RageQuitLeigh Reviews

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)

Builds and adds significantly to the mythos and world of the Mad Max universe

[7/10 · 8 May 2023]

All Mad Max movies feel like they are confined stories but also at the same time that they could be on the same timeline. This is something I think we are expected to assume (especially the original trilogy).

The third entry in the Mad Max series is fairly different from the second which was entirely different from the first which is to some degree why many people take issue with this film. However the stark difference in the movies shows a genuine progression in where the story/world lies. That being said this movies feels much more PG-esque from the brutality of the first two. With even the gladiatorial style fight to the death in the first act seeming silly and daft rather than brutal and realistic. It's to the movies detriment.

The second half of the movie takes on a fairly different tone more closer to 1980s/90s style Disney children's action movies, which seems a world away from the minimal dialogue brutal revenge movie we had in the first outing.

Overall this is solid watchable movie that builds and adds significantly to the mythos and world of the Mad Max universe, something that has been highly influential across TV and movies ever since.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)

Good, Epic even but not Great

[8/10 · 8 May 2023]

The story plays out following the events of the previous GOTG movie appearances where Peter Quill now continues to wallow in pity following the loss of Gamora. He only shakes away from this to take on a mission to save his friend Rocket following a near fatal attack from a newcomer looking to abduct Rocket.

This is a well acted visually incredible movie with brilliant action, set pieces, hits both many humorous and emotional notes over and over again but somehow falls a little flat.

I did enjoy this movie very much but I think the premise of the story just did not sit quite right (with previous knowledge of the MCU). In this movie we are shown (through flashbacks) that Rocket is a creature of immense intellect and intellect that goes beyond genius (almost a superpower), which maybe I'm wrong but I do not remember being a thing in any of the previous movies. Intelligent, capable, street smart, wise cracking yes, but genius, not sure. But it's this premise that the entire story sits upon.

Likewise in this movie we are introduced to the Warlock who feels superfluous to the story and most probably has only been shoehorned in for future instalments or alternative MCU movies.

Whilst the movie feels more 'epic' than volumes 1 and 2 it is not as good and does not have a soundtrack anywhere near as good. It's definitely one of the better post Thanos MCU offerings and probably sits just in the upper half of all the MCU but I don't think it's one of the hits.

In summary it's a good entry to the MCU and a solid 3rd outing for GOTG but isn't one of the greats.

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

Something missing for me

[7/10 · 24 January 2023]

This is typically the sort of movie I'd spend days thinking about and then come to the conclusion it's absolutely brilliant. Despite having all the right ingredients, that didn't quite happen this time around.

The average viewer is going to struggle getting through the first half because it's slow, confusing and has a lot of subtitles to get through. Which is a shame because the magic in the movie is definitely in the 2nd half.

Ultimately it's a high concept movie that can be explained quite simply but not without spoilers. However the basic premise in the movie sees the main character Evelyn, a run of the mill middle aged family woman, interact with the multiverse to save every universe.

Whilst it is visually stunning and one of the most creative movies you'll have seen in a while, I feel it falls somewhere between serious philosophical sci-fi and in part daft comedy and doesn't quite blend them well enough. There are two food based elements of the story which could have been something different and it would have A) made more sense and B) made a more satisfying story.

This is definitely the kind of movie that can split the crowd, with the average viewer unlikely to give it much of a go. So the current iMDB rating of 8 at the time of writing this review did surprise me, but fair play.

Great visuals, quality acting, awesome ideas but something is missing for me.

Cop Land (1997)

Brilliant casting, decent movie

[7/10 · 16 October 2022]

Watchable crime movie about a group of dirty cops who control a small town in New Jersey just across the river from Manhattan. We follow the town's sheriff (played by Stallone) a wannabe city cop who never made the grade and settled for sheriff duties. He is clean but turns a blind eye to the comings and goings of the city cops who reside in the town.

The story is fairly route one, but it's everything else that makes this a good watch.

The casting is brilliant. Just look at the big names: Stallone, DeNiro, Keitel, Liotta and Patrick. The guys are supported by a string of other excellent people. The acting is strong.

There is no tech to speak of. Had this been made a couple of years later I suspect we would have seen dated mobile phones and computers which have absolutely ruined most of the movies made circa late 90s to 2010, but this appears to have come through relatively unscathed.

That being said, it's not perfect. A lot of sub plots are only glanced upon which would have made it overall more interesting. You also get the feeling a lot of scenes were cut from the final presentation, particularly as DeNiro's screen time felt fairly minimal.

Worth a watch, especially if you've under-appreciated Stallone in the past.

Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Best of Guns N Roses?

[6/10 · 12 September 2022]

Further evidence of the quantity over quality policy currently adopted by Disney for most of the franchise brands they now own. Since 'End Game' with the exception of Spider-Man we mostly have been subjected to quite poor MCU outings whether on the big screen or TV and Thor 4 is no exception.

Thor 4 tells the story of a god killer seeking revenge on all gods due to enlightenment that his own god never really cared for him. Thor seeks to prevent this and you can probably guess the rest.

Whilst the overall story is is fine and could have resulted in a fine movie, it's executed rather poorly here. Having thought about it somewhat I think it boils down to poor writing. The prologue which sets the scene for the bad guy is ridiculous and lazy. The script leans heavily on the humour throughout and only some of it lands. The character of Thor which started out as a fish out of water, has transformed to full on Michael Scott. And whilst the movie does deal with some serious and weighty issues theres never any emotional turmoil for the viewer. It just is what it is and the movie suffers as it progresses because of this.

Performances overall are particularly lacking and dare i say it a very lacklustre performance by Natalie Portman as Jane Foster. The casting of Russel Crowe as Zeus was interesting, but his mock generic european 'Greek' accent was frankly bizarre and off-putting. Christian Bale will be highly disappointed that this is the MCU movie he took on.

Axel Rose will be happy with the movie as the soundtrack was basically a best of Guns N Roses and he also gets name checked by a character who insists that he's called Axel for literally no reason whatsoever.

To conclude, it is watchable and somewhat entertaining in that huge big budget superhero way we've come to expect but this is comfortably the worst MCU movie to date.

The Book of Eli (2010)

Reviews may spoil it, so just watch

[9/10 · 29 August 2022]

The Book of Eli is a brilliantly crafted movie that's underrated and under appreciated. If you're reading reviews before watching it, stop, just watch it as many reviews will expose a plot point that you not knowing will greatly increase the satisfaction of finishing this movie.

The story follows Eli a man walking the earth, 30 years on from a catastrophic event, led by his faith to deliver a book to an unknown location that he believes will save humanity. The movie picks up when he passes through a town run by a dictator who is searching for the very book Eli possesses.

Denzel Washington is marvellous in this movie. Every single scene he demands your attention. It's classic Denzel and further proof of why he is one of the greatest of all time. He's backed up by a stellar cast who all bring something to the party, especially Gary Oldman as the town's bad guy.

The book of Eli is presented visually in a very washed out fashion. It's not black and white but it's not far off it, being almost sepia, but with a flash of color here and there. It's bleak and that's what it represents.

A big part of the movie is the plot twist. That comes towards the end. It's powerful, clever and provides immense satisfaction. But it only works because the filmmakers fooled and deceived us on 2 or 3 occasions. However for me that doesn't detract from the movie as a whole.

My only issue is the jarring product placement of Beats earphones which feels so weird in every possible way.

Maleficent (2014)

Reimagining of fairytales for the post Lord of The Rings movie generation

[7/10 · 27 August 2022]

An interesting retelling of the classic fairytale 'Sleeping Beauty' without being soppy or dopey and feels like a reimagining of fairytales for the post-Lord of The Rings movie generation.

Maleficent is family friendly in all the ways you would expect from a Disney presentation and therefore suitable for all ages and in fact plays out very similar to what an animated version of this story would do on screen. That being said, it definitely feels a bit more substantial than your typical soppy fairytale Disney has historically created. This, to some degree, is due to the performance of Angelina Jolie in the title role. She is fantastic. Her striking look is amplified and is mesmerising in every scene. However, it's the way she plays the character with a full range of emotions that is the scene stealer time after time and I would say it's possibly a career best. The icing on the cake is that this film looks incredible, the CGI in all areas is as good as we've seen in similar genre movies.

Whilst I highly recommend this movie, it's not perfect. I'm sure others may disagree, but I felt a lot of the other casting was very hit and miss, and in some cases particularly poor. Likewise, the story presented is very route one and predictable. A little more depth into the story and better casting, this could have been a a classic.

Enjoyable, gorgeous looking movie that's fun for all ages.

No Time to Die (2021)

Watchable but forgettable

[7/10 · 16 July 2022]

No Time To Die sees the conclusion of Daniel Craig's stint as James Bond and whilst it has its enjoyable moments it is somewhat disappointing.

Don't get me wrong, there are some decent action sequences, the scenes with Ana de Armas are very Bond-esque, the soundtrack and casting are on point and it does feel epic.

However, the movie which starts and ends fairly well is sandwiched around a fairly dull, tedious and non engrossing story. It is this that lets the whole Craig era down.

Craig is excellent in the title role as usual, but this doesn't come close to his first outing, something the franchise as a whole has struggled with.

Also, this movie only really works with the knowledge of the previous ones (not an issue for hardcore bond fans I'm sure). There are a lot of callbacks to people, places and situations that underpin the story and the plot, which is an issue particularly as a lot of the modern day Bond saga is not very memorable.

Worth a watch if you're invested in 007.

Jurassic World Dominion (2022)

Ultimately unsatisfying

[6/10 · 20 June 2022]

As a culmination of nearly 30 years of storytelling on the big screen, this will leave you frankly disappointed.

At the end of Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom (the previous movie), the post-credit scenes tease us with a world inhabited by dinosaurs leading us to assume that the next and ultimate step will be a world overrun by dinosaurs, a world where potentially humanity is struggling to survive. Whilst Jurassic World Dominion does present a world where dinosaurs and humanity co-exist on the planet, this presentation doesn't necessarily give us a movie about that.

What we actually get is yet another movie half set within a secure compound where for a variety of reasons its integrity begins to break down and the obvious predictable problems and set pieces occurs and half a semi Indiana Jones style globetrotting adventure. This is set alongside a story of the dangers and potential evolution of genetic modifications that will either kill or save the planet/humanity.

The effects and visuals are mostly incredible, which is what you would expect from a massive blockbuster. And it does feel like a blockbuster in terms of size and scale of pretty much everything that you see. The run time is the best part of 2 and half hours and whilst the first third is rather slow it does lend itself to what you presume they were trying to achieve; an epic final chapter, even if they fall short of the mark on that.

There are a lot of odd things that you can overlook merely on the grounds of it being a Hollywood movie, such as Chris Pratt's character having the strength to be able to lasso and restrain a dinosaur five to ten times the size of himself that had been running most likely over 70mph, but one of things i felt was most odd was Dr Wu. It's essentially a completely different character in Jurassic World Dominion and whilst i can appreciate a character can have different motivations from one movie to the next (or turn over a new leaf so the speak) it's almost as if they gave the guy a sedative before filming.

I got to the end and i was expecting something else to happen before the credits and I think that's the best way to sum up this movie. Ultimately unsatisfying and not fitting as a final instalment and i suspect the filmmakers will look back at this in the future and feel they let Michael Crichton, everyone who then created such a classic movie back in 1993 down and the fans. Such a missed opportunity.

The Batman (2022)

Not Your Average Superhero Movie

[10/10 · 13 March 2022]

The Batman feels like the perfect antidote to the plethora of superhero movies that have been released in the last ten years. Because this isn't a typical superhero movie. It's a serial killer and detective movie that has Batman in it. We have a Batman who is relatively new to the job, who doesn't have unrealistic vehicles or weaponry, who is looking for the truth. We ultimately have a very grounded Batman movie, unlike anything we've had in the past. And it is awesome.

The movie tells the story of youngish Batman who patrols the shadows of Gotham City who is trying to bring order to the city through fear but ultimately feels like he is failing as crime rates are spiralling out of control. We follow Batman's investigation in association with Jim Gordon into a new serial killer and as the body count rises Batman is given more and more clues to attempt to solve the overall riddle of the story.

This movie is not going to be for everyone. It's dark. In more ways than one. Firstly it is visually dark in almost every single scene. For many it will be too dark. It's mainly set at night so we get the dark poorly lit streets of Gotham which look amazing, however we also get darkness in the majority of internal scenes; characters seem to be unaware of light switches. That being said it is clearly a theme to present darkness and light, with the light representing hope and therefore we mainly see darkness. Secondly this movie does not have jokes or much humour one typically associates with superhero movies which is a refreshing change of tone to the wildly popular genre.

The movie is almost nearly 3 hours long. Whilst the first half had a somewhat steady pace, the second half literally flew by at supersonic speed making the movie feel more like a 2 presentation.

What makes this movie is the atmosphere. The sound and the visual. It's incredible and captivating. A combination of perfectly selected songs and a brooding original score really emphasises the darkness, the fear, the suspense and the size of the situation. The cinematography is gorgeous, it is so well done mixing a variety of different techniques, angles and perspectives which give difference emphasis and draw light (which is needed) to the focal point. Honestly, it is difficult to take your eyes off this once it begins.

What's also cool about the movie is that we get a slightly different retelling of the Batman story and the implied backstory. As I mentioned, this is youngish Bruce Wayne, who has only been out on the streets as the Batman for two years. Whilst he's exceptionally intelligent and fearsome in combat, he is still learning about himself and what needs to be done. We also get a Bruce Wayne that doesn't embrace the Playboy public persona we've grown the know. He's isolated and dishevelled. It's different, but works.

To conclude this is the first movie in quite some time where I've wanted to revisit the theatre again to watch on the big screen before it's gone.

Dune (2021)

Good but not the easiest watch

[7/10 · 14 February 2022]

There's a lot to like about Dune; the principle casting is exceptional, as is the acting for the most part, and the visuals are incredible, whether that be the CGI, the landscape, the vehicles or the clothing.

They also did a great job of portraying the size and scale of the environment and planets along with the scope and gravity of what was happening.

However whilst the soundtrack and score was also very complementary, the overall sound was one of the worst of a movie I can remember. My hearing is not perfect so im sensitive to anything where the dialogue isn't clear, but usually it isn't a problem whether I'm watching a movie on a regular TV or on the big screen at the theatre, but this one was a struggle. In so many of the scenes, the audio was muddy, whether that was a voiceover told with overbearing music or indoor conversations where the voices were low. In particular, The Baron was exceptionally difficult to understand in most scenes and I'm sure I missed some key information. I thought maybe i was wrong but I just re-watched the Baron's bath scene on YouTube and can barely make out a single word. So it's clearly something to do with sound design.

Having never read the book, i suspect that its loyalty to the original material is a strong point that its fans enjoy and appreciate.

Like a lot of movies of this length, there are clearly areas that could have been cut to make a much more punchy impactful presentation, but the theme of epicness is clearly at the forefront of what they were hoping to achieve.

So in conclusion this is a good movie that does a lot right, but does let itself down. I look forward to the sequel but i predict that whilst this has been reviewed quite favourably by critics and fans alike, it will largely be forgotten in a few years... unlike a lot of movies, the source material inspired.

The Informer (2019)

Excellent casting makes this

[7/10 · 17 January 2022]

The Informer follows Pete Koslow a convict that had been serving time until he agreed to be an informant for the FBI. In this position he is helping build a case against the head of a Polish drug gang in exchange to be a free man. We join the protagonist during an operation to gain valuable evidence however the situation changes, problems arise and stakes for Koslow escalate.

The story is fairly straight forward and familiar, however it is the exceptional casting (and therefore acting) that takes this typical B-movie type offering to be a genuinely decent watch. Joel Kinnaman in the lead role whilst being fairly limited, does what he does very well as the gritty troubled and down on his luck Koslow. This is complemented by the always brilliant Rosamund Pike as the conflicted FBI agent. Common, Ana de Armas and Clive Owen bring excellent performances and interest to lesser characters that typically would have been overlooked when casting, especially the wife.

The Informer is unlikely to be a movie you'll remember much of in a few months, but is well worth a watch and will keep you entertained for the run time..

Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)

Missed opportunity

[6/10 · 11 January 2022]

Unfortunately Venom 2 is decidedly average failing to capitalize on the potential of the character and the lead casting. Instead relying on the special effects way too much.

The first movie was slightly disappointing (if you watched the trailer you saw everything of note) but it did lay the ground work and back story for Venom and Eddie Brock. This sequel presumably takes place some time not far off the first movie and Eddie is tasked with interviewing death row prisoner Cletus Kasady. The movie essentially follows a collision course between Eddie and Cletus.

Ultimately the movie is fairly predictable from start to finish. The story is lacking, rushed and seem forced upon us from the off with little motivation from any party. We do get some back story of Cletus, but the whole time you are expecting more of a connection between the main characters that never happens.

My biggest issue however is the over use of Venom. The effects for the most part of exceptional and seamless. We seem Venom in full form a lot (too much) and we also see Venom partially separating him self from Eddie so they can have face to face conversations on a frequent basis, which makes absolutely no sense. They also amped up the character of Venom to be an unruly teenager type jackass who holds all the cards, which is fine, but it was just so overused and the humour failed to land.

All in all the movie looks incredible, it just doesn't go anywhere and doesn't develop the characters at all. It's worth a watch if you enjoy Marvel movies however this is definitely one of the weaker entires in its expanded universe.

Army of the Dead (2021)

File under don't take this too serious

[6/10 · 9 June 2021]

Army Of The Dead is a vault heist movie set during a zombie pandemic which has been isolated to Las Vegas. A group is hired to infiltrate the city and crack a safe located within a casino and then escape within a timeframe splitting the cash with their benefactor.

The main issue with AOTD is the run time of 2.5 hours, its just ridiculously too long and could easily have been cut down to 90 minute without any impact to the movie presented by Zak Synder. The reason why the timeframe is such an issue is that very little happens out side of the actual premise. Had the movie been a lot tighter and punchy it would be much easier to overlook and/or enjoy the weak casting apart from Bautista and Dillahunt (the rest is really laughably weak), the constant weird decisions by the characters or impeccable accuracy almost everyone had in killing the dead.

That being said it does look great overall, the segments to music are impressive and we are given a slightly different take on the zombie that we get most of the time. Therefore I suggest that this movie is filed under don't take too serious and try and enjoy.

I suspect that we will see more of this franchise as there were many Easter eggs and brief events throughout the movie that had no impact on the characters or their journey but were seemingly there for world building purposes.

Lastly this movie felt like it was more of a theatre presentation and being restricted to streaming on your tv definitely didn't help any of the above.

Disturbia (2007)

Maybe not original, but highly entertaining

[8/10 · 5 April 2021]

Disturbia follows the well trodden feet of its genre, but provides a high entertaining, engrossing and non cheesy example of how to do this movie right.

The premise of the movies follows Kale who having recently lost his father goes off the rails and assaults his teacher. This leads to him being put under house arrest, electronically tagged that sound an alarm if he leaves the boundaries of his home. What follows is Kale's obsession in watching his neighbours day after day. Whilst following close attention to a hot new girl who just moved in next door, his sights are drawn to a middle aged guy, who after seeing a news report on a serial killer Kale is convinced he fits the profile.

This one really surprised me. Without giving spoilers this type of movie, that was all the rage, in the 90s and the early 00s, rarely interested me. However the subtly of this movie elevated it from the pointless serial killer type movies we all seen before. That being said the opening scene was completely pointless. It seemed like they had a budget and wanted to use it, because a action car crash, didn't seem in-keeping with the rest of the movie and wasn't at all necessary as there are no call backs to it.

The acting here by a young Shia LeBeouf is a at a career high. All of the supplementary actors are so-so, whist they are not bad at all we really could have had any of them replaced without any detriment to the overall presentation. That being said David Morse was chilling at times. LeBeouf less replaceable here, he put in a real shift here as a believable teen who becomes obsessed by his environment and neighbours.

Whilst the concept of the movie is not 100% original (what is) the execution is very good and high entertaining. The direction of the movie is excellent and the suspense is well executed, particularly as the movie progresses to a climax. The soundtrack is different. A range of indie and rock and very 90s, however for the most part the songs are well chosen for the vibe they were going for.

Collateral (2004)

The acting elevates this one

[8/10 · 5 April 2021]

Collateral is a throughly engrossing and well paced thriller with exceptional acting performances.

The premise of the movie follows Jamie Foxx's Max, a cab driver with long standing dreams of owning his own limousine company. On this night he picks up a customer called Vincent played by Tom Cruise who offers to rent out his driving services for the whole night and pay him over the odds. Turns out that Vincent is a hitman and Max will be under duress driving him from hit to hit.

What makes this movie good and above similarly positioned movies, which is simple in concept and execution, is the high calibre of the acting performances. Straight off the bat, the casting is exceptional, Jada Pinkettt Smith, Mark Ruffalo and Javier Barden supplement the leading stars with excellent performances. But the truth is that it is Tom Cruise's performance as a contract hitman that steals the show taking care of business providing just enough authority to keep Max in check. What they did with Cruise visually also plays with you and definitely adds a layer that wouldn't be there if he turned up fresh faced as usual.

Michael Mann's direction is slick and well paced and whilst the action is sporadic the interest never drops for a second. Set exclusively at night the movie is dark, but the shots are always clear and well chosen giving it an excellent atmosphere enhanced by the superb soundtrack.

All in all this is a well paced thriller that is worth watching, possibly more than once.

Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)

Justice - It's a completely different movie

[9/10 · 5 April 2021]

Zack Synder's Justice League can be summed up fairly easily as being almost completely different to the 2017 cut of the same movie. Having been heavily cut, majorly reshot and presented with a different emphasis following Zack Synder leaving during it's production the original movie lacked direction, heart, motive for most characters (good characters or bad) and resulted in a movie that failed to provide interest for viewer. This new 2021 version solves and satisfies all the issues.

ZSJC follows on from 'Batman vs Superman' in the aftermath of a world without Superman. It's this lack protection for earth that make all conquering beings from across the galaxy aware that the planet now ripe for the taking. The main antagonist is Steppenwolf who is challenged by his leader to take over earth, in order to do this he must search out and reclaim ancient alien technology left on earth many centuries ago when humans and earth gods defended the planet from a an invasion. The movie essentially is about Bruce Wayne bringing together a group of heroes to take on this invasion.

The core story remains fairly similar to the 2017 efforts but it is told in a much more cohesive way by introducing all of the characters in depth, bringing us up to speed on who, why and what they are. You have to remember that at the time of original release we had only be introduced to Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman in previous movies. Without any back story, the new characters literally had no motivation to be there. In this version Cyborg steals the show, not only in the actor's performance but the character as the heart of the whole movie, in 2017s version he seemed like an afterthought or just to tick boxes.

This movie is 4 hours long. However it is highly engrossing, particularly if you have any vested interested in the previous films, the DC franchise or just Batman. I suspect that non fans of the genre will not find this half as entertaining. That being said the movie screams epic, in its size, its ability to carefully handle so many characters and to tell a story where the characters are in serious jeopardy. It might not quite hit the heights of Marvel's Infinity War, but for me, it's quite close and definitely sits proud as one of the best superhero/comic book movies.

The saddest part is how open ended the movie is and the multiple teasers for further stories throughout the movie, that originally had intention to be separate movies, which are no longer in production at the time of writing this review. I hope that I can look back at this review in years to come having seen them come to fruition off the back of the clear success Zack Synder's Justice League really was..

I Care a Lot (2020)

I wish I cared more

[6/10 · 27 February 2021]

It's hard to decide whether this is a good or bad film. If you look reviews you'll generally see one end of the spectrum or the other. That's because it looks great and is well acted, but the opening 40 minutes is a real slog to get through and really gives you nothing to like or root for moving into the second half.

The premise of the movie is one of Marla Grayson, a con artist, who's hustle is to identify wealthy older people with limited attachments and along with doctors who are in on it to have them put in care homes under court orders with the responsibility to care passed to the guardianship of Marla. Once in the home all the patients assets are sold and the person is effectively in a medical jail with no outside communication and no way out. It is once they cherry pick an exceptionally wealthy single woman who seemingly has no family that things start to unfold.

The core of the story has been told in different guises multiple times in modern cinema and to name a few of them would 'spoil' the film and ending. That being said it was somewhat predictable. However it is more a case of the story not being told well enough here. We essentially have a story of all bad people, but typically we are given reasons to want one or more to succeed in their goal. The script does nothing to assist this. As the story progress whilst certain things happens you never feel that there is any jeopardy of any of the core characters and because of this you really don't care. I suspect that many people will give up in the first 20-30 minutes, its boring and spiteful with no clear direction.

It is a pity because visually the movie looks pretty good. It's a well shot movie with well chosen music. The cast is fantastic and the acting is top notch from the core cast notably Pike and Dinklage.

It's possible that the subject matter of essentially incarcerating elderly people and fleecing them of all they have is so grimy that it's hard to look past this, when there are no redeeming features or values of the core characters.

Ultimately this movies feels like a missed opportunity. I feel that somewhere there is an exceptional memorable movie thats could have been made, they just failed in doing so.

3 Days to Kill (2014)

Does enough relatively well and covers many bases

[7/10 · 20 February 2021]

3 days to kill is a somewhat dumb movie for a number of reasons but is still highly entertaining with a number of bright spots to enjoy.

The premise is that of an aging secret agent who whilst still clearly at the exceptional at his job is looking to call it a day. However he is dragged back into the business in exchange for potentially life extending experimental drugs to cure an illness, which is attractive to him so that he can attempt to spend time with his estranged daughter.

The casting of the movie is really good, Kevin Costner as the protagonist and Haliee Steinfeld as his daughter do excellent work here. Costner undertakes the action scenes exceptionally well portraying a formidable assassin who is not only weary but sick. The relationship or lack of between father and daughter provides some of the highlights throughout the movie with well created chemistry.

Whilst Amber Herd is a great casting choice I struggled with the character itself, both visually and the character's motive, none of which was explained at any point and seemed alien completely to the movie.

It's written by Luc Besson and the screenplay and story are filled with trademarks of Besson's style however generally it's all been done better elsewhere by himself. Scattered throughout we have scenes that are more fitting in some kind of light heart comedy and whilst they most land ok, seem slightly out of place with the movie and the Costner casting.

Overall it is lacking, but it is one of those movies that does enough relatively well and covers many bases. Good casting, decent performances, interesting locations (Paris), nice action and is well paced. And it is this overall feeling you are left with, even if it is somewhat forgettable. I gave this a 7 but for me its more like 6.7 i.e not enough to get a 6.

Triangle (2009)

All reviews will spoil it. Just Watch.

[8/10 · 13 February 2021]

Before watching this movie I started glimpsing over a few reviews and found one that essentially said stop reading reviews as they will spoil it and having now watched the movie I'm glad I took that advice.

The premise of the movie follows Jess who is a weary mother taking a day off from looking after her son to go sailing with a group that includes a friend. Following destruction of their boat during a storm, drifting along they chance upon a cruise liner where they take refuge. Once boarded it appears vacant but things are not as they seem.

This movie is a psychological thriller that is well paced. It has clues from beginning to end and therefore it is very enjoyable to follow along, unlike some movies that make your head hurt trying to work out exactly what is happening. The answers are fairly straight forward if you pay attention and you are rewarded for doing so.

On seeing the casting I did not have high hopes and it was one of the things that made me over look this movie in the past. That being said I thought the acting was particularly good, especially from the lead role portrayed by Melissa George. She was able to hit the emotional turmoil required and added a lot to the overall movie. However, I suspect that having seen the movie was not a commercial success had it had 1 or 2 notable actors in the lead roles that it would have been a major success and would be looked upon more favorably also. So for me it is a classic case of overachieving and limitation of the budget along with clout of the film makers.

All in all this is a good hidden gem of a movie that is well made, well thought out, looks good and is well acted by the lead actor. Well worth a watch.

The Hangover Part III (2013)

Better than the sum of its parts

[6/10 · 8 February 2021]

The third part in the Hangover trilogy is as to be expected. It is crazy and over the top, with less laughs than the original, but provides a solid entertaining viewing.

This instalment picks up some years later and following the passing of Alan's father his friends and family stage an intervention to put him in a care facility. Phil, Stu and Doug agree to drive him there and it is on this journey that things start to get crazy and land the 'Wolfpack' in trouble that they need to address.

The movie can be summed up by the old phrase of being better than the sum of its own parts. By that i mean If you are familiar and enjoyed the previous movies, you should enjoy this one, even if it doesn't stand up to the original. We see more of Alan, which is always a good thing. We are familiar with the character and what they have been through. Mr Chow returns and provides some genuine laughs whilst being core the the whole story.

Ultimately as a stand alone movie its not that memorable, but as part of the trilogy that nods its cap the the previous along with many calls backs to the past and its characters it is a sound watch.

Polar (I) (2019)

Has a bit of everything

[7/10 · 6 February 2021]

Polar is a graphic novel adaptation that provides a little bit of everything. Action set pieces, gun fights, graphic torture, sex, over the top characters, interesting casting and some hilarious moments.

Mads Mikkelsen stars and excels in a highly entertaining action movie centering around an aging hitman in the final weeks before retirement. If he reaches retirement age he is due a pension payment of 8 million dollars and his employer is adamant that will not happen.

The obvious comparison of this movie is John Wick, but Polar has a very different style and over the course of three movie theres a lot more depth to the Wick movies in terms of the world they live in. I find the best way to compare this movie is a combination of a Liam Neeson action movie (the protagonist and core story), Guy Ritchie's gansgter movies (direction and editing style) and your typical superhero movie (for the lacklustre minions and over the top super villain).

The most questionable element of the movie is the casting of comedy actor Matt Lucas in the villain role. In my opinion he provides an entertaining and over the top performance to the character., which sits well with the overall movie, that being said it does feel fairly cartooney but it does work. I can imagine a different casting, would have provided a fairly drastic tonal shift of the whole film which may not have been an improvement.

Ultimately Polar is a highly enjoyable movie that looks and and sounds great with action of all kinds.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Thoroughly enjoyable movie and one of the best of its type

[8/10 · 25 January 2021]

The last crusade is the third in the series of movies that follows Professor Indiana Jones around the world to find/rescue ancient artefacts. This third instalment is thought by many to be the best and has many of the more memorable/iconic scenes from the franchise (apart from that boulder from Raiders).

This movie feels more like a natural sequel to the original movie, bringing back many of the supplementary cast that were absent from the second movie as well as them tone and theme of the war and the Nazis.

The premise is one of Indiana's pursuit of the Holy Grail having been provided with some key clues to its whereabout by a wealthy art collector.

We also see the introduction of Indys father played fantastically by Sean Connery who adds balance and humour to the movie. It also brings in a lot more depth to the character of Indiana than we had seen before.

Unfortunately some of the effects are of their time (pre 90s/CGI) so what we have definitely dates the movie, however fortunately it doesn't detract from the presentation on the whole.

For me this has the best and most complete and well thought out story of the Indiana jones movies, that being said the original is probably more impactful. The last crusade is a thoroughly enjoyable movie and one of the best of its type.

Run All Night (2015)

Classic Old Man Neeson

[8/10 · 25 January 2021]

Run All Night is a great action movie set to the backdrop of a dark night in New York. This is the third of four team ups between Neeson and director Jaume Collet Serra, which includes 'Unknown', 'Non-Stop' and 'The Commuter'. Run All Night is arguably the best of the four.

The premise of the movie follows Mike, played by Joel Kinnaman, a limousine driver who witnesses a murder who then goes on the run aided by his estranged father, a washed up and life weary former mob hitman.

This movie is very much one of those 'is what it says on the tin' types with very little to surprise you, but what you have is exceptionally well done. The characters feel very well written and fleshed out, you can feel the history that preceded the movie and it supports the story well. The casting is top notch, the leads are excellent particularly Kinnaman, but the movie well complemented by characters played by Common and Vincent D'Onofrio.

One thing that did catch my eye was way the film, particularly in the first half, transitioned from areas of New York. The camera would zoom up into the sky and then fly across the city and drop down on a different character in the new location. Reminded me of the video game GTA V.

All in the all a very entertaining movie, well acted with decent pacing and great action.

Bone Tomahawk (2015)

A breath of fresh air

[9/10 · 19 January 2021]

A breath of fresh air amongst modern movies, which shows that great movies begin and end with great scripts and well chosen casting.

The premise revolves around the kidnapping of 2 residents of a sleepy western town and a recently arrived drifter by a cave dwelling tribe. The towns sheriff and 3 other men embark on a long horseback journey to rescue the missing town folk.

Westerns do tend to be very decisive amongst movie fans. The wider public accuse them of being boring and for good reason. They tend to follow the same themes and cliches leading toward very similar set pieces and endings. So despite that i implore you to give Bone Tomahawk a go, it feels different.

There is a charm about this movie where whilst being set 1890s could have been at any time in a sleepy town in the middle of nowhere. It doesn't get caught up in too much of the time period, use annoying language or have long unrelatable conversations.

Likewise this movie could have been made at any point in the past 70 years. It doesn't resort to modern special effects. What we have is a well crafted, shot and acted cinematic movie.

What really seals the deal here though is the cast. It is as well chosen as i've seen in a while. Kurt Russell is fantastic as the well weathered but courageous sheriff but its Richard Jenkins that steals the show as the 'back up deputy' a bumbling older gent who provides well placed comic relief but is often the moral compass throughout the story.

Highly recommended.