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fouroutoffivestars · 1 year

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65 is the only movie honest enough to tell you ahead of time how many minutes you’ll wish to have back once the credits roll. The only issue for me was that sixty-five is a sadly low estimate.

I will warn you right now that this review leaves nothing to the imagination, so if you want to watch this movie, scroll on.

This movie stars Adam Driver of Star Wars notoriety as a star-faring pilot, Mills, at the helm of a transport vessel. Victim of a rogue asteroid belt, the vessel crash lands on an alien world, leaving only Driver and one other traveller alive. The planet in question; is Earth—65 million years in our past.

Coming from the creators of A Quiet Place, I was expecting big things. Before watching A Quiet Place, I, like many other movie-goers, watched the trailer and got very excited. Although A Quiet Place had a beautifully crafted script, a great cast, and a chilling enemy, the trailer was misleading. As with so many trailers these days, it was crammed with all the best bits to draw in audiences. As I mentioned, A Quiet Place still had many strong points to drive its success; sadly, 65 falls short on all fronts.

The main emotional draw to the story surrounds the loss of family: MIlls’ daughter and Koas’ parents, played by Ariana Greenblatt. The symmetry could have worked, but I felt the two storylines were too weak and disjointed to have any real impact.

I believe this was mainly because the two main characters didn’t speak the same language, which made any true bond near impossible. Why this was the basis for the characters’ interactions, I don’t know, but considering the film as a whole, it seemed fitting to include such a ludicrous barrier.

Another point that confused me somewhat was Koa’s fluctuating confidence. One moment Koa was happy to wander unaccompanied, although she had been frightened, attacked and almost eaten, and then she was so scared that she even shied away from Mills when he saved her life. Mills had fewer dimensions to his character and remained a stoic grump for most of the movie.

My last couple of points relate to those annoying little things you notice and can’t get out of your mind. First, we have the miraculous reappearing backpacks. Now, I will caveat this next piece by admitting I could be wrong. I would need to watch the scenes back to be sure, but at the time of watching, their futuristic sachels appeared to have come straight out of Diagon Alley.

On approximately three different occasions Mills and Koa were in situations where their backpacks were well and truly left behind but suspiciously reappeared in the next scene. This bizarre occurrence included a scene of the two diving through a hole into a cavern below, a la Luke, Leia, Chewy and Han, and leaving all their possessions behind, only to miraculously have everything back a moment later.

It’s constant inconsistent plot twists like this that left me confused. The obvious technological advantages Mills had at his disposal left me in no doubt of their survival throughout. I will admit that the final blow to secure their safety came thanks to a 65-million-year-old horn (technically only a few years old) coated in poison, which raises another issue.

Why make a big thing of Koa coating it in the poisonous berries Mills has warned her about? Sure, Koa used the horn in the end, but which injury do you think the dinosaur felt most? The poison or the three-foot-long spike in his eye. Also, about five seconds after being stabbed, he was char-broiled to death. The poison never had a chance to work.

Overall I feel cheated. Movie makers are often outspoken about how the flood of superhero movies is ruining cinema. Well, I, for one, will take a heavily criticised but enjoyable Ant-Man over dross like 65, any day of the week.

1 out of 5 stars.

#65 #adam driver #ariana greenblatt #dinosaurs #movie review #review #Movie Reviews

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fouroutoffivestars · 1 year

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The latest #AntMan offering, and possibly the last in the trilogy, has been subject to a lot of scrutiny ahead of the movie’s release yesterday. It’s widely publicised that this movie’s Rotten Tomatoes rating is one of the lowest in #MCU history, but does it really?

To start, the movie itself is good. It’s not great; it’s good. I sat in the theatre yesterday and found the credits appeared in the blink of an eye. Perhaps the movie could have been longer, allowing the characters to be a little more fleshed-out. But all-in-all, I found it a thoroughly enjoyable watch.

Without Michael Pena, there was a lack of the kind of humour that made the previous two issues of #Antman so fun, but Quantumania still had its moments. The Quantum Realm was a beautifully created alien landscape, so if you don’t like your movies with CGI, beware.

As you will have seen in reviews or any prerelease interviews, Jonathan Majors lines up as Kang the Conqueror, and he does a brilliant job as the MCU’s next big bad. Bill Murray’s cameo was also delightful. That said, however, I would possibly suggest that those were the only notable performances throughout. This isn’t to discredit any of the cast. It’s more of a reflection on the writing.

It’s painfully apparent that this film is not as lead-centric as Marvel movies typically are. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, the name itself lists two superheroes. However, Evangeline Lilly sadly lacks any strong dialogue or movie moments in this outing. When she did appear, it was almost a refreshing surprise. “Oh, yeah, Wasp’s in this too.”.

Paul Rudd is still afforded a lot of screen time, but I can’t help feeling that the “lead” role was split with both Kathryn Newton and Michelle Pfeiffer, who played Cassie and Janet, respectively. It may be another play by Marvel to introduce a strong, young female replacement to continue the role, and I’m all for that. But in this instance, it impacted the movie as a whole.

There have been many comments on how “weird” this movie is, don’t worry, it’s not. If you managed to cope with Ragnarok, Doctor Strange and any of the Guardians movies, you’re good. Clearly, some critics just have a very low bar regarding what’s considered “weird”. The creatures are a beautiful hodge-podge of ideas from all over, and they don’t look out of place for a second; except for a certain someone, but if you don’t know to expect him, I won’t spoil it here.

Let me bookmark this review by saying that at this moment, the movie is sat at 48% for critics and 84% for audiences, that’s with reviews numbering 292 and 2500+, respectively. I’m not trying to tell you that this movie is a must-see, but it is a worth-seeing movie.

Overall, kicking off Phase Five of the MCU, I think it’s an excellent start. The acting is as solid as you’d expect from names like Rudd, Lilly, Douglas, Pfeiffer, Murray, and Majors. The story could use a little work, but it adds just enough to show the audience what’s in store as the MCU moves forward.

I’ll give it 4 out of 5 stars.

#Ant-man #ant man and the wasp #quantumania #mcu #marvel #Marvel Universe #antman #ant man #the wasp #kang the conqueror #paul rudd #evangelline lilly #michael douglas #michelle pfeiffer #jonathan majors #Movie Reviews #movie review

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fouroutoffivestars · 1 year

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I’ve been quiet around here for some time, but since leaving the theatre thirty minutes ago, I wanted to share my thoughts. As always, I will try not to include spoilers where I can. This schpeel will serve as a bare-bones review, nothing in-depth.

It’s been 13-14 years since the global box-office smash that was Avatar hit the cinema screens. Thanks to several re-releases, it became the top-grossing movie in history—sitting just above 2.9 Billion Dollars, if you wanted to know.

The original Avatar blew cinema-goers’ minds. The world of Pandora was an exquisite landscape of captivating, vibrant wonder. It left us all wishing to live there or at least look to buy a timeshare. The story was a tale as old as time. A man, injured, passed-over, forgotten, redundant, given an opportunity to make good. Torn between duty and honour, between his kind and those of the indigenous people, Jake Sully has to decide; do what he’s told or what is right. It was a simple premise, but it was executed well. Against the backdrop of Pandora, it was a beautifully unique movie. The rest is history.

Thirteen years to create a sequel is almost unheard of in this movie climate. Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Star Wars and The Marvel Universe, are all franchises that released their sequels within a year or two of each other. Some have faired better than others, but the outcome has been primarily positive. It wouldn’t be going too far to suggest that such a significant hiatus from this story should bode tremendously well for Avatar: The Way of Water. Indeed, thirteen years is enough time for the genius of James Cameron to devise a cunningly intricate and unique second act, Right? Right?

Like the original, The Way of Water is a beautiful example of digital mastery. The new environments we’re treated to are breathtaking. Avatar would have my vote if it were a beauty contest, but it’s not. That’s not to say that the film lacks substance. It’s eminently watchable. It just doesn’t leave you with that feeling of watching something special.

The underlying message of Avatar, both its predecessor and The Way of Water, is the plight of nature and the non-stop pursuit of resources by humankind. And if this movie does nothing more than highlight this issue once again, it’s been worthwhile. However, removing that thread would only cause the entire tapestry to unravel.

The story itself is too chaotic. With so many characters, their stories become a little unruly. In the original of 2009, there were perhaps three main characters, with another three secondary characters, allowing for clarity between the arcs. However, now we are looking at five main characters with an additional four secondary arcs to unwind. All this mess leaves too many unanswered questions and confusing jumps between characters. Not to mention a personal peeve of mine, “the continuity error”. Something I can’t forgive with digitally created scenes I can’t ignore. I know it costs money to re-edit or re-shoot, but when we’ve waited thirteen years, it shouldn’t happen.

Overall, the movie’s flow was smooth enough to make it enjoyable, but as I left the cinema and the manager asked if I enjoyed it, all I could do was shrug and say, “Meh.”

Three out of Five stars.

#avatar #avatar the way of water #the way of water #atwow #Jake Sully #James Cameron #Film review #movies #movie #film #Movie Reviews #movie review

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fouroutoffivestars · 2 years

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Just leaf them alone!!

I’m totally gonna do it

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fouroutoffivestars · 2 years

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#MultiverseOfMadness is here and fresh out of the theatre I just had to say...it is amazing. #BenedictCumberbatch is awesome as always, but can I just say that the involvement of #ElizabethOlsen is a captivating marvel (pun very much intended.)

We all know how good an actor Mr Cumberbatch is, but right now, Ms Olsen’s reprisal of the Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch deserves to take center stage; She is Brilliant. The heart wrenching tradegy of her character’s past is set ablaze in #MultiverseOfMadness. Her journey has been harder than most, if not all, other characters and how she hasn’t gone completely off the rails is beyond me. Let’s not get carried away, these aren’t real people we are talking about, they are just characters.

However, when Ms Olsen plays the traumatized partner and pseudo mother, Wanda, it’s hard not to feel every drop of her pain as harshly as she does. She has a really simpathetic allure that draws her audiences in that hits all the harder when you finally see the truth behind her actions. This is a huge factor in how thrilling #DoctorStrange2 is.

Xochitl Gomez may be relatively unknown, but she didn’t get lost in the sea of stars you’ll see on the screen. Xochitl stood in the same space as well-established names such as Benedict Wong, Rachel Mcadams, as well as Olsen and Cumberbatch, Miss Gomez was not out of place, and I look forward to learning more about her character in the future.

I really can’t say much more about the film without giving too much away, suffice to say don’t expect to see a movie based on the trailer, the trailer is very much, loosely, based on the movie; and I like that. I like how #Marvel have started to shake things up. There was a time when you saw a trailer and you’d know the movie, that’s not the case any more. Sure, you can put the pieces together as you watch, but it won’t be what you expect.

For those of you who don’t really follow the #MCU too closely, then you will enjoy this movie, but for those who do, and have watched many of the other releases of other formats over the passed few years, you’ll get plenty to hoot, hollar and wonder at.

For those reasons, it’s a five out of five for me.

#multiverse of madness #doctor strange #doctor strange 2 #doctor strange multiverse of madness #benedict cumberbatch #rachel mcadams #elizabeth olsen #xochitl gomez #benedict wong #Movie Reviews #movie review

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fouroutoffivestars · 2 years

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If Only...

I’m not a man who overly enjoys change in his life, in his television, even less so. I can appreciate the need for it, and I even, on occasion, understand it, however, that doesn’t mean I have to accept it.

As a keen rewatcher of shows from my past, I often throw myself into a binge watching frenzy for one show or another. It was following one such binge-fest that I decided to put together this list, a list of shows that I believe could be resurrected for today’s market and still out perform many of the offerings on television today.

Feel free to let me know what you think, or even offer your own suggestions for shows that are missing from the list. Also, you may have guessed it, but I love Science Fiction.

10. Futurama (1999-2013)

This beloved cartoon series will most likely feature on many lists like this one. It fought through several cancellation attempts before finally succumbing in 2013.

From the same creative mind as its sister show The Simpsons, many hoped that it would get a reprise one day but as yet it has not materiallized. Its stupid humour and outlandish tales made it one of my all-time favourites, this is why it’s on the list.

The show was closed off beautifully after seven seasons. The final episodes were beautifully written and the show was signed off with all the love and care it deserved. It’s for this reason that I don’t want it brought back. I know, I know, this is a list of shows I want brought back; Let me explain.

When a show reaches a natural conclusion and has been given enough time to explore the confines of its universe, it comes as less of a jolt when it’s finally time to say goodbye. That doesn’t mean that parting is any less sad.

So, if Matt Groening decided to write another season, I would welcome it, but the fact that he’s not only strengthens the beauty and genius of the episodes that us fans all know, love and can repeat verbatim. And if you don’t agree, you can “Kiss my shiny metal ass!”

9. Stargate... Maybe Universe? (2009-2011)

SGU was the third incarnation of the much loved Stargate Franchise. Three films and five television shows, comprising three mainstream, one web series and one animated, Stargate was one of the biggest franchises of the late 90′s early 00′s. If you’ve not seen it, “WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN”, but also, “that’s cool, it’s not for everyone”.

In summary, providing you can supply the correct coordinates of a remote destination, the ‘Stargate’ allows instantaneous travel from one gate to another. The gate network was created by an ancient race of beings, and throughout the various shows we learn that various Gods of old were in fact aliens who came to Earth either as benevolent beings or to enslave humanity.

Stargate SG1 and Atlantis were both, for the most part, cheap and cheerful. That’s not to say that the storylines didn’t have their darker plotlines with ethical or moral dilemma’s, but they were fun, enjoyable shows. The beloved characters became household names, and I can’t help but think of Teal’c everytime someone says “Indeed”.

Hand on heart, it felt as if the franchise was running on fumes when Stargate Universe was released. The darker, grittier concept of SGU felt like a drastic step from the previous shows and may have contributed to its demise. Now, however, I’m not so sure. Television has got darker over the last decade. Shows have had to portray more realism in their production and storyline. I can’t help but think that SGU was ten years too early, but maybe it’s not too late.

With a cast list including Robert Carlyle, Louis Ferreira and Ming-Na Wen, it has the star-power. The ending of the series saw the cast go into cryogenic sleep pods for a crossing between universes, who’s to say it didn’t take ten years? I say, dust off the cobwebs and bring us back a slice of Stargate we can get our teeth into.

There have been many rumours recently of a new reboot being released, which I’m not a huge fan of, especially with Stargate. With so many shows, movies, and games, the Stargate universe has already got a huge back story to draw from and a reboot would destroy so much of what came before it. An extension of the work laid out before, however, could be a great way to breathe fresh life and energy into this amazing franchise.

8. Legend of the Seeker (2008-2010)

Based on the novels of Terry Goodkind and created by legendary director Sam Raimi, this show has the pedigree. This show can be likened to Hercules or Xena, but it didn’t reach a similar level of notority.

I have not read the novels, and I probably never will, but I enjoyed this show. At the time there weren’t many shows like it on television, so it filled my quota for Fantasy/Adventure quite nicely.

With a small cast of regular characters, it’s easy to pick your favourite and cheer them on from the sofa. It falls into the bracket of “Bubblegum for the Brain” television, but endlessly watchable. Although I’ll admit it is a little dated now, the only reason this one comes in at 8 rather than 10 is because this show was never really given the ending it deserved.

I suspect that resurrecting this show would be impossible now. With the high-budget, polished shows like Game of Thrones, Wheel of Time, The Witcher, the new House of the Dragon and even the recently finished Outpost, Legend of the Seeker would find the fight for audiences too hard, however, I for one would welcome some lower budget, character driven fantasy shows like this one on our televisions.

7. Space: Above and Beyond (1995-1996)

A cross between Battlestar and Starship Troopers, Space Above and Beyond is another show that was ahead of its time. The effects and production of such a series was too expensive to maintain in the 90′s, which inevitably led to the show being cancelled 4 seasons earlier than planned.

The show centres on a group of space pilots known as the Wildcards, these untested pilots, fresh out of training academies, are the last traces of the Earth’s navies in a defence against an little-known about race called the ‘Chigs’.

I grew up watching shows like Buck Rogers and Battlestar Galactica, so a show like this with epic(ish) space battles and cool planes doing death-defying manouvers was cool, I just wish it lasted longer. This is definitely a show that could do with a second chance, even on a lower profile network such as Sci-Fi, I reckon it could do well filling a void in the genre.

6. Firefly (2002)

Firstly, 2002? Wow, it doesn’t feel that long ago does it? It especially doesn’t when you watch the show. The production value of this show alone should have kept it alive, not to mention the storylines, cast, acting, comedy, meloncholy, emotion and beauty that it contained.

Even if you’ve not seen this series, and I know there will be many who haven’t, you will recognise many of the faces from TV shows and film over the years following its cancellation. Not to mention the creator/director, Joss Whedon, who I know you will have heard of. If you haven’t, think Buffy, Angel, Avengers Assemble and you’ll get an idea of how big he has become.

Normally, when you consider a director as notable as Whedon, shows don’t get cancelled early, unfortunately, this was still early in his career and the power available to him was probably not as abundant as it would be today.

There has been a steady outcry from fans ever since 2002 to have it reinstated, and in 2005 we received the movie Serenity. Named after the “Firefly” class ship, Serenity caught up with our favourite hapless crew and saw them off on their last mission. It’s because of this movie that Firefly finds itself at #6 and not #1.

This show probably sits at #1 of many people’s ‘bring it back’ lists, but for me, the movie Serenity closed the door on most, if not all, loose ends from the show and gave it a fitting send off. As a result the available storylines from the series have been deminished significantly. If Serenity hadn’t been released, I would put this show as #0 or #-100, however, as it is, it was given closure by the movie, and although, I can imagine the cast coming back and reprising their roles aboard the Serenity, it may do more harm than good to my memory of Firefly.

5. Defiance (2013-2015)

Television shows that create a world you could see yourself living in are a beautiful thing. They captive your imagination and draw you in fully. They create neighbourhoods, similar, yet so vastly different from your own that it becomes hard not to yearn for them. Defiance did that for me.

At a time when distopian Earth seemed like the go-to for many television networks, we found ourselves in a futuristic St Louis, where we meet Joshua Nolan and his adopted daughter. This is the setting for the show, and more exactly, the town of Defiance. The Earth has been inhabited by seven new races, known as the Votan’s. Irisa, Nolan’s daughter, is also a Votan.

The series centres on Nolan as he tries to keep his daughter safe from the intrigue and back-stabbing politics rife in Defiance, as well as, over-bearing military organisations and her own mysterious destiny.

A show such as this has a great atmosphere. The town was built from shipping containers, so the large infrastructure is real. Sure, it’s still a film set, but it has an authencity to it. As a viewer you can really put yourself in the town and it makes you feel included; At least, I do.

The characters and acting was of a strong television standard, and personally both Nolan and Irisa are two of my favourite characters from any shows in this list. I found myself truly invested in their futures. The perils and decisions they had to make brought me concern and sympathy for both of them. When a show gets you that emotionally tied in, you just have praise the writers.

I always had the feeling that the creators tried to tidy up the loose ends in Defiance. I think they knew the end was coming and worked towards a resolution of sorts by the end of the third season; but rushed it. I never felt that it was truly ‘put to bed’ as it were. It may be too costly of an undertaking to recreate the Defiance sets now, but it’s doable, and certainly something I’d like to see.

4. EUREKA, A TOWN CALLED (2006-2012)

Since the show’s cancellation in 2012 I’ve watched it eight times, yes, that’s once a year, religiously.

Another in the line of ‘fictitious communities I want to live in’, Eureka portrayed a world of wonder, fun and unity. The town, Eureka, was home to some of the greatest minds. Working together, but individually, they were responsible for making the world a better place. However, as Jack Carter, the new Sheriff of Eureka found out, it wasn’t always plane sailing.

It is because of Jack Carter that I enjoy this show so much. Constantly derided for being not as intelligent as the residents, Jack never gives up; mostly never. He puts himself in harms way time and again to rescue the hapless scientists when their inventions go astray. There is a reason that he’s front and centre in the shows banner, because that’s exactly where Jack Carter stands in the show.

Eureka will never get you pondering the eternal questions of morallity or life, but it is a heartwarming, funny and often exciting show. For me, it inspired me to learn languages, take up electronics, and just invest in myself and my curiosities; and it still does. The premise for this show was ingenious, and it’s not something I believe to be out of the question to bring back. So much so, that this is only stopped from being higher on the list by the pure quality of the next three entrants.

3. DARK MATTER (2015-2017)

From the legendary creator of the Stargate TV Franchise, Dark Matter was a brilliantly devised show, cancelled on a nightmare of cliffhanger.

Six crew wake from cryo-sleep with no memory of who they are or where they’ve come from. Each with their own demons chasing them we followed the crew of the Raza for three seasons before it’s untimely cancellation; Something I’ve come to expect from the SyFy network.

There was a deeply familiar atmosphere in Dark Matter, born from the creators influence. Whether it was the ship architecture or the actors appearing in cameos, reminders of Stargate could be seen throughout. This didn’t, however, diminish the show’s appeal, only added to it. Regardless of where the details came from, you knew you were in safe hands.

The cast were well established actors, and have since moved on to other great shows. Add this to the storylines, and the obvious future adventures the show had in store, it becomes very hard to see why SyFy made the choice they did. Unfoturnately, and very much like Joseph Mallozzi’s other show, SG-U, Dark Matter was left unfinished. However, unlike the former show, Dark Matter was left on a huge cliffhanger; One of the biggest I can recall from any show.

SyFy seem to like taking Space-faring shows and cancelling them early, with the current success of The Expanse, which they also cancelled in 2018 before bringing it back, they won’t want another science fiction, ship-based show on their books, but I’m nothing if not an optimist. I will keep hoping and praying to the television gods that a network somewhere will inject life into some of these forgotten gems, and I truly hope that Dark Matter is at the top of the list.

2. TERRA NOVA (2011)

As unique show premises go, this must the uniqueiest of all unique premises, premisai... whatever, it’s unique.

Using a wormhole a group of explorers go back in time to the Cretaceous Period in order to start again, leaving behind the rapidly dying Earth of the 22nd century. If coming face to face with dinosaurs 85-million years in the past wasn’t tricky enough, the colony of Terra Nova must also battle against unseen forces whose only goal is to stripmine this new world for their own benefit.

This falls into my ‘Community’ band of shows, but also, who doesn’t love dinosaurs? I know I do. I know someone else, too; Steven Spielberg. It would be easy to assume that with such a name as Executive Producer this show would run for twenty years unimpeded, unfortunately, it only managed a single season.

Ratings were strong, and appeared to be ranked highly for many demographics, but it still got the boot. It’s hard for me to understand sometimes, I know TV is still a business, but with an average of 7.5 million viewers, I find it hard to see why something like this was canned so early. There was a rumour that Netflix would take it on, but that sadly never materialized. This is perhaps where Camp Cretaceous came from, and Netflix realised they could get what they wanted without the large pay out.

With the recent Jurrassic World movies it’s clear that dinosaurs sell, they always have and always will. This is why I’m so disappointed that nothing has been done with this show for a decade. I still hope that one day we see Terra Nova back on our screens as I believe this series had miles (or millions of years) left in the tank. Please unearth this fossil and give it life again!!

1. SANCTUARY (2008-2011)

There is one thing I Google more often than any other, “Sanctuary Season Five”, alas, so far I have not received any good news.

Sanctuary was unapologetically cheap and cheerful, I hope the creators don’t mind me using that term, but I feel that if some of the greenscreen effects weren’t done in that way, we may not have gotten the four seasons we did.

The beautiful array of characters, pulled from all genres of literature, folklore, myth and legend, gave this show such a breadth of content unlike any show I’ve ever seen. The writers reinvented tales of old putting flesh to the characters we would only ever have seen in our own minds while leafing through a good book.

Jack the Ripper, Nikola Tesla and Dr. Watson are just a few of the legendary characters you get to meet, and not in the guise you may expect. Each with their own unique history and stories to tell. If you’re a fan of things that go bump in the night or howl at the moon, this show is for you.

As I said previously, it’s cheap and cheerful. I don’t believe the budget was ever too extensive for this show. As a concept first broadcast as webisodes, and bought by SyFy, I don’t think much was changed as far as the effects budget. That, in part, is why I would love this show to be given another shot, but properly. This show was beautifully written. The stories were rather intricate, but they were weaved in a way that brought nice closure, except for the ending.

As the final credits roll, you will find yourself screaming, “What happens next?” You’ll follow all your favourite characters on their ups and downs until all looks to be over, until our dear Dr Magnus pulls an ace out of her sleeve for the umpteenth time, only, we don’t get to see what happens.

Compared to many shows, the ending to Sanctuary is such that you can accept it, reluctantly. What gnaws at you, however, is what might the future hold. There is massive scope that could be explored in future seasons if only it was given the chance. It’s a show I’ve watched twenty or thirty times, and I expect it will always be on my playlist until the day I die. And, although many of the shows above could be switched back and forth, this one is exactly where it belongs.

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fouroutoffivestars · 2 years

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In short, #SpiderManNoWayHome is extraordinarily good. @TomHolland1996 delivered one hell of a stand-out performance. If this is to be the last time we see Holland as the friendly neighbourhood web-slinger, then I can think of no better way to sign off than #SpiderManNoWayHome

UK audiences are often reserved, but what I witnessed tonight was beautiful; hooting, hollering, clapping, laughing & crying #SpiderManNoWayHome was a rollercoaster. There is so much to unpack that it would be impossible for me to try and critique the movie at this point, not to mention the possible spoilers.

It’s moments like this that make me thankful for being alive. Thank you @TomHolland1996 @MarvelStudios @DisneyStudios it’s been an honour to watch. Fingers crossed for more.

#Spider-Man no way home #spider #spiderman #marvel #disney #disney studios #marvel entertainment #marvel studios #tom holland #zendaya #Movie Reviews #movie review

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fouroutoffivestars · 2 years

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The release of the #Eternals marks the next significant chapter of the #MCU franchise. What it has in store will be the topic of conversation for many over the next six months. However, now that I’ve watched #Eternals, it left me with mixed feelings.

Overall I enjoyed the movie, it did slow down quite noticeably during act two, but with the help of a lot of flashbacks, the strength of the story carried it through. The characters in the main were well-rounded, but they did suffer from a lack of depth on screen. I feel that the flashback parts to this movie would have served better as the first part of this franchise, with this particular storyline appearing later. However, I appreciate the need #Marvel has to keep to a timetable, and without knowing what is up next for the #MCU, I can understand why they combined both concepts.

With #Eternals sitting on a 48% Rotten Tomatoes critic rating, you can be excused for being sceptical. Still, I fear the critics have been guilty of judging this ensemble cast against former incarnations, which is highly unfair. I also can’t help but wonder if the mix of races, diversity of relationships and an openly gay family contributed to this poor rating. I can’t really see any other reason for such a slide. Unfortunately, with the boycott of the movie from several middle-eastern nations, it’s hard to ignore these points as a contributing factor.

At the time of writing this, approximately 2500 user reviews, compared to 250 critic reviews, have #Eternals at 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, which speaks volumes.

Although I agree that the characters did lack a fully formed background, there is plenty available to infer the nuances of each character. The inner dynamics of the group are appealing as they mimic many families today. They aren’t human, but their existence amongst us has clearly shaped their personal ideologies over time, both good and bad.

#ChloeZhao must be congratulated on how she approached the relationships between Thena & Gilgamesh and Makkari & Druig; they were both beautifully crafted and broke so many divides we see too often in mainstream Hollywood. On top of that, it would have been easy for Zhao, @Disney or @marvelstudios to cut Phastos’ family from the movie and consider the financial implications to @Disney @marvelstudios it could be understood, if not accepted. So, credit must be paid to any person of authority in either of those companies for letting it stand. Just another aspect of humanity that was handled so nicely and a clear indication of why #ChloeZhao was such a good fit for this movie.

There is clearly a much larger game-plan involved, one I can’t fully appreciate right now. I did feel that the movie could have been more, but that didn’t diminish what was on show. Yes, it isn’t the staple rock-em shock-em #MCU movies that we may have become accustomed to; it is very much an emotive, character-driven movie that is ushering us towards a new endgame. It’s the first step and one I’m glad I took.

Four out of five stars.

#eternals #mcu #richard macfadden #angelina jolie #salma hayek #kit harrison #gemma chan #marvelstudios #disney #Movie Reviews #movie review

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fouroutoffivestars · 2 years

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#VenomLetThereBeCarnage hit UK cinemas today, so I spent my afternoon in a rather chilly, over-air-conditioned theatre. Now, I'm left wondering if the fan favourite, #Venom, has done enough to match the success of its first outing; Probably, but I'm not sure I agree.

Okay, so my opening was written a few weeks ago, so by now many of you will have seen #VenomLetThereBeCarnaage however I will try my best to limit spoilers and only touch on points that appeared in the trailers, but if you read on, please be aware that there may be hints to tip you off on crucial plot points you may want to avoid.

#EddieBrock and #Venom take centre-stage, of course, and must face off against the psychopathic pairing of #Carnage, a red symbiote not unlike #Riot from the 2018 movie, and Cletus Kasady as the human host. Each party has their own grudge against one respective member of the formerly named pair, #Venom and #Brock.

We all know how talented #TomHardy is from his roles as #Bronson and the Kray twins in #Legend, but for me, this role has always seemed a little out of his comfort zone. Perhaps his skill as an actor has me fooled, and #Brock's awkwardness is simply beautiful tradecraft. Putting aside any of my misgivens about #TomHardy, the banter between #Venom and #Brock is a true bright spot of the film, and one that makes the cost of a ticket worthwhile.

Although I am equally disappointed with #LTBC as I was with the 2018 #Venom, @WoodyHarrelson's portrayal of Cletus Kasady is most definitely a reason why you should go to see this movie. In my opinion, if Hollywood started bombarding Mr Harrelson with roles to play mega-maniacal serial killers, it wouldn't be a bad thing at all.

The last vengeful pairing consists of the characters played by @NaomieHarris and @StephenGraham73, I won't go into detail about their roles, but I found myself wondering what purpose either of the characters served. Perhaps inclusion is more of a setup for the future, but in the context of #LTBC I couldn't see the justification for either character. I don't mean this comment as a snipe at the actors; when given a chance, they did a sterling job, as you would expect; but that's sort of my point.

They were never provided fully-formed, fleshed out characters to inhabit. Ten minutes of screen time and a dozen lines is not enough for actors of that caliber. On top of that, the inclusion of Anne and Dan—#EddieBrock's former girlfriend and her new partner—served little purpose and resulted in four characters without enough screen time to make an impact. I can't help thinking the removal of Anne and Dan would have freed up screentime to flesh out the former two characters a bit more; This is not to say that @NaomieHarris and @StephenGraham73 don't have important roles to play, but speaking about that further may give away too much. So, I will let you judge for yourselves.

After watching #VenomLetThereBeCarnage I'm unclear if I watched a new movie or #Venom again, just with a different cast. The plots of both movies are very similar; although stronger in #LTBC, the theme of comedy is much the same. The only redeemable part, for me, is the acting, and then mainly from @WoodyHarrelson. That's not because the other actors didn't shine; they just weren't given enough time in the spotlight.

The final tipping point on this movie revolved around the word "Carnage". A lot was made of the word. The main antagonist’s name is Carnage, the title is ‘Let There Be Carnage’, so you would be forgiven for thinking that this movie was going to be wall-to-wall head-biting Carnage; it’s not, far from it. There are moments, but nothing close to what you may expect when you merge a malevolent symbiote with a serial killer. It was weak.

I'm unsure if there were complaints about some of the more graffic moments in the first movie? And, if there were, I can accept the recent movie's swerve away from such scenes. Otherwise, #LTBC's stiff diversion from the 2018′s #Venom, is a shame. The movie's editting seemed choppy at times, and left me wondering if a Director's Cut will be availble with all the gore remaining. I can be hope.

Overall, it's an enjoyable watch, if not a little bland. If you enjoyed the last movie, you’ll enjoy this one, because, to be honest, the plots aren’t too different. If you're a Marvel fan, like me, you'll enjoy it; and I did. I just wouldn't put it high on my list of favourites.

Middle of the road, two out of five stars.

#carnage #let there be carnage #venom let the be carnage spoilers #venom #woody harrelson #tom hardy #naomi harris #Movie Reviews #movie review

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fouroutoffivestars · 3 years

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I've just finished watching #FreeGuy for the fourth time and felt the need to write something about this genuinely joyous movie to celebrate the happiness @vancityreynold always manages to create and to thank all of the cast and crew who have brought this beautiful film into our lives. If you've not seen it, go, see it and come back, but don't read any more until you do. This review may contain nuts and spoilers—no wait—no nuts, just spoilers.

#FreeGuy centres around a guy called, well, Guy. He works in a bank in a digitally created world called Free City, utterly unaware that he's just an NPC (Non-Player Character) inhabiting the background of a video game. We enter Free City guided by soft tones of the man himself, @vancityreynold, as Guy. We learn a little about the "Sunglasses People" and join him in his happy, if not mundane, daily routine and learn the most crucial part of the whole story; Guy wishes for more out of life.

Watching #FreeGuy it's hard not to see similarities with 1998 classic The Truman Show. I'd be lying to you if I said I couldn't see them too, but—in my opinion—these similarities are superficial at best. The overall message of #FreeGuy leaves a far more positive impression on its audiences.

#FreeGuy has four main characters, Guy, Molotov Girl, a.k.a. Millie, Keys and Antwan. In many ways, Antwan is a carbon copy of Christof in The Truman Show. Both have created a world that they control; however, the similarity between the two ends there.

We first see Joe Keery's Keys, working for Antwan as a coder. Antwan, played by the awesomely talented Taika Waititi, is the self-centred, egomaniacal CEO of the company behind the videogame Guy lives in; Free City. Jodie Comer's Millie, former business partner and long-term friend of Keys, is locked in a legal dispute with Antwan. Millie takes to the streets of Free City in a bid to uncover the truth about her stolen property. When Millie's character, Molotov Girl, meets Guy for the first time and starting them all on an adventure they could never have expected.

I'm not about to pick apart the acting in the movie; I couldn't begin to tell what goes into making one scene better than another. All I can tell you is these characters' lives are easy to get invested in. All I can say is Reynolds is his usual self, you know what to expect, and he delivers. Keys and Millie are both played with beautiful subtlety and a perfect marriage of character. Antwan is probably the most flamboyant of the foursome, and Taika makes him a delightful character to watch, but moreover, he creates the perfect villain to root against.

Earlier, I briefly touched on the similarities between The Truman Show and #FreeGuy, and I'd like to wrap things up by mentioning the one difference between the two movies that I find beautiful. As I touched on earlier, Christof and Antwan are the antagonists. These two influential individuals stand to lose everything if they allow the main characters' actions to continue. Based on this comparison alone, they are identical. Drilling deeper, however, I find myself having to compare Christof not only to Antwan but also Millie and Keys.

Antwan, like Christof, has an empire at risk, but in this case, that's all there is. He's rich, he wants to get richer, but Blue Shirt Guy (Guy's videogame nom de guerre) is threatening to ruin his future plans—There is, of course, more to "his future plans", but in the interest of reducing spoilers, I'll leave it there.

The more significant part of Christof's personality that drives his actions is that of a father figure. Under this guise, Christof has made Truman a worldwide success, something Christof is hugely proud of. However, as things begin to unravel in Seahaven, Truman's fictitious town, the curtain gets pulled back to uncover all of the phycological and physical barriers Truman has had to endure all to keep his ambitions at bay. As each attempt fails to stop Truman on his march to freedom, Christof demonstrates a genuine lack of empathy toward his creation, towards his son, only just stopping short of drowning him at sea.

Unlike Christof, Millie and Keys are unaware of Guy's existence at the start, and until he meets Molotov Girl in Free City, he is of little consequence to either of them. However, in stark contrast to Christof, when our pair learn a crucial fact about Guy, Millie and Keys adopt the role of surrogates too. They become willing to do whatever it takes to help Guy realise his dreams—digitally speaking—sacrificing their freedoms, wealth and fame in the process.

Altogether, #FreeGuy has some great moments, the comedy keeps it light, and the action never stops rolling. Guy's charm will have you rooting for him, as well as Millie and Keys, right to the end. And although the writers weren't too subtle in hiding the last piece to the puzzle, it doesn't stop me from getting a lump in my throat every time I watch it—five out of five stars.

#free guy #free city #ryan reynolds #jodie comer #joe keery #taika waititi #molotov girl #Movie Reviews #movie review

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