Daddy's Home - Film - 2015
Dad vs. Step-Dad.
The two clash in this comedy extravaganza... or they just crash and burn.
Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell star in this (meant to be funny) family film about a dad and step-dad battling it out for Sara (the mother) and the children's affections.
I will say that one thing I admired about this film, amongst all else, was the subject it chose. With divorce a very common event in our society, step-parents come along with this; being a step-parent is not always an easy task and this film does help highlight this for the whole family.
If you have read my Sisters review you will see that I pointed out that the film was based upon the cheap laughs of the audience, this one is the same. Although it is a family film, so yes I wasn't expecting a huge amount when I walked into the cinema, I was expecting just a bit more from Will Ferrell especially. Having not seen Wahlberg in a comedy role before, he was interesting to watch however, I feel as though he pulled off his dad character well.
Although I wouldn't say the film is bad per say. Just incredibly predictable and obvious jokes to go with. I feel as though these two could have been a bit more subtle and clever about their jokes and still keep it as a family film.
3/10
It is maybe worth a watch when it becomes available to stream on Netflix etc. but for now I wouldn't be rushing out to buy this film.
Showing posts with label film. Show all posts
Showing posts with label film. Show all posts
Sunday, 8 May 2016
Another One?
Creed - Film - 2015
Creed is the follow on from Rocky Balboa. It was almost ten years since we last saw Rocky on our screens.
Creed follows the story of Apollo Creed's son (you will know this if you have seen the previous Rock films however, this is not necessary to watch Creed).
Creed is about the trials and tribulations of Adonis Johnson - Adonis Creed - who is trying to make his name in the boxing world without the help of his father's name. He seeks out Rocky Balboa to help train him and bring him up to his fathers level.
Although there are references to the previous Rocky films, such as Rocky and Apollo Creed's fights. You would not have had to have seen the previous films to watch Creed. I hadn't seen any since Rocky III and I still managed to follow the film without a problem.
Although, this film is good in the way that the actors are good. The story is pretty average. What you would expect from a boxing film. They tend to follow the same formula, he trains, something happens and pulls him down, he gets back up to fight, the last fight of the film.
Stallone is looking pretty good in his old age, plus he is meant to be a man of ill health in the film so he definitely looks the part.
Despite, the predictability of the film, I did enjoy Creed. It was easy to sit back and watch. Didn't have to think too hard about the story to understand it or enjoy it. It was simply a film.
No real twists and turns so to speak. It was interesting to learn more about Apollo Creed, and will admit made me want to watch the old Rocky films.
5/10
This was your average boxing film made for a specific audience. Although I didn't mind the film it is definitely not one I would write home about. If you enjoy sporting films this is definitely for you.
Creed is the follow on from Rocky Balboa. It was almost ten years since we last saw Rocky on our screens.
Creed follows the story of Apollo Creed's son (you will know this if you have seen the previous Rock films however, this is not necessary to watch Creed).
Creed is about the trials and tribulations of Adonis Johnson - Adonis Creed - who is trying to make his name in the boxing world without the help of his father's name. He seeks out Rocky Balboa to help train him and bring him up to his fathers level.
Although there are references to the previous Rocky films, such as Rocky and Apollo Creed's fights. You would not have had to have seen the previous films to watch Creed. I hadn't seen any since Rocky III and I still managed to follow the film without a problem.
Although, this film is good in the way that the actors are good. The story is pretty average. What you would expect from a boxing film. They tend to follow the same formula, he trains, something happens and pulls him down, he gets back up to fight, the last fight of the film.
Stallone is looking pretty good in his old age, plus he is meant to be a man of ill health in the film so he definitely looks the part.
Despite, the predictability of the film, I did enjoy Creed. It was easy to sit back and watch. Didn't have to think too hard about the story to understand it or enjoy it. It was simply a film.
No real twists and turns so to speak. It was interesting to learn more about Apollo Creed, and will admit made me want to watch the old Rocky films.
5/10
This was your average boxing film made for a specific audience. Although I didn't mind the film it is definitely not one I would write home about. If you enjoy sporting films this is definitely for you.
Laughs? Not Here.
Sisters - Film - 2015
Sisters was meant to be the crowning moment for women in comedy. Comedies best two women Amy Poehler and Tina Fey joined forces to create this meant to be feel good film.
Two words: Let Down.
Both women are known for their clever wit, sharp jokes and overall hilarity. What did Sisters deliver, cheap jokes, boring story line and flat characters.
I expected a lot from these two, I generally try and avoid women comedians, I don't find what they think is funny, funny, at all. These two were different with their contributions to comedy such as 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation, both of which are thoroughly enjoyable.
Sisters used every cliche joke in the book, you could see the joke from a mile away.
There was no subtly or even thought that went into the film, just cheap laughs that they knew the audience would give.
There was a practically non-existent story, which ended exactly how you would expect it to when you see the first five minutes of the film.
Nothing surprising, shocking or even funny happened in this film.
1/10
I have nothing good that I can say about this film.
All there was, was cheap laughs for the audience; although this may be okay for some people, I expected a lot more from these two.
Sisters was meant to be the crowning moment for women in comedy. Comedies best two women Amy Poehler and Tina Fey joined forces to create this meant to be feel good film.
Two words: Let Down.
Both women are known for their clever wit, sharp jokes and overall hilarity. What did Sisters deliver, cheap jokes, boring story line and flat characters.
I expected a lot from these two, I generally try and avoid women comedians, I don't find what they think is funny, funny, at all. These two were different with their contributions to comedy such as 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation, both of which are thoroughly enjoyable.
Sisters used every cliche joke in the book, you could see the joke from a mile away.
There was no subtly or even thought that went into the film, just cheap laughs that they knew the audience would give.
There was a practically non-existent story, which ended exactly how you would expect it to when you see the first five minutes of the film.
Nothing surprising, shocking or even funny happened in this film.
1/10
I have nothing good that I can say about this film.
All there was, was cheap laughs for the audience; although this may be okay for some people, I expected a lot more from these two.
Thursday, 21 January 2016
Survival Of The Fittest Has Never Been More True
The Revenant - Film - 2015
I went to an early screening of The Revenant and I was expecting a very gruesome, tough and hard hitting film. All about the survival of a man who is fighting not only for his life but for revenge.
What I got? Well, it was a very long film, about half way through my attention did wain a little bit. It kind of got to the point of 'Just hurry up'. Now the person I went to see it with (a guy) did not flinch at the time, so maybe this was just me.
Second, brutal? I think not. Not for someone my age who has had gone through brutal animes, video games and Quentin Tarantino films. Yes, there is a bear attack which is quite graphic, there are a few eating raw meat situations which did make my tummy turn a little bit, but I wouldn't use the word brutal to describe this film. Now, I am aware that people of the younger generation may be more desensitized to the blood and gore, but, I feel that even my dad would not find it that bad.
I would say the story itself was good, it was very minimalistic in the sense that it surrounded two major story lines, revenge and survival. Simple, yet dramatic.
I hope Leo finally wins his Oscar for this, although if he does he would be winning an Oscar for saying very few words. Although, I have heard the fish and liver he eats, are real which is just gross, but impressive for an actor to be that into his work.
Anyway, it was a good film. It would be one I would watch again with people who haven't seen it for instance but it would not be one that I make my mission to watch again.
8/10
I thought it was a very good survival film, it showed the sheer will needed to survive, it felt real and there were moments when using the camera, it made you feel as though you right there with them. And this is what I enjoyed most about the film, the realism. There was no outrageous Hollywood effects. The scenery was beautiful, some may say distracting but I felt it just added to the realism of the film.
This is a 'marmite' film, you either love it or you hate it. If you don't mind a little bit of blood and gore, and enjoy the survival aspect of a film then this is definitely for you.
I went to an early screening of The Revenant and I was expecting a very gruesome, tough and hard hitting film. All about the survival of a man who is fighting not only for his life but for revenge.
What I got? Well, it was a very long film, about half way through my attention did wain a little bit. It kind of got to the point of 'Just hurry up'. Now the person I went to see it with (a guy) did not flinch at the time, so maybe this was just me.
Second, brutal? I think not. Not for someone my age who has had gone through brutal animes, video games and Quentin Tarantino films. Yes, there is a bear attack which is quite graphic, there are a few eating raw meat situations which did make my tummy turn a little bit, but I wouldn't use the word brutal to describe this film. Now, I am aware that people of the younger generation may be more desensitized to the blood and gore, but, I feel that even my dad would not find it that bad.
I would say the story itself was good, it was very minimalistic in the sense that it surrounded two major story lines, revenge and survival. Simple, yet dramatic.
I hope Leo finally wins his Oscar for this, although if he does he would be winning an Oscar for saying very few words. Although, I have heard the fish and liver he eats, are real which is just gross, but impressive for an actor to be that into his work.
Anyway, it was a good film. It would be one I would watch again with people who haven't seen it for instance but it would not be one that I make my mission to watch again.
8/10
I thought it was a very good survival film, it showed the sheer will needed to survive, it felt real and there were moments when using the camera, it made you feel as though you right there with them. And this is what I enjoyed most about the film, the realism. There was no outrageous Hollywood effects. The scenery was beautiful, some may say distracting but I felt it just added to the realism of the film.
This is a 'marmite' film, you either love it or you hate it. If you don't mind a little bit of blood and gore, and enjoy the survival aspect of a film then this is definitely for you.
Sunday, 10 January 2016
The Danish Girl
The Danish Girl - Film - 2015
The Danish Girl is based on the novel (which is based on a true story) by David Ebershoff, about the unusual romance between Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. Lili (Eddie Redmayne) began her life living as Einar Wegener a famous artist, married to Gerda. However, Lili was always lurking behind Einar, Gerda helps to bring Lili to the surface, but this leads to Lili never wanting to go away. The film follows the miracle of Lili showing herself to the world.
The majority of the film is based in Denmark, however, they travel to Paris for Gerda's art. Here, they meet with a doctor that changes Einar's life.
Eddie Redmayne, although good in other films, was spectacular to watch. You could tell the moments when Einar was Lili, you could see the anguish behind his eyes. He was very well supported by Alicia Vikander (Gerda) whom played the loyal and supportive wife. The great thing about this film was that you could watch and feel like you watching their real-lives. Everything was realistic about the film. When Einar was Lily, it still looked like Einar to an extent, they didn't plaster on the make-up to hide who was underneath.
A bad thing I will say about this film is, it is a one trick pony. Once you know the story, even though it is a romance, it would be difficult to watch over and over again. I personally would not watch this film again willingly despite it being good.
The strength that emanated off of both the lead characters was something to marvel at. They both deserve an award for the performance that they gave. It is also amazing to think that these two people existed, Lili Elbe remains a strong icon within the transgender community and rightly so.
This was a realistic romance, that highlighted a major issue in 1926 for those who believed themselves to have been born in the wrong body. An issue that is still around today for many people, albeit the methods with dealing with this are a lot less brutal than they used to be, it is still something that many cannot or will not accept.
I enjoyed the film, it was definitely worth watching however, it is not a film that I would watch again.
7/10
What really sold this film was the level of performances both leads gave.
The Danish Girl is based on the novel (which is based on a true story) by David Ebershoff, about the unusual romance between Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. Lili (Eddie Redmayne) began her life living as Einar Wegener a famous artist, married to Gerda. However, Lili was always lurking behind Einar, Gerda helps to bring Lili to the surface, but this leads to Lili never wanting to go away. The film follows the miracle of Lili showing herself to the world.
The majority of the film is based in Denmark, however, they travel to Paris for Gerda's art. Here, they meet with a doctor that changes Einar's life.
Eddie Redmayne, although good in other films, was spectacular to watch. You could tell the moments when Einar was Lili, you could see the anguish behind his eyes. He was very well supported by Alicia Vikander (Gerda) whom played the loyal and supportive wife. The great thing about this film was that you could watch and feel like you watching their real-lives. Everything was realistic about the film. When Einar was Lily, it still looked like Einar to an extent, they didn't plaster on the make-up to hide who was underneath.
A bad thing I will say about this film is, it is a one trick pony. Once you know the story, even though it is a romance, it would be difficult to watch over and over again. I personally would not watch this film again willingly despite it being good.
The strength that emanated off of both the lead characters was something to marvel at. They both deserve an award for the performance that they gave. It is also amazing to think that these two people existed, Lili Elbe remains a strong icon within the transgender community and rightly so.
This was a realistic romance, that highlighted a major issue in 1926 for those who believed themselves to have been born in the wrong body. An issue that is still around today for many people, albeit the methods with dealing with this are a lot less brutal than they used to be, it is still something that many cannot or will not accept.
I enjoyed the film, it was definitely worth watching however, it is not a film that I would watch again.
7/10
What really sold this film was the level of performances both leads gave.
Sunday, 27 December 2015
Do we really need another Lion King?
The Good Dinosaur - 2015
The Good Dinosaur is the newest film released by Disney Pixar. After some flops Disney was due a good animated film.
The Good Dinosaur follows the story Arlo a young dinosaur who is the runt of
his family, he struggles to be the kind of dinosaur he feels his father can be
proud of. His story takes us through some tragedies, some laughs, friends and
enemies.
Unfortunately, at my age it is very easy to see the Disney
formula. For me, this was déjà vu of The Lion King. It follows the same story.
The same kind of characters. It didn’t feel original to me. Now this may be different
for kids now-a-days because they didn’t grow up with The Lion King, they have
grown up with the newer Disney that maybe it is new to them.
The special effects in this film were spectacular, and that
is understating it. The water especially in this film was something quite
extraordinary for an animated film. With game development growing and getting
better, it is no surprise that animated films take some pages from their book.
The effects on all of the dinosaurs was also something to marvel at. The detail
especially on the T-Rex’s were amazing, you could see every wrinkle in their
arms and legs.
The story itself was okay, a major plot point I felt was
very flat, there was meant to be emotion but I didn’t feel anything. As I said
before it was also déjà vu for me. I want to say for younger kids that this
film would be good however, this may not be true. For a Disney film this one
was rife with some scenes that you wouldn’t want your five-year-old to see. It
is a PG and guidance is definitely advise for the younger kids. But even
though this appeals to some older, I think they have overshot their audience. I
think Disney would have been better off targeting the younger audience. The
older audience have been there and done that, that they don’t feel emotion for
it anymore.
I really wanted to like this film but there are some flaws,
I am glad I have seen it once but it is not one I would go out of my way to
watch again.
5/10
For me it was just too repetitive for me to enjoy properly,
maybe if I didn’t have such a love for The Lion King I would have enjoyed it
more. They have done amazingly well with the animation but I think Disney need
to think of a new formula if they are going to continue targeting the slightly
older kids.
Sunday, 20 December 2015
May the Force Be With You
Star Wars: The Force Awakens - 2015 - Film
After ten long years Star Wars is back.
The Force Awakens is based three decades after the fall of the Empire and a new threat appears challenging the "Light".
When this film was first announced I wasn't a fan of bringing back the old cast, it made me concerned about what the film was going to be about. I mean the likes of Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill are not exactly in the prime of their life. I was also concerned that they would make the film too much about the old cast and not enough of the new generation. But, and I know this is hard for some people to admit, I was wrong. We still got to see enough of Han Solo and Leia that it fills that need for the old cast, however, they take a back seat in the overall, combat and story which makes way for the new cast to arrive.
So, we'll start off with the new cast. This is her first major movie and what a movie to start off with! Daisy Ridley (Rey) shows that her talent has been wasted on TV series. She is joined by Adam Driver (Kylo Ren) and John Boyega (Fin). Each one makes their own mark on the franchise.
The cast aside, I think the real challenge here was to make the film modern. To make it appeal to the new generation that wasn't around for the previous films. And this challenge was for J.J Abrams. He originally didn't want to take the role, but, after deliberation he decided that it was worth taking. Despite being hesitant at first, Abrams obviously put his heart and soul into this film. He managed to bring together the old and the new. He also managed to throw in some twists and turns. I will admit that some of them were easy to guess following the previous formulas, but, this was okay. There were still some shocks that made the film interesting, and, the bad guys were interesting to see and watch.
He still left PLENTY for the second film, due to come out 2017. I personally feel like watching the older ones now even if they may seem a bit dated. Abrams gave a fresh lease of life into this franchise, which I hope continues into the next films.
The one thing that I thought was a bit strange was the introduction of Kylo Ren, he was introduced quite early in the film.
It left off for there to be an exciting and interesting sequels that I cannot wait to see.
9/10
If I did part points it would be an 9.8 - it is closer to 10 than 9 but I feel like there it isn't quite perfect... maybe next time.
After ten long years Star Wars is back.
The Force Awakens is based three decades after the fall of the Empire and a new threat appears challenging the "Light".
When this film was first announced I wasn't a fan of bringing back the old cast, it made me concerned about what the film was going to be about. I mean the likes of Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill are not exactly in the prime of their life. I was also concerned that they would make the film too much about the old cast and not enough of the new generation. But, and I know this is hard for some people to admit, I was wrong. We still got to see enough of Han Solo and Leia that it fills that need for the old cast, however, they take a back seat in the overall, combat and story which makes way for the new cast to arrive.
So, we'll start off with the new cast. This is her first major movie and what a movie to start off with! Daisy Ridley (Rey) shows that her talent has been wasted on TV series. She is joined by Adam Driver (Kylo Ren) and John Boyega (Fin). Each one makes their own mark on the franchise.
The cast aside, I think the real challenge here was to make the film modern. To make it appeal to the new generation that wasn't around for the previous films. And this challenge was for J.J Abrams. He originally didn't want to take the role, but, after deliberation he decided that it was worth taking. Despite being hesitant at first, Abrams obviously put his heart and soul into this film. He managed to bring together the old and the new. He also managed to throw in some twists and turns. I will admit that some of them were easy to guess following the previous formulas, but, this was okay. There were still some shocks that made the film interesting, and, the bad guys were interesting to see and watch.
He still left PLENTY for the second film, due to come out 2017. I personally feel like watching the older ones now even if they may seem a bit dated. Abrams gave a fresh lease of life into this franchise, which I hope continues into the next films.
The one thing that I thought was a bit strange was the introduction of Kylo Ren, he was introduced quite early in the film.
It left off for there to be an exciting and interesting sequels that I cannot wait to see.
9/10
If I did part points it would be an 9.8 - it is closer to 10 than 9 but I feel like there it isn't quite perfect... maybe next time.
Monday, 23 November 2015
May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favour
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 - Film - 2015
When I was in England I felt it important to watch the final instalment of The Hunger Games. To see the first one I skipped college and went to the local cinema making it back in time for my history lesson. So the trilogy (books) and quadrilogy (films) hold fond memories for me. I loved the books and the films have not disappointed.
Francis Lawrence bought us three out of the four films of The Hunger Games. The last book was split into two films to allow them to include more details. This is something that normally puts directors on my blacklist but, in this case I was happy they took this approach. The reason being there is a lot of development in the third book. A lot of twist and turns for the story and after seeing it split over two films, it is clear that if they had tried to fit it into one film - well it just wouldn't have worked.
There is very little negative to say regarding this franchise and it's actors. Each one: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks and Woody Harrelson give some of their very best performances in these films.
One thing I would say for this film is that it was a little, for lack of a better word, dull. Because it was wrapping up the story there was some action, but very little in terms of theatrics. Elizabeth Banks and Woody Harrelson got very little screen time in this film as they needed to make sure certain criteria were met for the story. I felt this was a shame. Both characters, Effie and Haymitch, bring a lot of life into the film. They balance out the seriousness of Katniss and Peeta's situation.
The ending was also a little disappointing, it was a little bit like they they ran out of time and had to rush it a bit. They did manage to wrap up everything in quite a clever way in terms of all the other characters.
There is some happiness and sadness in this film. There were times that I felt like crying but others when I thought 'that is just amazing'
The action was good, the effects were what you would you would expect from a Hollywood blockbuster.
These films became a phenomenon and they are some of the best book to film adaptations I have ever seen. But, this film fell under the 'it happens in the book so we have to find a way for it to happen in the film' curse. Some situations are forced, or of their making but too obvious for it have any effect. Unfortunately, this is not something that is easy to get away from.
8/10
I think they should have utilised their characters more. It was not the best of the franchise and I think that the earlier films especially Catching Fire were more interesting to watch. It is definitely still worth the watch for all ages.
When I was in England I felt it important to watch the final instalment of The Hunger Games. To see the first one I skipped college and went to the local cinema making it back in time for my history lesson. So the trilogy (books) and quadrilogy (films) hold fond memories for me. I loved the books and the films have not disappointed.
Francis Lawrence bought us three out of the four films of The Hunger Games. The last book was split into two films to allow them to include more details. This is something that normally puts directors on my blacklist but, in this case I was happy they took this approach. The reason being there is a lot of development in the third book. A lot of twist and turns for the story and after seeing it split over two films, it is clear that if they had tried to fit it into one film - well it just wouldn't have worked.
There is very little negative to say regarding this franchise and it's actors. Each one: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks and Woody Harrelson give some of their very best performances in these films.
One thing I would say for this film is that it was a little, for lack of a better word, dull. Because it was wrapping up the story there was some action, but very little in terms of theatrics. Elizabeth Banks and Woody Harrelson got very little screen time in this film as they needed to make sure certain criteria were met for the story. I felt this was a shame. Both characters, Effie and Haymitch, bring a lot of life into the film. They balance out the seriousness of Katniss and Peeta's situation.
The ending was also a little disappointing, it was a little bit like they they ran out of time and had to rush it a bit. They did manage to wrap up everything in quite a clever way in terms of all the other characters.
There is some happiness and sadness in this film. There were times that I felt like crying but others when I thought 'that is just amazing'
The action was good, the effects were what you would you would expect from a Hollywood blockbuster.
These films became a phenomenon and they are some of the best book to film adaptations I have ever seen. But, this film fell under the 'it happens in the book so we have to find a way for it to happen in the film' curse. Some situations are forced, or of their making but too obvious for it have any effect. Unfortunately, this is not something that is easy to get away from.
8/10
I think they should have utilised their characters more. It was not the best of the franchise and I think that the earlier films especially Catching Fire were more interesting to watch. It is definitely still worth the watch for all ages.
Sunday, 22 November 2015
Is the world moving on from James Bond?
Spectre - Film - 2015
- 24 films
- 6 James Bonds
Has the world finally grown tired of suave super spy?
Spectre is the 24th film in the franchise with it being Daniel Craig's fourth outing as the spy. All of Craig's Bond films (Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace and Skyfall) all tie in with Spectre. Spectre uncovers the man behind the mirror (or organisation in this case) Skyfall raised the bar for Craig and Spectre crashed and burned.
Despite it being the wrap up to the previous three films there was no tension. No amazing reveals. No new information. Boring action. Rubbish acting. Too many cliches to count on your hand. Pointless use of a villain. Predictable... the list goes on and on, the bottom line. Spectre did not deliver.
Sure, Spectre had everything you expect from a Bond film: a villain, a pointless sex session, some killing/explosions, a pretty Bond girl, an epic theme tune and the line "shaken not stirred" but has all this just got boring now?
The action was mediocre, he was in a big military base "Oh action" I hear you say... Wrong! There was a few bullets fired and an explosion with him walking out with not a scratch on him.
Sex scenes were dull, predictable and boring.
The whole story was meant to be wrapped up here and it was just a let down. You would think the head of this organisation Spectre would be evil beyond words. He (or she) would be willing to do everything and anything to bring down the mighty James Bond. Do you want to know the reasoning behind the whole organisation? Because his daddy took Bond skiing instead of him. Boo frickin hoo. Four films have been based on the revenge plot of a spurned boy. I'm sorry but that is not believable, it is rubbish and a complete let down to the films. If the main villain had to have a vendetta it should have been Bond killed someone or something with a bit more to it than just "Your were a spoilt child"
Oh and the cliches every other line was a cliche that you just sat thinking "After this they are going to have sex" - it was just dull.
It was obvious during the film that Craig was not interested. He made it clear to the media that he no longer wanted to play James Bond and it showed. His acting was stiff and unemotional. Some of the major scenes that could have been more, weren't out of what seemed pure laziness. Fair enough if you don't want to play a role anymore but, you still have a job to do.
Having said all of this, it was not the worst of the Bond films but I just feel with all the actions movies out. New spy movies coming. James Bond is getting old. Every film is the same because that's who the character is.
This film had the potential to be 100% better. The acting could have been better by Craig taking interest. The story could have been better especially, with the use of the villain. This film did not live up to expectations.
6/10
It was mediocre but when I watched it the second time around it didn't seem quite as bad. If you are a die-hard of these films then I am sure you will be in your element. If you are looking for an original action spy movie, move on.
- 24 films
- 6 James Bonds
Has the world finally grown tired of suave super spy?
Spectre is the 24th film in the franchise with it being Daniel Craig's fourth outing as the spy. All of Craig's Bond films (Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace and Skyfall) all tie in with Spectre. Spectre uncovers the man behind the mirror (or organisation in this case) Skyfall raised the bar for Craig and Spectre crashed and burned.
Despite it being the wrap up to the previous three films there was no tension. No amazing reveals. No new information. Boring action. Rubbish acting. Too many cliches to count on your hand. Pointless use of a villain. Predictable... the list goes on and on, the bottom line. Spectre did not deliver.
Sure, Spectre had everything you expect from a Bond film: a villain, a pointless sex session, some killing/explosions, a pretty Bond girl, an epic theme tune and the line "shaken not stirred" but has all this just got boring now?
The action was mediocre, he was in a big military base "Oh action" I hear you say... Wrong! There was a few bullets fired and an explosion with him walking out with not a scratch on him.
Sex scenes were dull, predictable and boring.
The whole story was meant to be wrapped up here and it was just a let down. You would think the head of this organisation Spectre would be evil beyond words. He (or she) would be willing to do everything and anything to bring down the mighty James Bond. Do you want to know the reasoning behind the whole organisation? Because his daddy took Bond skiing instead of him. Boo frickin hoo. Four films have been based on the revenge plot of a spurned boy. I'm sorry but that is not believable, it is rubbish and a complete let down to the films. If the main villain had to have a vendetta it should have been Bond killed someone or something with a bit more to it than just "Your were a spoilt child"
Oh and the cliches every other line was a cliche that you just sat thinking "After this they are going to have sex" - it was just dull.
It was obvious during the film that Craig was not interested. He made it clear to the media that he no longer wanted to play James Bond and it showed. His acting was stiff and unemotional. Some of the major scenes that could have been more, weren't out of what seemed pure laziness. Fair enough if you don't want to play a role anymore but, you still have a job to do.
Having said all of this, it was not the worst of the Bond films but I just feel with all the actions movies out. New spy movies coming. James Bond is getting old. Every film is the same because that's who the character is.
This film had the potential to be 100% better. The acting could have been better by Craig taking interest. The story could have been better especially, with the use of the villain. This film did not live up to expectations.
6/10
It was mediocre but when I watched it the second time around it didn't seem quite as bad. If you are a die-hard of these films then I am sure you will be in your element. If you are looking for an original action spy movie, move on.
Saturday, 7 November 2015
Two Countries, Two Loves, One Heart
Brooklyn - 2015 - Film
Brooklyn, is a story of a girl who has a choice to make. Doesn't sound interesting? Well that choice includes, two countries, two men and one with the last of her family.
Brooklyn tells the tale of an Irish immigrant who travels to New York for a better life. Her sister, Rose, arranges everything for her wanting to give her the best chance she can. Eilis (Saoirse Ronan) finds herself home-sick, missing her sister the most and in a strange city. However, she finds comfort attending Irish dances and living in a boarding house with other Irish girls while in a strange city. Then comes along love number one, Tony, an Italian New Yorker who sweeps her off her feet. The home-sickness fades and Eilis finds herself happy in the strange city. Tragedy strikes back in Ireland forcing her to travel back to the family she has left. While back in Ireland we have love number two come into the picture. After a brief stint of indecisiveness her choice is practically made for her.
Despite this being a love story, it was good to see a struggle that many have gone through. If you've ever moved country, if you've ever loved more than one person, if you've ever struggled with a choice so much it causes you physical pain - this film has it all. It's not too sad that you sit there crying, but it is emotional and tugs on your heart strings.
Saoirse Ronan, gave an absolutely stunning performance. A little jealous that she is in fact my age and here she is giving a performance that even the best actresses would be proud of. I think it probably helped her that she could be herself a bit more, she didn't have to worry about her accent. She was looser than I she was when she was in The Host for instance.
Julie Walters (Mrs. Kehoe) provided some comic relief in the boarding house dinner scenes. It was also nice to see some camaraderie amongst the girls who lived together. It's not often that happens when you have six girls living under the same roof.
I liked that the film stuck to it's 1950's routes. The outfits and the way they all acted kept true to the lifestyle. The performances were amazing from everyone not just Saoirse but hers was definitely one that will keep in my mind for a while.
The one bad thing I will say is that I would have liked to see more of love interest number two. Without spoiling too much, there wasn't much here and I think this could have been given more substance.
8/10
I really enjoyed this film. It had something special about it that makes you think about it when you leave. There is love, loss, choices and laughter. What more could you want from a film?
Brooklyn, is a story of a girl who has a choice to make. Doesn't sound interesting? Well that choice includes, two countries, two men and one with the last of her family.
Brooklyn tells the tale of an Irish immigrant who travels to New York for a better life. Her sister, Rose, arranges everything for her wanting to give her the best chance she can. Eilis (Saoirse Ronan) finds herself home-sick, missing her sister the most and in a strange city. However, she finds comfort attending Irish dances and living in a boarding house with other Irish girls while in a strange city. Then comes along love number one, Tony, an Italian New Yorker who sweeps her off her feet. The home-sickness fades and Eilis finds herself happy in the strange city. Tragedy strikes back in Ireland forcing her to travel back to the family she has left. While back in Ireland we have love number two come into the picture. After a brief stint of indecisiveness her choice is practically made for her.
Despite this being a love story, it was good to see a struggle that many have gone through. If you've ever moved country, if you've ever loved more than one person, if you've ever struggled with a choice so much it causes you physical pain - this film has it all. It's not too sad that you sit there crying, but it is emotional and tugs on your heart strings.
Saoirse Ronan, gave an absolutely stunning performance. A little jealous that she is in fact my age and here she is giving a performance that even the best actresses would be proud of. I think it probably helped her that she could be herself a bit more, she didn't have to worry about her accent. She was looser than I she was when she was in The Host for instance.
Julie Walters (Mrs. Kehoe) provided some comic relief in the boarding house dinner scenes. It was also nice to see some camaraderie amongst the girls who lived together. It's not often that happens when you have six girls living under the same roof.
I liked that the film stuck to it's 1950's routes. The outfits and the way they all acted kept true to the lifestyle. The performances were amazing from everyone not just Saoirse but hers was definitely one that will keep in my mind for a while.
The one bad thing I will say is that I would have liked to see more of love interest number two. Without spoiling too much, there wasn't much here and I think this could have been given more substance.
8/10
I really enjoyed this film. It had something special about it that makes you think about it when you leave. There is love, loss, choices and laughter. What more could you want from a film?
It Doesn't Matter If He's A Human, A Vampire, A Unicorn
Hotel Transylvania 2 - 2015 - Film
I liked the first Hotel Transylvania, it was different to a lot of films aimed at the younger age bracket. The films are about Dracula who creates a 'safe haven' for monsters. A place, they can go hidden from humans, to be themselves. A mysterious human, Jonathon, stumbles across the hotel in the first film. Mavis (Dracula's daughter) and Jonathon discover that they are each others 'zing'. This leads onto the second film.
The second film spans a wedding, a birth and five years of the child's life. It does it quickly so you don't feel like you're sat there watching a home movie. But it doesn't speed through it that they miss times for comedy. When the child, Dennis, is born Dracula hopes he is a vampire. But there is a strong possibility that he won't be due to his human father. The possibility gets farther and farther away when the child is coming close to his fifth birthday. This just spurs Dracula into involving the child in things that really are not smart of a grandfather to do. They also have the addition of Dracula's father who brings along some friends that end up causing havoc at the child's fifth birthday party.
This one was better than the first. It was more interesting. They kept Dennis at a good age so he was still young but, he was 'useful' enough to produce his own comedic moments. At no point during the film did I feel bored, or that the film was long. They kept it fairly short at 89 minutes - which is about right for a young age film like this.
There was A LOT of product placement in this film. Dracula using a Sony Experia phone was a novelty to say the least. However, because this was produced by Sony I think I can forgive it. Just once. Maybe.
The story was fine, about what you would expect from a family film like this. It's not going to win any of the snooty awards but, it wins the best family film I have seen since How To Train Your Dragon 2. With this being a sequel as well it made it better. We already knew the characters. You don't necessarily have to watch the first film to enjoy this one. But I would advise it. This way you get a feel for everyone before it starts getting into all the emotional turmoil of marriage and babies.
The voice acting was spectacular on everyone's part. There is no-one that can be faulted in this film for lack of enthusiasm.
9/10
Many critics may not like this film but, that's because they don't think like they are going to watch a film aimed at kids. I am. I was a kid. I was probably the only person without kids for that matter. But it doesn't matter because a film like this has those all important adult humour jokes that kids just don't understand.
It genuinely made me laugh out loud in some areas. For it being a sequel it was far better than the first in terms of comedy. The story was extremely predictable but, what can you expect from this type of film?
If you enjoy being a big kid go watch it!
I liked the first Hotel Transylvania, it was different to a lot of films aimed at the younger age bracket. The films are about Dracula who creates a 'safe haven' for monsters. A place, they can go hidden from humans, to be themselves. A mysterious human, Jonathon, stumbles across the hotel in the first film. Mavis (Dracula's daughter) and Jonathon discover that they are each others 'zing'. This leads onto the second film.
The second film spans a wedding, a birth and five years of the child's life. It does it quickly so you don't feel like you're sat there watching a home movie. But it doesn't speed through it that they miss times for comedy. When the child, Dennis, is born Dracula hopes he is a vampire. But there is a strong possibility that he won't be due to his human father. The possibility gets farther and farther away when the child is coming close to his fifth birthday. This just spurs Dracula into involving the child in things that really are not smart of a grandfather to do. They also have the addition of Dracula's father who brings along some friends that end up causing havoc at the child's fifth birthday party.
This one was better than the first. It was more interesting. They kept Dennis at a good age so he was still young but, he was 'useful' enough to produce his own comedic moments. At no point during the film did I feel bored, or that the film was long. They kept it fairly short at 89 minutes - which is about right for a young age film like this.
There was A LOT of product placement in this film. Dracula using a Sony Experia phone was a novelty to say the least. However, because this was produced by Sony I think I can forgive it. Just once. Maybe.
The story was fine, about what you would expect from a family film like this. It's not going to win any of the snooty awards but, it wins the best family film I have seen since How To Train Your Dragon 2. With this being a sequel as well it made it better. We already knew the characters. You don't necessarily have to watch the first film to enjoy this one. But I would advise it. This way you get a feel for everyone before it starts getting into all the emotional turmoil of marriage and babies.
The voice acting was spectacular on everyone's part. There is no-one that can be faulted in this film for lack of enthusiasm.
9/10
Many critics may not like this film but, that's because they don't think like they are going to watch a film aimed at kids. I am. I was a kid. I was probably the only person without kids for that matter. But it doesn't matter because a film like this has those all important adult humour jokes that kids just don't understand.
It genuinely made me laugh out loud in some areas. For it being a sequel it was far better than the first in terms of comedy. The story was extremely predictable but, what can you expect from this type of film?
If you enjoy being a big kid go watch it!
The Last Witch Hunter - 2015 - Film
Vin Diesel graces our screens again with his film "The Last Witch Hunter". The film is based around Kaulder who is cursed with immortality when he kills the Witch Queen. 800 years, 36 Dolans, and many powerful witches all gathered in one place later, he finally meets a girl that he doesn't mind spending time with and the Witch queen returns. Surprise!
I thought this film was going to be similar the likes of Blade, Van Helsing those kind of ones where you have the badass, they're fighting bad guys and saving the world. Not so much. Kaulder was a badass but he barely fought. The witches were just normal people (at least 90% of them anyway) and very few were actually evil. You would imagine the film would have a lot of fight scenes, magic being thrown around and epic stand offs - but it didn't. The witches were normal humans with a 'talent'. You had the odd bad one but the amount of bad ones that we saw in the film I can count on one hand. Disappointment.
Vin Diesel was our main immortal badass, he could fight I'll give him that but then we are used to seeing Vin Diesel in this role. Personally, his acting was stiff, he looked as though he had a wooden plank taped to his back and considering he was one of the producers he should have paid attention to the story!
Michael Cain, Elijah Wood and Rose Leslie were all excellent supporting actors. I couldn't fault them. After her stint in Game of Thrones Rose Leslie showed some real promise in this film that I would like to see more of from her.
The story contradicted itself more times than I could count. There were many 'Do you realise what you are saying?' moments. I know, I know I shouldn't expect an Oscar winning story but it was as if a child had written the story. Has anybody ever seen The Jimmy Fallon show, Kid Theatre? Yup that's what this was. The actual premise of the story could have been good, but it was executed poorly.
The effects were okay. The witch queen was probably the most CGI'd of the lot and she looked good I will give them that.
Overall, not Diesel's best show. They left off that there could potentially be a sequel.
3/10
I call bullshit on at least half of the story. And Diesel's acting was not his best. I recommend watching but not paying to watch it. Maybe wait until it comes on Netflix because I guarantee it will.
Vin Diesel graces our screens again with his film "The Last Witch Hunter". The film is based around Kaulder who is cursed with immortality when he kills the Witch Queen. 800 years, 36 Dolans, and many powerful witches all gathered in one place later, he finally meets a girl that he doesn't mind spending time with and the Witch queen returns. Surprise!
I thought this film was going to be similar the likes of Blade, Van Helsing those kind of ones where you have the badass, they're fighting bad guys and saving the world. Not so much. Kaulder was a badass but he barely fought. The witches were just normal people (at least 90% of them anyway) and very few were actually evil. You would imagine the film would have a lot of fight scenes, magic being thrown around and epic stand offs - but it didn't. The witches were normal humans with a 'talent'. You had the odd bad one but the amount of bad ones that we saw in the film I can count on one hand. Disappointment.
Vin Diesel was our main immortal badass, he could fight I'll give him that but then we are used to seeing Vin Diesel in this role. Personally, his acting was stiff, he looked as though he had a wooden plank taped to his back and considering he was one of the producers he should have paid attention to the story!
Michael Cain, Elijah Wood and Rose Leslie were all excellent supporting actors. I couldn't fault them. After her stint in Game of Thrones Rose Leslie showed some real promise in this film that I would like to see more of from her.
The story contradicted itself more times than I could count. There were many 'Do you realise what you are saying?' moments. I know, I know I shouldn't expect an Oscar winning story but it was as if a child had written the story. Has anybody ever seen The Jimmy Fallon show, Kid Theatre? Yup that's what this was. The actual premise of the story could have been good, but it was executed poorly.
The effects were okay. The witch queen was probably the most CGI'd of the lot and she looked good I will give them that.
Overall, not Diesel's best show. They left off that there could potentially be a sequel.
3/10
I call bullshit on at least half of the story. And Diesel's acting was not his best. I recommend watching but not paying to watch it. Maybe wait until it comes on Netflix because I guarantee it will.
Saturday, 24 October 2015
Soooo That Makes Me A Space Pirate?
The Martian - Film - 2015
The Martian is the new Sci Fi film from Ridley Scott.
This is obviously a genre that Scott knows well and one that I'm not always the biggest fan of. I dislike a lot of Sci Fi films for the pure fact that I don't think they are very good. However, I had heard a lot of good things about the book and the film so I thought I would give it a shot.
Having not read the book myself I wasn't sure what to expect however, I have heard about the book and mr brain was following along the lines of something similar to Locke and Buried where it's just the one guy and voices. But this wasn't like that at all.
Damon plays an astronaut Mark Watney who gets stranded on Mars; his crew think he's dead after getting hit by debris while they are leaving the planet.
Damon has to figure out a way to survive on the planet for months that is a desolate desert as far as the eye can see.
Despite the pretty damning nature of the story Damon brings humour to his situation. His character is the joker of his crew, always cracking jokes and coming up the most insane ideas. This doesn't change even when he's on Mars. Not many actors would be able to pull off this act as it would come off as wrong or they just wouldn't be funny. Damon really excels in this area with some genuine laugh out loud moments.
The secondary characters in the film people such as his crew, Melissa Lewis (Jessica Chastain), Rick Martinez (Michael Pena) and Beth Johanssen (Kate Mara) to name a few are just as strong as Damon. Mission control also plays a big part in the film where they help Watney (supposedly) with the struggles of Mars. Each character brings their own essence into the film. They all play an important role and play them well. There isn't really a villain in the film as Mars' itself is the villain for Watney but Teddy Sanders (Jeff Daniels) has to make all the hard decision in the film, which people don't always agree with. And guess what people? Sean Bean doesn't die! I know right!
Anyway, the story. I can't tell you how much it stuck to the book. On the other hand I can tell you that the story was excellent. It was made interesting by the way Watney has to use obscure science techniques to live on the planet. As far as I am aware the majority of science checks out with a few things just for Hollywood. He explains all of his methods is a simple way, that anyone could understand it without needing a degree in science. This is sometimes where a lot Science-Fiction films go wrong. They go off base too much that it seems ridiculous or they stick to it too much that it makes it boring for people to watch!
On the whole I really enjoyed The Martian, it was well worth the watch and I will be reading the book.
9/10
The film had an excellent beginning, middle and end. I mean what else do you want from a film?
I would like to read the book and see how closely it sticks to the words of the author as this is something that interests me when a film has been made from a book.
This film is an excellent choice of a film for anyone to see, there is minor swearing so be wary of children but overall it is a good film for anyone to watch!
The Martian is the new Sci Fi film from Ridley Scott.
This is obviously a genre that Scott knows well and one that I'm not always the biggest fan of. I dislike a lot of Sci Fi films for the pure fact that I don't think they are very good. However, I had heard a lot of good things about the book and the film so I thought I would give it a shot.
Having not read the book myself I wasn't sure what to expect however, I have heard about the book and mr brain was following along the lines of something similar to Locke and Buried where it's just the one guy and voices. But this wasn't like that at all.
Damon plays an astronaut Mark Watney who gets stranded on Mars; his crew think he's dead after getting hit by debris while they are leaving the planet.
Damon has to figure out a way to survive on the planet for months that is a desolate desert as far as the eye can see.
Despite the pretty damning nature of the story Damon brings humour to his situation. His character is the joker of his crew, always cracking jokes and coming up the most insane ideas. This doesn't change even when he's on Mars. Not many actors would be able to pull off this act as it would come off as wrong or they just wouldn't be funny. Damon really excels in this area with some genuine laugh out loud moments.
The secondary characters in the film people such as his crew, Melissa Lewis (Jessica Chastain), Rick Martinez (Michael Pena) and Beth Johanssen (Kate Mara) to name a few are just as strong as Damon. Mission control also plays a big part in the film where they help Watney (supposedly) with the struggles of Mars. Each character brings their own essence into the film. They all play an important role and play them well. There isn't really a villain in the film as Mars' itself is the villain for Watney but Teddy Sanders (Jeff Daniels) has to make all the hard decision in the film, which people don't always agree with. And guess what people? Sean Bean doesn't die! I know right!
Anyway, the story. I can't tell you how much it stuck to the book. On the other hand I can tell you that the story was excellent. It was made interesting by the way Watney has to use obscure science techniques to live on the planet. As far as I am aware the majority of science checks out with a few things just for Hollywood. He explains all of his methods is a simple way, that anyone could understand it without needing a degree in science. This is sometimes where a lot Science-Fiction films go wrong. They go off base too much that it seems ridiculous or they stick to it too much that it makes it boring for people to watch!
On the whole I really enjoyed The Martian, it was well worth the watch and I will be reading the book.
9/10
The film had an excellent beginning, middle and end. I mean what else do you want from a film?
I would like to read the book and see how closely it sticks to the words of the author as this is something that interests me when a film has been made from a book.
This film is an excellent choice of a film for anyone to see, there is minor swearing so be wary of children but overall it is a good film for anyone to watch!
Sunday, 18 October 2015
By The Pricking of my Thumbs, Something Wicked This Way Comes
Macbeth - Film - 2015
I was going to go and see The Martian yesterday however, Macbeth was still showing and we decided to go and see this instead, to watch it while we still could in the cinema.
I won't bore you too much with the background of Macbeth, everyone has studied Shakespeare in some capacity and knows that Macbeth is a tale, based in Scotland, full of tragedy and ambition.
It's safe to say that the story of Macbeth is not a happy one and therefore, it needed a film that would do the darkness of the story justice.
The dialogue remains in Shakespearian English however, because you were watching a film it was very easy to follow. I'm no stranger to Shakespearian English but I'm also no expert, if I hadn't been watching it I may not have understood exactly what was going on.
Michael Fassbender plays Macbeth supported by Marion Cotillard who plays Lady Macbeth. I have to say that these two made the film. Some of the other actors were very difficult to understand as they were speaking Shakespearian English but with very thick Scottish accents which had them mumbling more than once. However, because of Fassbender's and Cotillard's background they were far easier to understand.
I have not seen Fassbender in anything I did not enjoy but his performance in Macbeth takes the top of his career. He was intense. He showed emotion. He cried. When he was speaking his monologues you were pinned to your seat. Hanging on his every word. Having read and studied Macbeth at school, he was how I envisioned the character.
Cotillard stood her own as well. Lady Macbeth is a very twisted character in the play and she pulled this off very well. She pushes Macbeth to fulfill the sisters prophecy and stood by him when his mind 'was full of scorpions'. Cotillard had a presence around her that demanded respect from the room, especially when she was queen. It was good to see this from a supporting character, as in a film like this she was the strong one for a time for Macbeth and this needed to be seen otherwise, it would have ruined the atmosphere of the film.
The other supporting characters I was not thrilled about. They were good on average but as I have said previously were extremely difficult to understand which left gaps in the story. They also did not have the same aura around them that Fassbender and Cotillard managed to gain.
The special effects and the film picture wise was excellent. They set the film in the bleak highlands of Scotland, with the mist rolling over the hills. It gave the film a 'creepy' feel to it, especially with the sisters.
Overall, it is a good adaptation of the iconic play. Justin Kurzel did justice to the play through the way he created atmosphere on the moors, and his choice in leading characters. A feat like this is not to be taken lightly and I am impressed at Kurzel's attempt.
7/10
It is worth watching once however, it is not a film I would look to watch again or purchase.
I was going to go and see The Martian yesterday however, Macbeth was still showing and we decided to go and see this instead, to watch it while we still could in the cinema.
I won't bore you too much with the background of Macbeth, everyone has studied Shakespeare in some capacity and knows that Macbeth is a tale, based in Scotland, full of tragedy and ambition.
It's safe to say that the story of Macbeth is not a happy one and therefore, it needed a film that would do the darkness of the story justice.
The dialogue remains in Shakespearian English however, because you were watching a film it was very easy to follow. I'm no stranger to Shakespearian English but I'm also no expert, if I hadn't been watching it I may not have understood exactly what was going on.
Michael Fassbender plays Macbeth supported by Marion Cotillard who plays Lady Macbeth. I have to say that these two made the film. Some of the other actors were very difficult to understand as they were speaking Shakespearian English but with very thick Scottish accents which had them mumbling more than once. However, because of Fassbender's and Cotillard's background they were far easier to understand.
I have not seen Fassbender in anything I did not enjoy but his performance in Macbeth takes the top of his career. He was intense. He showed emotion. He cried. When he was speaking his monologues you were pinned to your seat. Hanging on his every word. Having read and studied Macbeth at school, he was how I envisioned the character.
Cotillard stood her own as well. Lady Macbeth is a very twisted character in the play and she pulled this off very well. She pushes Macbeth to fulfill the sisters prophecy and stood by him when his mind 'was full of scorpions'. Cotillard had a presence around her that demanded respect from the room, especially when she was queen. It was good to see this from a supporting character, as in a film like this she was the strong one for a time for Macbeth and this needed to be seen otherwise, it would have ruined the atmosphere of the film.
The other supporting characters I was not thrilled about. They were good on average but as I have said previously were extremely difficult to understand which left gaps in the story. They also did not have the same aura around them that Fassbender and Cotillard managed to gain.
The special effects and the film picture wise was excellent. They set the film in the bleak highlands of Scotland, with the mist rolling over the hills. It gave the film a 'creepy' feel to it, especially with the sisters.
Overall, it is a good adaptation of the iconic play. Justin Kurzel did justice to the play through the way he created atmosphere on the moors, and his choice in leading characters. A feat like this is not to be taken lightly and I am impressed at Kurzel's attempt.
7/10
It is worth watching once however, it is not a film I would look to watch again or purchase.
Thursday, 1 October 2015
Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan ..... And Some Other Outrageous Names To Fuel Your Appetite
Dragon Ball Z - Resurrection 'F' - Film 2015
So, I had the pleasure of watching Dragon Ball Z Resurrection 'F' on the big screen yesterday. It was the first anime film I have seen in a cinema and what a first film I chose. Dragon Ball is renowned for it's fight scenes, ridiculous names of transformations and their characters. So to watch it on the big screen was amazing considering this was all about the return of Frieza.
Frieza has been in his own Hell for over a decade and he is bought back by some of his loyal subjects using the Dragon balls. In true villain style all Frieza can focus on is revenge on Goku for sending him to his purgatory. Frieza trains for four months then returns to Earth for his final showdown with Goku.
In what seems to be true Goku style him and Vegeta are off training when the battle begins and manages to pop in just when the fight is ending. (a similar situation happened in Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods). Following on slightly from Battle of Gods Beerus and Whis also appear in this film but more as bystanders eating delicious human food.
Having seen some of Dragon Ball but not the whole series I did not get lost in this film. I have seen Battle of Gods and some episodes of the series but I am not expert. Despite this the film didn't lose me, I managed to follow all characters, who was and wasn't Saiyans and who the main characters were that you could expect to see great things from.
The film is fairly short at 94 minutes with a good proportion of the minutes being used on fighting (which is really what everyone wants from a Dragon Ball film right?) The fight scenes were meticulous only one critique from me that I would have liked to see more of Vegeta fight. He is almost (very nearly) as strong as Goku and he was a bit too on the sidelines for my liking. I think he could have been utilized more than he was.
Beerus and Whis are enjoyable in the film and they don't take too much away from the main villain Frieza or his fight.
The story of the film is pretty self explanatory without much depth however, what Dragon Ball fan wants a story over fights? I mean who doesn't want to see the Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan (yes that is the real name) I think everyone got over the ridiculousness of the names a long time ago.
Having not seen much of Frieza before this was my first main exposure of him and what a way to introduce him!
Considering the original Dragon Ball was released in 1986 with Dragon Ball Z being released shortly after in 1989. Dragon Ball Z was when the concept of Saiyan's were introduced with this form being evolved throughout the years.
You don't have to have watched the series necessarily to see this film. However, with the families like their sons etc. it may be worth at least having some knowledge of what happened in the series to give you some background.
There was a little bit of fanservice for the voice actors too. The actor who plans Krillin Sonny Strait also plays Usopp in One Piece. His phone rings during the film with a theme song straight from One Piece.
This film was awesome! Definitely worth watching in the cinema and I will be watching any future films in this franchise. As well as watching the series to go alongside.
9/10
There were only two real downsides to this film, the lack of Vegeta fighting and the legth - it could have been a lot longer than the 94 minutes and I would have happily sat through it.
So, I had the pleasure of watching Dragon Ball Z Resurrection 'F' on the big screen yesterday. It was the first anime film I have seen in a cinema and what a first film I chose. Dragon Ball is renowned for it's fight scenes, ridiculous names of transformations and their characters. So to watch it on the big screen was amazing considering this was all about the return of Frieza.
Frieza has been in his own Hell for over a decade and he is bought back by some of his loyal subjects using the Dragon balls. In true villain style all Frieza can focus on is revenge on Goku for sending him to his purgatory. Frieza trains for four months then returns to Earth for his final showdown with Goku.
In what seems to be true Goku style him and Vegeta are off training when the battle begins and manages to pop in just when the fight is ending. (a similar situation happened in Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods). Following on slightly from Battle of Gods Beerus and Whis also appear in this film but more as bystanders eating delicious human food.
Having seen some of Dragon Ball but not the whole series I did not get lost in this film. I have seen Battle of Gods and some episodes of the series but I am not expert. Despite this the film didn't lose me, I managed to follow all characters, who was and wasn't Saiyans and who the main characters were that you could expect to see great things from.
The film is fairly short at 94 minutes with a good proportion of the minutes being used on fighting (which is really what everyone wants from a Dragon Ball film right?) The fight scenes were meticulous only one critique from me that I would have liked to see more of Vegeta fight. He is almost (very nearly) as strong as Goku and he was a bit too on the sidelines for my liking. I think he could have been utilized more than he was.
Beerus and Whis are enjoyable in the film and they don't take too much away from the main villain Frieza or his fight.
The story of the film is pretty self explanatory without much depth however, what Dragon Ball fan wants a story over fights? I mean who doesn't want to see the Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan (yes that is the real name) I think everyone got over the ridiculousness of the names a long time ago.
Having not seen much of Frieza before this was my first main exposure of him and what a way to introduce him!
Considering the original Dragon Ball was released in 1986 with Dragon Ball Z being released shortly after in 1989. Dragon Ball Z was when the concept of Saiyan's were introduced with this form being evolved throughout the years.
You don't have to have watched the series necessarily to see this film. However, with the families like their sons etc. it may be worth at least having some knowledge of what happened in the series to give you some background.
There was a little bit of fanservice for the voice actors too. The actor who plans Krillin Sonny Strait also plays Usopp in One Piece. His phone rings during the film with a theme song straight from One Piece.
This film was awesome! Definitely worth watching in the cinema and I will be watching any future films in this franchise. As well as watching the series to go alongside.
9/10
There were only two real downsides to this film, the lack of Vegeta fighting and the legth - it could have been a lot longer than the 94 minutes and I would have happily sat through it.
Saturday, 26 September 2015
Cold & Emotional
Everest - Film 2015
Everest was released on 25th September 2015. The film follows the story of Rob Hall and his creation Adventure Consultants. His group take a group of tourists up to the summit of Everest and back again. The film is based in 1996 when a tragedy hit Adventure Consultants.
The film was based on a true story; I won't ruin the story for anyone who does not know what happens in the end. As you can imagine though with this sort of film it is very emotional throughout.
The actors were the best bit of the entire film. Jason Clarke (Rob Hall) was spectacular in his role. He showed himself to be an excellent leader, a great friend to familiar faces and strangers alike. His supporting actors such as Martin Henderson (Andy 'Harold' Harris) and Emily Watson (Helen Wilton) were also on par with him. Keira Knightley was a little wasted in the film as she did not play a huge role but it made a change for her. The problem however with Jason Clarke being so good was when the story came to a close, how it obviously had to because it was a true story it didn't feel right. This is what I dislike about true story films, the actors put their own take or spin on the character but it still has to end a certain way. This makes it difficult sometimes because if the actor is very good you start thinking well why did this happen?
I can't really say too much about the story as it wasn't written for the film. They stuck to the facts of the events and made a film about it end of.
Another good thing about this film was they got the raw emotion especially between Rob (Jason Clarke) and his wife Jan (Keira Knightley). The film actually made me tear up in a few places.
To be honest I don't normally like this type of film, I don't tend to watch them. I did try and go into the film with an open mind and not dislike it straight off. Which I didn't but I also didn't like it towards the end.
The film is very emotional and the actors harnessed this very well. They obviously did their research into who these people were or are and pulled it off very well. My issue is the ending and how the actors got there. As I said before sometimes it just doesn't work and I didn't feel it did this time. If you are an adventure junky yourself this would be a good film to watch. Or if you like true story films. I am neither of those unfortunately, but I will give the film credit in how it was made.
6/10
It is not a film I will be watching again.
Everest was released on 25th September 2015. The film follows the story of Rob Hall and his creation Adventure Consultants. His group take a group of tourists up to the summit of Everest and back again. The film is based in 1996 when a tragedy hit Adventure Consultants.
The film was based on a true story; I won't ruin the story for anyone who does not know what happens in the end. As you can imagine though with this sort of film it is very emotional throughout.
The actors were the best bit of the entire film. Jason Clarke (Rob Hall) was spectacular in his role. He showed himself to be an excellent leader, a great friend to familiar faces and strangers alike. His supporting actors such as Martin Henderson (Andy 'Harold' Harris) and Emily Watson (Helen Wilton) were also on par with him. Keira Knightley was a little wasted in the film as she did not play a huge role but it made a change for her. The problem however with Jason Clarke being so good was when the story came to a close, how it obviously had to because it was a true story it didn't feel right. This is what I dislike about true story films, the actors put their own take or spin on the character but it still has to end a certain way. This makes it difficult sometimes because if the actor is very good you start thinking well why did this happen?
I can't really say too much about the story as it wasn't written for the film. They stuck to the facts of the events and made a film about it end of.
Another good thing about this film was they got the raw emotion especially between Rob (Jason Clarke) and his wife Jan (Keira Knightley). The film actually made me tear up in a few places.
To be honest I don't normally like this type of film, I don't tend to watch them. I did try and go into the film with an open mind and not dislike it straight off. Which I didn't but I also didn't like it towards the end.
The film is very emotional and the actors harnessed this very well. They obviously did their research into who these people were or are and pulled it off very well. My issue is the ending and how the actors got there. As I said before sometimes it just doesn't work and I didn't feel it did this time. If you are an adventure junky yourself this would be a good film to watch. Or if you like true story films. I am neither of those unfortunately, but I will give the film credit in how it was made.
6/10
It is not a film I will be watching again.
Sunday, 20 September 2015
Pulls The Heart Strings
The Green Mile - Film - 1999
The Green Mile is based on death row in 1930's. The film follows the head prison guard Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) and his guards who, get affected when a new prison inmate John Coffey "like the drink but not spelt the same" (Michael Clarke Duncan) whom is scheduled for execution as he has been convicted of murdering two young girls.
The film starts off showing Paul in a nursing home going for walks to a cabin everyday. He is caught getting emotional over a film and Elaine Connelly (Eve Brent) finds him and he tells her his story. This film is based upon a short story by Stephen King.
As the story begins you really have no way of knowing where it is going. There are others inmates on death row and you see the trials the guards are put through with them before the final execution of John Coffey.
Tom Hanks gives an astounding performance, you can feel what he feels, think what he thinks. There was never any doubt in my mind throughout the film that I was watching a small part of Paul Edgecomb's life. The only person that maybe takes the gauntlet from Tom is Michael Clarke Duncan and how he manages to portray his giant of character as a small, terrified mouse. All of the support actors such as David Morse, Doug Hutchinson and Michael Jeter as just as good, they all portray their characters with real feeling. There are some extremely heartfelt moments and the actors pulled off these moments without a hitch.
The story of the film is, well there are just no words to describe it, something I would expect as it is based off a Stephen King story.
This movie managed to do something very few achieve, make me want to cry.
The film comes in at just over three hours so it is something you have to be invested however, not once during the film did I think this is dragging, or I looked at the time. I was hooked for the whole time which is another achievement after the likes of Avatar three hour films are not normally in repertoire.
There really is not much else to say about this film, it was moving in all the right ways and the cast was something that you don't find very often. For an old film it has aged well in terms of story and because there are no real special effects there is nothing to hinder the film in the modern age.
10/10 - I would be hard pushed to justify a lower score for this film... I will now go and read the story it was based upon
The Green Mile is based on death row in 1930's. The film follows the head prison guard Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) and his guards who, get affected when a new prison inmate John Coffey "like the drink but not spelt the same" (Michael Clarke Duncan) whom is scheduled for execution as he has been convicted of murdering two young girls.
The film starts off showing Paul in a nursing home going for walks to a cabin everyday. He is caught getting emotional over a film and Elaine Connelly (Eve Brent) finds him and he tells her his story. This film is based upon a short story by Stephen King.
As the story begins you really have no way of knowing where it is going. There are others inmates on death row and you see the trials the guards are put through with them before the final execution of John Coffey.
Tom Hanks gives an astounding performance, you can feel what he feels, think what he thinks. There was never any doubt in my mind throughout the film that I was watching a small part of Paul Edgecomb's life. The only person that maybe takes the gauntlet from Tom is Michael Clarke Duncan and how he manages to portray his giant of character as a small, terrified mouse. All of the support actors such as David Morse, Doug Hutchinson and Michael Jeter as just as good, they all portray their characters with real feeling. There are some extremely heartfelt moments and the actors pulled off these moments without a hitch.
The story of the film is, well there are just no words to describe it, something I would expect as it is based off a Stephen King story.
This movie managed to do something very few achieve, make me want to cry.
The film comes in at just over three hours so it is something you have to be invested however, not once during the film did I think this is dragging, or I looked at the time. I was hooked for the whole time which is another achievement after the likes of Avatar three hour films are not normally in repertoire.
There really is not much else to say about this film, it was moving in all the right ways and the cast was something that you don't find very often. For an old film it has aged well in terms of story and because there are no real special effects there is nothing to hinder the film in the modern age.
10/10 - I would be hard pushed to justify a lower score for this film... I will now go and read the story it was based upon
Friday, 18 September 2015
Master and Student Walk Side-by-Side Sharing Their Fate Until They Go Separate Ways
The Forbidden Kingdom - 2008
So after deliberation I decided to watch The Forbidden Kingdom last night. I thought it would be different not very often I watch something quite like this.
The film has both Jackie Chan and Jet Li so you can imagine the Martial Arts fight scenes that are included. The film is about an American teen (Michael Angarano) who is obsessed with kung fu and martial arts. He gets transported back to ancient China to reunite a staff with it's owner The Monkey King.
The scenery and visuals of the film are pretty amazing China looks very green! Considering it was made in 2008 and the amount of greenery I wouldn't expect it to be CGI either which makes it even more spectacular.
As ever Jackie Chan has his humour along with his awesome martial art moves. He is immortal with wine as his elixir but still manages to fight strangely.
I wasn't a huge fan of Michael Angarano I felt he was a little stiff in his role and needed to loosen up a little bit but overall the actors/fight scenes were pretty incredible.
To be honest there isn't much to be said about this film. It is, what it is. A martial arts film!
It was enjoyable to watch, I wouldn't watch it again though.
6/10
So after deliberation I decided to watch The Forbidden Kingdom last night. I thought it would be different not very often I watch something quite like this.
The film has both Jackie Chan and Jet Li so you can imagine the Martial Arts fight scenes that are included. The film is about an American teen (Michael Angarano) who is obsessed with kung fu and martial arts. He gets transported back to ancient China to reunite a staff with it's owner The Monkey King.
The scenery and visuals of the film are pretty amazing China looks very green! Considering it was made in 2008 and the amount of greenery I wouldn't expect it to be CGI either which makes it even more spectacular.
As ever Jackie Chan has his humour along with his awesome martial art moves. He is immortal with wine as his elixir but still manages to fight strangely.
I wasn't a huge fan of Michael Angarano I felt he was a little stiff in his role and needed to loosen up a little bit but overall the actors/fight scenes were pretty incredible.
To be honest there isn't much to be said about this film. It is, what it is. A martial arts film!
It was enjoyable to watch, I wouldn't watch it again though.
6/10
Not Just Another Zombie Movie
World War Z - Film - 2013
Now I normally despise zombie films. They don't make any sense, they are all the same and they are dull. I don't find zombies scary or creepy so I didn't go into World War Z expecting much. I was wrong!
I watched this film as suggested by my partner, we were looking for a film and he said this one was good. I was sceptical as it is a zombie film but thought what the Hell give it a go; I am so glad I did.
Brad Pitt is the kind of actor that is a little wishy washy, sometimes he is amazing others not so great. This time he was excellent. He was a strong lead in the film and carried the story well. The zombie breakout happened within the first half hour of the film which I thought was awesome, I mean when does that happen normally you get ages of just the introduction. I think this was done because the film itself was only 116 minutes so they couldn't afford to spend time waffling on about humans. The film sees Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) an ex employee of the UN travel the world to find a cure for the zombie outbreak. You see how quickly the 'virus' spreads and what happens to people after they get infected. There were a few jumpy moments but it is not a scary film. The zombies are a little creepy and reminded me A LOT of The Last of Us and the clickers. The noises and movements they made were extremely similar to Clickers.
I wasn't a huge fan of the supporting actors such as Karin Lane (Mireille Enos) his wife, I just didn't feel like they added much to the story. They were there because they were his motivation that was the extent of their role however.
There isn't a lot you can change in terms of the story for a zombie film, the virus breaks out, several million people get infected, a cure is found. That is the general structure and this one did not deviate except the 'cure' was an interesting twist in the normal zombie genre. I will not ruin it for those who have not seen the film but it is not your everyday zombie cure and it is actually very clever which was refreshing.
It was probably the best zombie film I have ever seen (which I do admit is not saying much) but it was enjoyable. It is not one I would consider buying DVD but maybe one I would watch again if I with someone who hadn't seen it.
Definitely worth watching...even if you don't enjoy zombie films.
7/10
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)