look or sound Japanese at all. Think of the character's disguise in Team America and you will know how bad the disguise is. Anyway that is just a bad bit for a good movie. I rate it 72%.
Thunderball
(1965)
Another Good Bond From "The Bond" Sean Connery
14 December 2008
At this point of Bond it was still a movie a year and this was the 4th in the series. By this point of course Bond had already reached Major Stardom status and the directors and actors needed new exciting adventures to partake in. He had already done so many exciting things in the good but a little boring "Dr. No" the absolutely stunning movie "From Russia With Love" and the classic and not as classic as number 2 "Goldfinger" and the audience was expecting for each Bond film to be bigger and better then the last. What they decided to make for a popular film was Thunderball.
In this Bond film, Bond has many more gadgets then previous films, and who can forget the great escape he did in the short but exciting entry into the film and from there we see some of the best action in any Connery film before and after this. Anyway Sean gives another great performance in this movie and the end underwater fighting scene is dramatic and the action very well directed and acted by all of the crew alike. They really put their heart and soles into keeping this movie great.
As for the Bond girl, she is another Bond girl that does n't actually does much and most of the time runs around in the bikini, but really that IS Sean Connery Bond, and even though he is a sexist we must all remember the different time Bond lives in.
Overall, this Bond film is not up to the standards of previous films "From Russia With Love" and "Goldfinger" but I do prefer it over "Dr. No". I rate this film 70%.
In this Bond film, Bond has many more gadgets then previous films, and who can forget the great escape he did in the short but exciting entry into the film and from there we see some of the best action in any Connery film before and after this. Anyway Sean gives another great performance in this movie and the end underwater fighting scene is dramatic and the action very well directed and acted by all of the crew alike. They really put their heart and soles into keeping this movie great.
As for the Bond girl, she is another Bond girl that does n't actually does much and most of the time runs around in the bikini, but really that IS Sean Connery Bond, and even though he is a sexist we must all remember the different time Bond lives in.
Overall, this Bond film is not up to the standards of previous films "From Russia With Love" and "Goldfinger" but I do prefer it over "Dr. No". I rate this film 70%.
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