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We’ve moved!

Opinions Count has now become AccessReviews.org. The website is still under construction and past blog entries are currently being uploaded in the new format every day at 8:00 p.m. GMT. This will continue until the blog has either reached parity with the Tumblr blog or surpassed it. No further posts will be made to this tumblr and the account will be moved to a dormant state in two months time.

I sincerely thank you for your readership and hope you will consider visiting AccessReviews.org and possibly contribute to our goals of covering much more than media.

#Goodbye #AccessReviews.org #Media #Cinema #Movies #Film

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Blog is moving...

This is just a quick note to any and all who wish to follow this blog (thank you for your readership) but the blog is moving to its own dedicated website. You can find it here.

The site is currently under construction and everything from the logo to design and content will be subject to change. The website will also get at least one entry/update every two weeks as a bare minimum - I’m aiming for one per week, but I’m a one-man crew at the minute and I have a job to pay th ebills also, so please bare with me.

Thank you once again for your readership and I hope you choose to join the community I am attempting to build here.

[jpjg86]

Wonder Woman (2017) Review

I know my duty, I stand ready to fight any and all to protect Earth and mankind. I train harder than any other; I am steadfast in my faith and skill and I am unable to be swayed, even by my own mother.

Is Diana full of over-stuffed flamboyant language which amounts to the same amount of truthful meaning as one of Donald Trump's campaign promises? Or is her honour and good intention beyond reproach? I give my thoughts below…

Diana, fittingly named, is fierce, innocent, honourable, beautiful & one of the biggest, bad-ass warriors whom evokes a sense of palpable tension as you await the outcome of her unlikely success against overwhelming odds. I say she is fittingly named because the name Diana means luminous and/or perfect. She dos shine as a beacon of hope that the superhero genre as a whole can be saved because this movie is great! I sum it up in one word: charming.

That is not a slight against the movie in fact it is the highest compliment I've given a movie in a long time. When I say its charming, I literally mean I left feeling charmed by the movie. The score I've given, probably makes you wonder then why I give such high praise, but not the highest score. Well I'll come on to its shortcomings further in the review; its direction is, in my opinion, without fault. Patty Jenkins does this movie, and indeed the genre as a whole, justice and a great service. The superhero genre has been suffering from an oversaturation and fatigue problem for a few movies now, and this shows in the darker, more subdued tone which has dominated the past several movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and it spread over into the DC Comics Universe (DCCU) with the unveiling of Batman Vs. Superman - the title alone lets you know that this is a darker, more antagonistic movie.

If we look at the source material this is not the point of these comics, or going to the original material myths, the whole point of these myths is to encourage cohesion and peace through strength. However, as all good art does, the MCU and DCCU are reflecting the times in which we live. I won't go into politics on this post, as it’s a Movie Review, but needless to say this discord which is felt in the world is precisely the time when we need our superhero's to reflect the best of humanity and our aspirations not echo the fear and division which is being sown as an excuse for violence and war.

Wonder Woman achieves this and puts in me min mind of the chivalry and charm of the original Captain America. It says something about the time period they are recreating and society today; we may have advanced technologically but have lost our sense of patriotism - not necessarily in ones country but in ones community and ones morality. Diana is steadfast in her position and has her beliefs challenged, and in some cases obliterated. This combination is why I le feeling charmed by this golden nugget of a movie.

The writing is as good as what can be expected for this genre, it has everything one could ask for: love, action, drama, mystery, intrigue etc. That isn't to say its perfect, there are few surprises and it plods along almost in an iambic pentameter predictability, but honestly at this point in the superhero movie expansion, that’s to be expected. As mentioned above I can't fault the direction in any sort of way, the use of space and slow-motion combined with the pace of special effects being immediately introduced makes for an easy-on-the-eyes viewing experience.

The acting is surprisingly great and as I say the comparison to Chris Evans with Haley Atwell to Gal Gadot and Chris Pine is apt. The charm and sense of honour with which great nations were built and seems to have been lost, both in reality and in the MCU & DCCU, is rekindled in Captain America: The First Avenger and now in Wonder Woman. The innocence, romantic & sexual tension is played beautifully between Gadot and Pine and it makes the reaction of Gadot to the ending all the more poignant.

For all its selling points and excellence there are some areas where it fell down. In true Snyder - producer - style the preamble is a little much, as such it could stand to trim fat in the editing process. This however is a minor annoyance and warrants only a minor point deduction. The reason there is such a heavy point reduction is down to its musical score. The music does not compliment the action on screen, it doesn't add - and in many sequences detracts from -  the drama and tension which is being constructed so beautifully by the camera work, the direction, the writing, the acting, the lighting; almost every aspect of the film is near perfect for these sequences except for the musical score. This is partly due to the jarring 'theme' for Wonder Woman which began with Hans Zimmer in Batman Vs. Superman; the fast paced, edgy electric guitar and drum beats which make for a much more rough around the edges character, perhaps more suitable to a Wolverine type character; certainly not that of Gadot's Diana Prince.

All of that having been said, the music whilst an important aspect, cannot detract from the charming nature of the film and the return to funny, fun and even slightly camp nature of the film and genre. So I give it a solid 9.0/10 low considering my high praise I know, but the musical score cannot be easily forgiven.

With that I leave you with the note of encouraging you to go and see this movie in cinemas near you; you won't be disappointed.

#Chris Pine #Gal Gadot #Wonder Woman #DC Comics #DCCU #DC Cinematic Universe #Cinema #Movie #Film #Review #Culture #Patty Jenkins #Zack Snyder #Deborah Snyder

[jpjg86]

This is a brilliant and thoughtful piece. Well written, with few mistakes. The wistful tone is appropriate and apt for the majority of people I would say when thy look back things with overly fond and forgiving views... only to be greeted with the harsh reality or discoveries which denigrate those memories. You can't damage what you never experienced, nor can you truly learn from its lessons. Perhaps that is why today's world seems to be repeating the patterns and atrocities preceding WWII; we forget what we have not personally experienced.

Reveries Lost

My mom used to be an avid fan of the soda called Pepsi Free, and when I was a child I always saw her with a can in her hand.  A few times I’d try and sneak one and be rebuffed with warnings that I was too young for those kinds of drinks.  Enjoy the fruits of my youth while I could, so they said.  Maybe one day her and I will share a Pepsi Free together.  It’s pretty easy to miss the days where I was told what to eat and drink and the extent of my worries were the length of soccer practice.  We all get a sense of longing for what we saw as a better time.

In the late 17th century the term nostalgia was coined in a Swiss student’s medical dissertation to describe the pining of soldiers for the mountains that they knew and loved while they were away from home.  Physicians of the time thought it may be due to excessive black bile building up in the brain, and along the arteries due to the ear-splitting roar of cowbells in the pastures of Switzerland.

When Americans at the turn of the twentieth century aren’t arguing about politics or shopping for the latest cell phone and accessories they are often engaging in some futile effort at staving off their deep seated  feelings of angst caused by the failure to correctly choose one out of a limitless array of choices for entertainment.  They attempt to stave these feelings off by consuming television they do not really enjoy, or following the career of celebrities that are victims to inherent popularity.

For a kid growing up in the early 2000s being interested in Led Zeppelin was certainly unique, but I consumed their lyrics like an obese kid consumes soda.  Which is why when I found out, in my late adolescence that the lead guitarist Jimmy Page got away with allegedly kidnapping and raping a fourteen year old girl I was pretty devastating.  Problematic would, of course, be an understatement.  Although after learning that I never regretted the hours I spent listening to his music and jamming out with my air guitar.  I suppose there was a bit of guilt now, but it didn’t truly lessen the experience.  Page’s awfulness could be somewhat separate from the content that he created.  Unfortunately, Page wasn’t the same person to me, more of a vehicle for entertainment now rather than a philosopher or even an artist.

It was pretty good being a kid growing up in that time, we were on the frontier of the internet during the dot com boom.  Starcraft was probably one of my favorite video games back then, it was an online strategy game where you played as one of three races in outer space.  This was pretty much before any of the large social media companies we know today took off, which meant that everybody in whatever corner of the internet you were using at that time was very much like you.  A sense of community came from these narrow interests, one that doesn’t truly exist in a world where one social media site takes up something like a third of all online traffic.

I logged on an anniversary edition of Starcraft recently, the servers were a hollow shell of what they used to be, much smaller and less populated.  People were still playing, but it doesn’t really resemble anything that it used to be.  A creeping sense of dread came over me at the venue’s changed appearance.  Much like my impression of Page the digital space where these games took place were a hollow shell of what they used to be to me.  In a few more years it wont be cost efficient enough to even pay for the server space these games run on and they’ll be shut down, the game will cease to have online functionality.  The online world that I spent hours in as a kid will eventually vanish, just like my naïve Impression of Jimmy Page.  We’ll be left with the memories of the time we spent there and the places in the digital world where we explored, and that will be fantastic.

Pepsi discontinued their line of caffeine free soda, but they occasionally release it as a promotional stunt.  You can’t really just go into a store to pick it up so any plans I have of sharing one with my mom are pretty much nonexistent.  I guess it’s really better that way, with no memory of something it’s impossible for that thing to become tainted, or tortured by disappointing experiences and it will always have a certain pure quality to it.

[jpjg86]

Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 2 Review

Call me Sonic Destroyer… What? Why are you laughing? That name strikes fear into the heart(s) of all whom hear it, including 'Star Lord' of the Guardians of The Galaxy… doesn't it?

Or perhaps Star Lord, with the clear family melodrama, should hang up his Ant-Man style helmet and cocky 'bad-ass' attitude as maybe its getting a little old now? I give my thoughts below…

We've got the Guardian's of The Galaxy primed and ready for action; as usual they're singing, dancing, arguing and bickering. James Gunn has directed this with such a precise balance between humour, character development, action and levity he could sell it as a circus act. Its not a perfect balance; at times there is too much emphasis on special effects (SFX) and/or action, but the short quips and banter between team mates who have formed the same comradery and family commonly found in special forces units etc.

Acting is very subjective in this film, my usual cinema-going attendee was unimpressed with the acting, due to such little scenes involving emotional disruption. However I disagree, given the primary purpose of this film is to illicit laughter and humour; I think the acting is really quite great. The delivery and timing of the aforementioned quips and banter really allow you to feel the bond between them, and where present tension. Add to that physical humour and the unique style each character has and is developing and I personally think the acting is great!

The most compelling aspect of this film is the character development. We learn much about Rocket's emotional state, some glimmers into Dave Bautista's Drax's past and of course we learn an entire backstory for Chris Pratt's Peter Quill/Star-Lord. In my opinion if the studio were smart they will make the next film about another's backstory, whilst learning a little more about each of the characters in turn. I would also urge them to keep Gunn on as director or at the very least an executive producer.

With all that in mind and acknowledging it has many a flaw, I also recognise its superb job of a balancing act many try and few make work. Gunn has done it (again) here. So I give it a proud 9.2/10. Go watch it folks, you won't be disappointed.

#Cinema #Film #Review #Movie #Marvel #MCU #Marvel Cinematic Universe #Chris Pratt #Vin Diesel #Guardians of The Galaxy #Guardians of The Galaxy Vol 2 #James Gunn

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Beauty & The Beast (2017) Review

Bonjour mademoiselle e monsieur it is with greatest pride and deepest pleasure, that I welcome you today. Now I invite you to relax; let you pull up a chair as Opinion's Count proudly presents our review...

But does Disney's latest live action remake, make for good hosts with a pleasurable guest experience or is it as bad at my attempts at the stereotypical French-iness of Lumiere? I give my thoughts below...

Disney has been at this live action re-make-athon for a while now with mixed results; some gems such as Alice In Wonderland & Maleficent and some lacking that Disney magic *cough* Cinderella & Jungle Book *cough.* To the best of my knowledge and experience they have yet to release a bad live action remake, but some of them are questionable in terms of quality we have come to expect from Disney.

Beauty & The Beast falls firmly in the former category. It has the whimsy and light-heartedness afforded to this film, with the over-the-top ham acting of magnified stereotypes such as Gaston. It keeps many of the original songs and musical elements, whilst adding new titles to accentuate the dramatic element of the film. It has fantastic set design, lighting, production, direction and a great remaster of the score by the original composer Alan Menkan.

That's not to say the film is perfect, there are elements where technical prowess (on the side of the actor or sound department is unknown); I refer specifically to the auto-tune of Emma Watson's Belle. Throughout the movie her auto-tune is very aggressive and it is more than noticeable. This is a major weak-link for Watson's portrayal of the character. I personally believe she gave the character a depth and power that I can't imagine many other actors being able to pull-off; but she is either tone deaf or the over-zealous sound department tried to put her in a key which she was not originally (my money is on the former).

It could also stand to be trimmed of certain scenes and long-drawn out sequences where we glean very little information, character or plot development.

Other than the auto-tune issue though most of the other problems are standard complaints which vary form person to person. As such I would very much like to be Disney's guest for this film anytime I'm feeling nostalgic or in need of some light-hearted relief.

So all in all I give it a good 8.7/10, with a go watch it at least once recommendation.

#Disney #Live Action #Beauty & The Beast #Emma Watson #Belle #Be Our Guest #Ewan McGregor #Ian McKellen #Nostalgia #Movie #Review #Cinema #Film

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Gay men in Chechnya are reportedly being tortured and killed in secret detention camps. This is happening now and few are talking about tit.

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Logan Review

What can you say when the inevitable happens? The great equaliser; the thing which takes us all in the end. Do you give up hope, let yourself crumble into a shell of your former stature? Or do you re-discover who you are and fight for what is right, one last time?

Well, Logan, I might be fu*king insane now, but I offer you my last pearls of wisdom before I go, below...

So if we have look at the subject matter of this final instalment of Hugh Jackman playing the loveable rogue of Wolverine in the X-Men series of films, it is not at all dissimilar to the droves of other superhero films of late which show the burdens of having these powers and/or abilities. So much so, this touches on a particularly grim version, which is good given the grittiness of the film. It is quite raw and visceral and this is reflected in the acting, particularly with professor Xavier's penchant for expletives in this instalment.

Unfortunately, without any seemingly tangible connection with the previous films, it feels disconnected and almost forced. The visceral performances mentioned above are across the board, but are relentless and very few moments of relief from so much grit leaves the film feeling somewhat overcooked for my taste. The aforementioned expletives are a little too often to fit in with the Charles Xavier we have come to know, which is the point and I understand and accept that; however, without a rationale for such a drastic change, it is very jarring.

Leaving the storyline chasms aside for a moment, there were other reasons for a point deduction: overuse of special effects; questionable direction decisions; editorial choices befitting of a low budget TV show rather than AAA title etc.

All of these criticisms aside, it is not a bad film and indeed, even with these criticisms I highly recommend that anybody, even remotely interested in the X-Men series watch this, not least because it draws to a close the chapter of Jackman's Wolverine. It is a fascinating look into what life could be like as humanities fear, arrogance and self-righteousness go unchecked - which carries a particularly apt message at the moment, given the state of international affairs.

So scoring this one has been difficult, each time I go to give a low score, aspects drag it up and vice-versa. There I give Logan a 7.3/10 - with a solid recommendation to go and see it.

#Hugh Jackman #Patrick Stewart #Logan #Wolverine #Professor Xavier #Charles Xavier #Movie #Cinema #Media #Review

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La La Land Review

You got to love the rhythm of the city man, each one is different and once you got it you can move in rhythm with it. If you listen to the tone of most cities these days it's like a time warp and the blues are on the rise again. With the rise of blues Jazz makes a comeback too, but do you keep steadfast to your belief or do you cave in and become a sell-out? How, when you're constantly told you're not good enough, do you pick yourself back up again and make this city of angels deliver on its promise of building your dream?

That's the question, though: is La La Land a dream to watch or a stark awakening to the pitfalls of daring to dream? I give my thoughts below...

La La Land received critical acclaim, for reasons which are both obvious and dumbfounding simultaneously. La La Land is a great risk for the studio, as there haven't been many big Musical successes in the past 20 years and those which have succeeded have been safer options - Mamma Mia for example - which pander to the audience's affection for the subject matter. La La Land is different, in that it serves to tell a story, with musical interludes as the backdrop; think Sound of Music.

Unlike Sound of Music, however, La La Land takes a much darker, sinister tone and the songs reflect this. So instead of being an uplifting, light watch, it explores the pitfalls and existential crisis that we as 'westerners' face through our desire for approval from others, often through fame. It is important to note here though that whilst this is a new form factor for the musical genre, one not leaving the viewer with a sense of optimism in their values, it is not without its merit.

Indeed I applaud the director for creating a post-classical homage to the musical golden days, however, I must say that it doesn't have the same appeal to me due to this important distinction. Technically it is a masterpiece; the lighting reflecting the ambient mood for the on-screen characters, the tight shots throughout most of the production is a fantastic method of allowing the audience to scrutinise the individual in their circumstances, ultimately being left with a sense of unfulfilled reason - much like the characters.

For this reason, I award it a respectful 8.5/10, whilst issuing the warning and caveat to those yet to see it, don't expect your typical musical or you will be sorely disappointed.

#Emma Stone #Ryan Gosling #La La Land #Oscars #Academy Awards #Movie #Cinema #Reviews #Media #Musicals

[jpjg86]

Assassin’s Creed (2016) Review

Nothing is true, everything is permitted. Abstergo industries, happy to sponsor this blog post, would lie to make it clear that this work of fiction is purely a historical and technological exercise. They have put everything they have into this movie and are proud of its result.

But should Abstergo's Assassins Creed stay in the dark and never see the light of day, or should it stand proudly in the limelight? I give my thoughts below...

So, Assassin's Creed (AC) is one of my favourite games of all time. It is a fantastic premise, screws with history and perception to twist how events could have been manipulated. If they simply made a script which summarises the events in the dual storylines of Desmond Miles & Ezio Auditore da Firenze they would have made me incredibly happy. Needless to say, they didn't. I have to give it Michael Fassbender who produced this, it was a risky proposition to try and show a whole new set of characters which were after the same piece of Eden and yet had no connection to Ezio or Desmond.

In my opinion that gamble didn't pay off. Throughout much of the film, it seemed as though they forgot the ethereal element which made AC great: the story. Instead, they focused on combat and CGI for the sake of CGI. This along with very curious decisions from Justin Kurzel in terms of direction and mediocre acting made the movie watchable, but not something I'm going to run out and buy or pre-order.

For these and a few other reasons, I'm awarding this a middle 7.7/10

#Michael Fassbender #Ezio Auditore da Firenze #Desmond Miles #Assassin's Creed #Abstergo #Templars #Movie #Cinema #Review #Media

[jpjg86]

Passengers Review

Dear Journal, it has been too many days, probably weeks since I've had any contact. It's starting to drive me a little crazy, to be honest. How do I deal with being on my own for so long? Am I really going to live my life like this for 80+ years? Can I really enjoy myself, if I'm literally the only person here?

Or should you enjoy Passengers with some company to reassure yourself that you're not alone? Or should Passengers float off into time's abyss with a 'good riddance' to it? I give my thoughts below...

So as you can see there is more than one character in this film, though we open with Pratt's Jim Preston mistakenly woken from stasis far too early and the central theme is delivered very early on: loneliness. The premise is simple: how would you handle being trapped on your own? Then you find someone, just one person who is awake after a year of loneliness and you have a dark secret you're keeping from them? Its central theme is the same as that of the Martian's, however, its execution is very different.

I was pleasantly surprised by the acting ability of Pratt; not that he's a terrible actor but everything I've seen him in thus far has been a similar type of character. This one was different: contemplative, desperate, romantic, despairing and, of course, funny. He's by no means stellar, but he is a good, strong choice for this duo. Lawrence however, this lady his earning her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. As always a fantastic performance by Lawrence and without meaning to or trying to she steals the spotlight from Pratt. That's not to say the two of them aren't made to shine even more when on screen together because they do; simply that Lawrence acting quality is so great, she effortlessly becomes the lead in every scene in which she appears.

The special effects are great for what they are but feel unnecessary. The plot point which drives the story forward also feels a little forced, to lead to moments of jeopardy and dread. Morten Tyldem's decision to direct the story in this way feels more like he was pressured into it by the studio executives rather than the vision he had for it. Regardless, Passengers is a strong offering with lots to like and one I've pre-ordered on limited edition 4K Blu-ray.

So for those reasons and more, I'm giving Passengers a solid 8.9/10

#Passengers #Jennifer Lawrence #Chris Pratt #Morten Tyldem #Sci-Fi #Thriller #Movie #Cinema #Review #Media

[jpjg86]

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Review

I am one with the force and the force is one with me. I am one with the force and the force is one with me.

Yes, yes the force is one everything; but is the force with Jyn Erso or does it desert her as it did those poor younglings in Episode III: Revenge of The Sith? I give my thoughts below:

So the first side film of the Star Wars Saga. What can we say about it? Well for starters, it's a great little watch which can hold your attention throughout. Equally, we can say with certainty that it shan't be winning any awards either. It's by no means the best Star Wars film, it's also by no means the worst and if this is the calibre of side films we can expect Disney to churn out, then it should be a rich, diverse expanded universe.

Disney needed to get this film right, which is probably why most of it had to be re-filmed at short notice. For me personally, the most obvious factor which is clearly not in keeping with the main saga is the soundtrack. No disrespect is intended Michael Giacchino as his score is very good and atmospheric, but trying to hold a candle to John Williams is like holding a candle up to a hurricane.

The acting is decent enough, though Felicity Jones' Jyn Erso is somewhat wooden, a little more depth would have made her more relatable and cared for, but it doesn't distract too much. There is obviously not going to be a sequel or follow-on (besides the original Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, which chronologically follows on immediately from this film) and that's a good thing.

All of this having been said I'm giving this a solid 8/10 and a recommendation to at least see it once.

#Star Wars #Rogue One #Michael Giacchino #John Williams #Disney #Lucasfilm #Felicity Jones #Film #Cinema #Review #Media

[jpjg86]

So true... fantastic Star Trek series; poignant message.

#Star Trek #Politics #Philosophy #The Verge

[jpjg86]

Dr. Strange (2016) Review

Don't you hate it when a know it all seems to have everything? I mean they can pretty much beat the computer on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire; they've got the looks; the career; can bounce from girl to girl… Why can't someone bring him down a peg or two? But then, they do say: out of the ashes of a wrecked life soars a Phoenix of something great.

So does Dr. Stephen Strange soar to the heights of greatness or leave behind it the smoldering ruins of something which promised more than it could deliver? I give my thoughts below…

So unless you've been living under a cinematic rock, you should have heard of Marvel and its Cinematic Universe or MCU for short. The easiest way to describe it, is all of the Marvel films and therefore all of their super heroes and villains all exist within the same universe and the effects in one film have a direct impact on the plot, characters and locales of another film. Think of it as a multi-layered crossover episodic series, e.g. Family Guy & Simpsons.

Dr. Strange is the latest edition, and plays an important role in connecting the storylines from the Earth based MCU films (Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk etc.) with the extra-terrestrial MCU films (Thor, Guardians of The Galaxy etc.). Dr. Strange is the bridge from the 'real world' to the 'magical worlds.' That is an awful lot of weight on this one film.

Fortunately Scott Derrickson does a wonderful job of finding a balance between plot, character development, drama, comedy and just a smidgeon of jeopardy. We start with the arrogant Dr. Stephen Strange, a man with an eidetic memory, cocky and dismissive of others. He has the world in his hands and quite literally needs his hands to keep hold of it. When a devastating accident leaves his hands incapable of continuing his chosen career path he realises just how tough it is going to be, surviving in an unfriendly, unforgiving world.

When he learns of a crash victim making a full-recovery, which is medically impossible, he seeks him out to find out how that is possible; determined to regain the full use of his hands, he lets himself in for more than he bargained for.

I won't spoil the plot, but suffice to say the drama is there and Benedict Cumberbatch's portrayal of Dr. Strange is both apt and quirky. IT is refreshing to see Cumberbatch in such a different role. This man is a real chameleon. Everything one could want from a film is here, and delivered upon well. There a re moments of comedy throughout to balance out the drama; good acting, the best us of 3D I've seen since Gravity and fantastic character development; to say nothing of the brilliant integration and melding of these two worlds within the MCU.

For all of those reasons, I give this film a must see 9.7/10.

#Dr. Strange #Marvel #MCU #Marvel Universe #Benedict Cumberbatch #Scott Derrickson #Movie #Film #Review #Cinema

[jpjg86]

Inferno Review

Art is important. It is a window into the past which we cannot afford to lose, take for granted or denigrate. Many of the prevailing ideologies, ideograms, philosophies and symbols in the modern world stem from these interpretations of the world at the time of their creation. That is why, when one considers the impact of Dante's Inferno on the world, one needs to take the context in which it was created into account.

So consider: is Ron Howard's Inferno as momentous as Dante's or should it be lost to the depths of time? I give my thoughts below…

So let's just get this out of the way: I am a great fan of the Robert Langdon series. I love a good mystery movie, TV series, novel or even puzzle. So after a decent Da Vinci Code adaptation, a great rendition of Angels & Demons I was awaiting the release of Inferno with great excitement. The same director at the helm should deliver the same results or twists and turns which are reasonably predictable but well told.

Unfortunately I was sorely disappointed. Stylistically this was quite a departure from Howard's tried and true formula of the progenitors to Inferno. The connection between Langdon and the audience is never quite rooted enough as it is with the former movies. There's almost a smugness about Langdon in this depiction which makes him less likeable to the audience. The plot is mundane, but could have been delivered in a tense way with Langdon & Sienna against the world and its forces; instead it is delivered as a poor mans Mission Impossible, with a little more intellect or a poor mans James Bond without as much action.

Tom Hanks' Langdon is played as well as can be expected with the usual stiffness but the stylised smugness which accompanies the other elements of the movie. Special effects are well executed, but over-used. As you can tell I'm searching for outstanding elements or aspects of the film to give it a saving grace. I definitely think its worth a watch and whilst I've bashed its style and direction, taking those out of the equation and the film is fairly decent.

Even with these flaws it is absolutely worth a watch, but I can't say it is a must-see. So everything considered I give this a 5.6/10.

#Robert Langdon #Da Vinci Code #Angels & Demons #Angels and Demons #Ron Howard #Tom Hanks #Inferno #Movie #Review #Action #Drama #Film #Cinema

[jpjg86]

The Girl On The Train Review

Oh do you remember that feeling; the morning after the night before? When you're trying to remember what happened? You have vague recollections but you're not certain? You remember seeing something, but you're not sure if what you seen was real or the drink? Yeah you can hop on-board Rachel's train, because it seems as though she can't.

The question I want to pose is do I want to be able to remember her in The Girl On the Train or would I rather suffer the hangover and not be sure of what I've seen? I give my thoughts below…

Girl On A Train poses a little bit of a problem when reviewing. It is a potent and powerful movie with a strong and enduring performance by all of the cast and in particular the leading lady Rachel (Emily Blunt). It is essentially a murder-mystery film which incorporates many a facet of heart-breaking problems such as: still-births/sterility, domestic abuse and manipulation. It does this quite well and rather fantastically finds the balance between suspense and reveal.

Here's the problem though: it does keep the suspense simmering right below boiling over to the big reveal throughout most of the film, whilst exploring many of the issues above. However it is woefully under-edited. The film could have seen huge swathes of time edited out and still have achieved the same effect, without making its audience aware of the passage of time.

So I'm torn, this film based on acting, direction, screenplay and technical deserves in the 9.0-10.0 range; but in terms of edit and feel it deserves in the 3.0-4.5 range. So I'm going to give Tate Taylor the benefit of the doubt and award it a 9.0/10 even.

This is one train you don't want to miss!

#The Girl On The train #Emily Blunt #Tate Taylor #Movie #Review #Cinema #Film #Drama #Thriller #Mystery #Murder Mystery

[jpjg86]

Ghostbusters (2016) Review

Who ya gonna call? Hmm… I guess that’s the appropriate question, isn't it? Is this all-female reboot of the all-male cult classic worth calling upon the talents of McCarthy, Wiig, McKinnon & Jones to satisfy your extra-corporeal needs? Or would a call to the past better sate that desire? So to finally give you an answer to Who ya gonna call? Lets see if it really is the Ghostbusters. I give my thoughts below…

So I'll get right to it: if you've decided to go and see Ghostbusters, you're not looking for anything stellar from it. You're looking for some light-hearted entertainment with enough comic relief to make slogging through the main body of the film worth it. I can't say Ghostbusters (2016) is bad  or doesn't meet those criteria, it certainly does. However there is little to make it stand out. In short everything seems 'good enough'  which means in terms of my score I gave it a 'good enough' score to encourage you to find out for yourselves and give it a watch - given it is no longer in cinemas you'll now have to wait to see it at home on Blu-Ray Disc (BD) or DVD or through your preferred streaming service.

The acting is actually quite good for the genre; over dramatic and exaggerated pretty much throughout - but purposefully. That detail is important because too often have I heard from people that it seemed as if everyone had forgotten how to act? It is only after its pointed out to them that its intentional to make light-hearted fun for all the family. Perhaps, as one-friend made the case, you could say it is a little too much of it and some genuine acting and some levity would have been nice in parts. That is true; it would have been a nice little break from the constant slapstick, silly humour. On the flip-side of that though, I say: Come on, it's Ghostbusters! Its meant to be hyper-silly and fun.

To that end I give the 2016 reboot of Ghostbusters a solid 7.0 even. So in answer to Who ya gonna call? Yeha sure, give this band of femme fatal-fatale's a call.

#Ghostbusters #Reboot #Melissa McCarthy #Chris Hemsworth #Cinema #Movie #Movie Review #Reviews #Film #Sci-fi