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mrnickheath
Reviews
Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)
The Franchise Continues.. and probably won't stop
As soon as this film was announced, every member of my KFP-loving family aged 7 to 51 questioned its need.
The story was beautifully and excitingly wrapped up and that was it.
So this film was a bit of a worry. And I have to report you need worry no more. It's good. It's funny. And it's exciting. But it's just a retread.
... The premise is basically we're looking for a successor to Po as Dragon Master. The film delivers this using every King Fu Panda trope and previous bad guy available to it. And a few more.
One moment that really sticks in my mind is the Chinese music version of Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne. Evidentially he and /or his wife are looking at saturating animation with that song. The other point is that the fight scenes are way too fast, so much so that if there's brilliant animation to be seen, you can't see it.
Having said all that we all enjoyed it and weren't bored and it picks up in the last third quite well.
My presumption is that the reason behind this 4th instalment is simply to move the franchise forward, away from Pandas and onto a Kung Fu Corsac Fox : the Zhen Years.
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (2023)
Makes Early Man Look Perfect
Firstly, the animation is brilliant as always. You can't fault it.
But secondly, this film was never going to live up to its predecessor, that's obvious, but to have misfired by such a long chalk is quite an impressive feat, especially by Aardman standards.
Seemingly, someone, somewhere, decided that the voices that came out of those clay characters 23 years ago weren't to do with what made it great. It's a mistake Hollywood seems to make with glaring regularity, throwing names not voices at animation. Not bringing back Julia Sawalha, Mel Gibson, Timothy Spall and Phil Daniels presents extraordinary arrogance, and insults the audience. But they went for soundalikes, mistake no.3. But hey, it'll only be kids watching they won't care. My 7 & 9 yr olds that know the first film were like "what's up with their voices..?".
If there's a good story it's blurred by these decisions. And for goodness sake why have Fowler again?! Don't want to expose our little kiddies to the idea of loss..? One reviewer said it's "extremely British" but that quirky humour of Aardman disappeared at the end credits of Shaun the Sheep Farmageddon.
What a gargantuan missed opportunity. What a massive waste of filmmaking time and money. And 90mins of my life I won't get back.
Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)
A Disney Win
I simply don't understand all the bad reviews. To be fair most of the bad reviews emanate from the film review journos who either fell asleep, or like SO many reviewers, didn't actually see it.
The plot is rock solid and is executed really well. The voice actors are great choices, and James Garner in particular is really good, he would be not short of work now if we was still around. MJ Fox is brilliant, and the supporting cast including David Ogden Stiers and Frasier compadre John Mahoney do an excellent job.
Of particular note is the animation style, way ahead of its time and stylistically really only making it big proper in the last few years.
Dont believe the haters, cos they gonna hate, especially given the story backstory. Its a cracking adventure that owes a lot to Indiana Jones, and not in a bad way.
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse (2022)
Emperors New Clothes
The buzz surrounding this last Christmas was verging on the absurd. The back story of the author talked up to add emotional weight to the whole thing.
There's no doubting that the animation is first rate, but that's really where it ends. As other people have said, the story is unimaginatively weak, and just because of the stellar voice cast, that does not maketh a great film.
Clearly they are desperate to usurp The Snowman. Just like that pathetic attempt at capitalizing on that, The Snowman and the Snowdog.
Modern makers seem to think that if they tell everyone on Facebook that something has an amazing then, everyone will believe it. Well clearly they did.
But this is weak. And won't stop me watching The Snowman.
Shrek the Third (2007)
The Least Good of the Franchise
Let's start out by saying Shrek the Third has a lot to live up to. The first two are cracking films that bear repeated watches, if you are either a kid or a big kid.
My feeling is that they sort of panicked a bit. Prince Charming as a baddie isn't great, Rupert Everett isn't suited to voice acting and also, you almost feel a bit sorry for him, I mean they did kill his mother...
The use of hipster darling of the moment Damian Rice was a mistake, it's a wailing morose horror. And overstates the moment it's meant to make us care about. The Eels music is timeless, they should've stuck with it.
The biggest mistake is Eric Idle. His performance seems to be done as though we're meant to be permanently in stitches due to his pedigree with Python, but the character, its jokes, and well, everything about it, is tired and embarrassing. Not to mention his petulant little feet stamping about the coconut shells.
Having said all this, the Julie Andrews Queen performance is brilliant and they could've used her comedic ability much more, and all the other music is used well, especially Wolfmother and the version of Barracuda.
It's not rubbish by any stretch, it's just not up to scratch. And to be fair, the fourth one would've been awful without Walt Dohrns Rumplestiltskin!!!
Sing 2 (2021)
Great fun film but one rockstar drawback
I was really surprised by the first film. Especially as a lifelong music snob (in recovery). It really helped me just enjoy pop music again.
Sing 2 is impossibly, better. Just better songs, more heart, and some brilliant jokes that go over the heads of kids so keep the adults happy too.
The night cleaners alone are worth the price of viewing. Johnny again is brilliant and Miss Crawley almost steals the show.
Porsha has a brilliant little scene that is a tribute to Lina Lamont in Singin in the Rain. Or at least I assume it is.
I like the premise of Clay Calloway, but oh man I had to knock one star off for Bonos voicing. Bloody awful. But that's the price you pay I guess for being allowed to use some of U2's songs. Even though the U2-by-numbers Your Song Saved My Life is abysmal, it also manages to fit and work.
Great viewing, the moan about Bono is a minor whinge to be honest, and Miss Crawley singing along to System of a Down, is priceless.
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
Dishonest and Dire
For a band like Queen, and the 20 years they were originally around, you'd think that making a biopic was never going to be difficult. Over the top music, unforgettable pop hits, amazing one-off singer, brilliant guitarist, drummer and bassist. All songwriters in their own right. A tragic end. Where could you go wrong...?!
Well, if you want to know how to get it wrong, this film writes the rule book. Rami Malek supposedly gives an Oscar winning performance, but as someone that has followed Queen since their 1974 performance on TOTP (of Killer Queen), it was a terrible bit of casting. Fred most definitely had big teeth, but why they thought Rami Malek with a juggernaut driving out of his mouth would be like him, is anyone's guess.
The story is part lies, part truth, part garbage. Anyone with a cursory knowledge of Queen knows Fred never fell out with parents, knows Queen didn't split up, knows Freddie was diagnosed 2 years after Live Aid.
So hey maybe this was made to be "theatrical", but wasn't the actual really story good enough for Brian & Rogers vanity project?! We can only speculate the reasons why, but the end result is pretty clear why Sasha Baron Cohen walked away. At least his reputation is intact.
An insult to the band, their music, to Freddie, and every victim of the AIDS epidemic, made simply to boost the Queen "brand" for the Adam Lambert years.
In the words of Freddie himself "..... Insane, should be put inside...
.....a sewer rat decaying in a cesspool of pride....".
Radio Days (1987)
Absolutely perfect
One of the few things that Woody Allen done in film, or life, that is beyond reproach. I've never seen a film that makes me yearn for a time I wasn't born into more. He evokes Rockaway so masterfully, the times when all there was, was Radio. And radio was HUGE. It's impossible for anyone born after the 90s to understand now just how popular radio presenters/stars were, up until the 1970s really.
This film has humour, pathos, sadness and lashings of nostalgia. But it was made in a time before we were obsessed with nostalgia. The little things the young boy has in his pockets with his friends is pure pre-television (and beyond). The soundtrack is also superbly chosen, and if you've ever sat by a radio, it's just how it sounded.
And the best thing of all is it has Wallace Shawn.
Perfection.
Elemental (2023)
Wonderful, if uneventful
I grow so tired of reading reviews of films such as this, from critics that cannot possibly give an even view of ANY movie, given that they must watch 10 a week. So having now seen it I can't understand how anyone could say it's "so boring and unmemorable that it seems like a new low". I suppose those journos are just trying to make an "edgy" name for themselves.
So to the film, the animation is exceptional, details like the wooden ramp that the Fire Family come down at the beginning are amazing, and I do sometimes wonder at what point it stops being animation, and just starts to be an attempt to recreate the real world.
However it's beautiful, and the city has amazing attention to detail. The premise has been done, An American Tail a case in point, so I just see past that, and allowed Myself to simply enjoy.
The character builds are good, likeable and well done. I didn't see the point of the Fireish language as it occupies a very small part of the film therefore feels a little to self conscious.
But anyway, there is colour, fun, excitement and I cried twice, then unexpectedly got caught a third time at the end credits with the tributes.
It's a love story. Simple as that. It's gorgeously animated, lovely music, and is simply there to be enjoyed, not to change the world.
DC League of Super-Pets (2022)
Sequel Please
I'm 51, and my inner child was made to sparkle by this movie. I took the kids to see it at the cinema and it really hits all the bases. Its humour appeals to both kids and adults, which really helps with the repeated viewing once it gets to streaming platforms.
They do a great job of making you understand / like / dislike the a characters, and the voice cast is brilliant. You really can't beat a Dwayne Johnson / Kevin Hart pairing.
The adult humour is excellently slipped in there - the bleeps for Merton's swearing a hilarious and of course most kids won;t even notice.
Keanu Reeves as Batman is amazing, everyone complained about his Duke Kaboom in Toy Story 4 but I think everyone got it totally wrong. "If thats an unlicensed toy I will freak...". Superbly delivered.
I might knock off 1 star for the dialogue going a bit OTT with Kate McKinnon, and also a few too many unnecessary lines with Merton. Actually no. I won't. It's actually one of my favourite films, adult or child.
I hope there's some sort of follow on or something, because this is super high quality stuff. Disney and DreamWorks have been usurped.
Pets United (2019)
Pretty lazy stuff
The voice acting can't really be called acting. I can only presume intelligent people like Stephen Mangan, Eddie Marsan and Natalie Dormer just took the paycheque and ran (like... they walked away from their lampposts counting the dollar bills in their garter belts). They must be REALLY good at looking excited about finished product.
The story is derivative and unimaginative, and very slow. Like stretching a tiny rubber band. It SO wants to be Secret Life of Pets.
The worst thing about a movie like this isn't the movie itself, it does what it's says on the tin. It's the fact that the makers think this is what kids need. That "it's only a kids movie" is an ok thing to say, as if all kids are stupid, and not discerning. When actually, they respond to truly good filmmaking like anyone does.
Another Russian tiger, another bad guy hyena, another stray dog that uses the trope from 70 years ago in Lady and the Tramp that stray is freedom.
Rubbish.
Gnomeo & Juliet (2011)
Better than average, but a little too much Reg
I remember hearing about this film
When it was released, and the drubbing it got. Now, my family must have no taste because when the general opinion of a film is a drubbing, we tend to like it.
Of the massive amount of junk that is churned out annually "for kids" this is nowhere even close to being the worst.
I read a few hysterical (presumably easy offended middle Americans) reviews about the bits of innuendo throughout the film. Tbh it is annoying that filmmakers seem to often think that to appeal to adults, innuendo is required. But it doesn't really get in the way.
The character a decent, what's not to like about James McAvoy after all, and it was like a Gnome Arthur Christmas lol
There's a few usual British suspects from the Gervais stable (Ashley Jensen and Stephen Merchant) and also a couple of nice surprises, Ozzy does well, and Patrick Stewart makes a great Bard.
My family love early Elton John music, up to about Yellow Brick Road and stuff, but omg the use of his music juuuuust tips this too close to being a vanity project. And if it is, it's better than most, but still a bit oh jeez stop Elton.
Worth a watch, and probably worth a rewatch. If Even just for the pink flamingo.
Zootopia (2016)
Zootriffic
I had thought about putting this on about a dozen times or more for the kids, on Disney+.
Now I wonder what held me back. The picture on the cover basically does it a disservice, makes it look like another stock-in-trade Disney piece of product. But it's one of the ones that are a cut above.
The animation is brilliant, I'd have liked to have seen it on the big screen (we use a laptop as we don't have a tv).
The characters are really well done, and they have managed to make you like/hate or whatever them immediately. The little touches are just brilliant, Mr Bigs daughters teeny tiny wedding. The whole teeny tiny town. "Inciting a scurry". So many great things to pick up on, on your second watch.
The baddie does feel like a bit of one of those tropes where they pick the least likely possible, and decided this halfway through the film, but it doesn't matter at all.
As for the films message I agree with what another reviewer said, it's done really well, but not so well that it's up in your face and off putting, but it does tug at you a good bit when the desk sergeant for example, is posted elsewhere.
A brilliant watch for adults and kids alike. And one that so far, stands repeated viewing (cos that's what kids like isn't it! Lol).
Fawlty Towers: The Anniversary (1979)
Excruitiating
If you think The Office (UK) is hard to watch, this episode of Fawlty Towers had the Gold Standard for uncomfortable viewing.
The premise is that Basil pretends to forget its his wedding anniversary and Sybil believes the lie and storms off.
In the classic tradition of the British terror of social awkwardness (which all of Fawlty Tower is borne out of), he says shes sick rather than say to their oldest friends, that they had a row. And then we're off to the races.
It used to be my least favourite episode, but that was simply because its so hard to watch. The Germans and The Psychiatrist always get all the glory but really and truly, this episode, is pure genius.
Bluey: Camping (2019)
Kids Shows Can Be Great
Absolutely infuriating that IMDB force us to write 600 characters!
Anyway, this episode is so wonderfully done, a very simple message but one that my daughter in particular relates to. Even just when you make a "best friend" at the play park. But it's done here so well, and that you do t even need to share the same language to have fun. It works in every level, and the ending almost always manages to give me a little joyful lump in my throat. I hope the makers of Bluey are proud of themselves, they should be. This is such a great show. It's just about the only show that is t a chore to sit and watch.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
Barely scratches the surface
Despite the fact that I was working for HMV between some of the main Potter years 2003-2008, I studiously avoided all things Potter until 2013.
Then I binge watched all the films one Christmas, and I accepted that it wasn't that bad. But never watched them again.
Then, in about 2018 I finally read all the books, in a row, about 4 times. Their reputation and popularity is well founded, with a brilliant story arc and great characters.
So I went back to films, and maaaan they are bad. I feel for the main young actors. Whoever cast them surely must've seen better. Surely. I'd have taken better acting over looking less like the character's descriptions in the book every time.
The story is pruned in some odd places, why is Dudley's hair not blonde? Why did they leave out Peeves? It's odd that JK was so involved and yet the films are so bad.
The early scenes from the letter arriving to arrival at Hogwarts happen in minutes, and so there's no chance for any sense of wonder.
There must've been discussions after the first film wrapped between producers "we can't replace them now....". Well there you go.
The BFG (2016)
Something missing
We watched this film over Christmas 2022 for the first time. I read the reviews that said that Spielberg had flattened out the darker aspects of this Roald Dahl tale so I was a little apprehensive.
It's perfect for little kids, and every single aspect of it is executed beautifully. Lovely animation, good acting, but for some reason it just does not quite work.
Like the story doesn't build up to its crescendo very well, all of a sudden they're visiting the queen, then the giants are airlifted away.
The animation of BFG is naturally very impressive, and he is played well by Mark Rylance but it doesn't blend in quite right with the live action, the queen isn't quite right, the wow man that the girl goes to live with we don't even get to know and then suddenly she adopts the girl.
All in all a watchable film, but oddly unsatisfying.
Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous (2020)
Almost universally abysmal
Given the film franchise this emerges from, it's surprising to see how poor quality it is. But I guess once franchises get this far they're just doing enough to milk the cow.
The human characters are horrendously one dimensional stereotypes, and the voice cast is wooden.
The dinosaurs and environment are rendered pretty well, which seems to be where all the production values went.
The story arc over five seasons is almost stretched so think you can't see it.
The humans clearly got the least amount of financial investment, in terms of their looks, almost cartoon-like placed in a realistic environment is like Roger Rabbit outside of toon town, except it doesn't work. They do not look good, they have HUGE ridiculous eyes, lolly pop heads and bodies. In fact Toy Story 1995 humans look better.
Having said that it's kept my kids on the edge of their seats for a good few months.
**SPOILER** And the final episode of S5? They meet their parents / significant others, and yet the producers can't stop themselves putting the dinosaurs in that world too. Bleurgh.
Matilda: The Musical (2022)
High Production Values, Very Muddled Story,
My kids were keen to see this, and I had high hopes.
Sadly my hopes weren't met. Perhaps my views of this film are coloured by an over familiarity with the 90s film and the book.
Firstly, the films production values can't be faulted, good sets and cinematography. The acting isn't great, Miss Honey just feels a bit too meek, and then a sudden jump right at the end, and the nasty bits were a bit too real.
But the let down is the story, they've messed with it, and it really didn't flow like the original.
For a film running over 2 hours they had plenty of time to form the characters, but instead it was more about the big production numbers. Meaning I didn't really either adore Matilda or Miss Honey, or really despise the Trunchbowl.
Matilda's reading was already in place and THEN we went back a bit. There was none of the discovery of the joy and preciousness of books.
The story of Miss Honey being turned into a story Matilda created was just nonsense and didn't work at all. Suddenly it was, "oh it's wasn't a story it was real".
A huge disappointment and a massive lost opportunity, with a strong cast that could've been shorter and punchier but ended up dragging. I couldn't wait for the ending, and even that was dragged out.
Stick with Mara and the Devitos.
The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
Another Film About The Auld Country
As another reviewer said - Super locations. Great photography. Masterful Production design. The acting is world class, supreme. So why didn't I enjoy this film? Because it's been done 100 times before.
It's just another film made in Ireland about how the Irish are grumpy, fiddle playing, irascible folk with a penchant for abuse and a love of windy cliff tops. When is my country going to make a film that isn't grim and grey and wet, or doesn't reference the famine, the field, the family or The Troubles??!
There's SO much to this country, it's colourful, multiracial and diverse, it's fun and interesting and varied, and yet still we get the same old stuff being churned out because it's what's expected of it, it's what Hollywood will stump the money up for. (I saw a trailer for film about "a moving portrayal of Inner City Dublin" (North Circular). But it's another grim partly black and white 95 mins of misery, "uplifting" music, and po-faced stuff that will make the film critics wet themselves with joy. Ireland has other cities.)
I give it 4 simply because the film is by no means bad quality in any way. But jaysus begorra and all that, make a normal happy film.
Strange World (2022)
Finally, Disney Relaxes and Makes It Real.
Don't believe the haters, a great movie!!
So many reviewers of this film are complaining about the "forced" racial mix, "forced" gay relationship, the "unnecessary" inclusivity.
Well actually, this is the first Disney movie I've seen that naturally presents life as it is. Without mentioning it. Just getting on with the fact that you walk past people in wheelchairs, mixed race couples and men kissing. It's not "pushing an agenda", it's just showing it like it really is. And everyone needs to look outside of their bubbles, and get over it.
Three cheers to Disney, it's taken them 100 years, but let's not complain about that, and instead celebrate the fact that they finally come to the party.
The story isn't earth shattering, but the action is engaging, the strangeness is really strange 😂 but beautifully done, and the animation is exceptional. We Loved it. Highly recommended. There's a couple of jumps, my son is 6 and daughter 8 and they couldn't stop talking about it. Allow your kids some intelligence (emotional or otherwise), and let them enjoy this bit of fun for what it certainly is. Fun.
Bluey (2018)
Perfect
This show really is exceptional. It never shrinks from a subject, and deals with all the messages it sends in a way that rarely if ever talks down to kids.
The makers have completely got the fact that parents screw up, kids can be awful, but also that's ok.
The humour is on two levels so it's doesn't break the heart of us adults watching time and time again. Obviously it's refreshing that the dad seems to be the main caregiver, but also it deals with real life things, both from the perspective of the kids and of the adults.
I hope this one doesn't get made until it runs out of steam. It's top quality all the way through, and interestingly doesn't take up much space in the huge children's toy stores. So it must be good.
The Octonauts (2010)
Lost opportunity
This could be SO much better. The fact that they frequently intervene in natural occurrences when the "Octo-alert" is sounded really reinforces the "all animals are cute and shouldn't fight" nonsense.
Our kids do learn stuff about the animals however, from the creature reports. But generally this show is appallingly repetitive and also the attempts at making it multicultural (mostly with accents..bad ones.) are frequently cringeworthy and at worst stereotype reinforcing.
As something that kids watch a lot it could be so much more informative but instead it goes for cheap wins. And also the fact that every. Single. Injury. Is fixed with a bandage. Too many catchphrases.
Addams Family Reunion (1998)
Bottom of the barrel
The Addams Family's history of tv and film is pretty inconsistent to say the least.
I think it's fair to say that the two films featuring Raul Julia are the best.
This straight to tv film attempt to somehow carry on that pedigree, and fails miserably. Even
The presence of the wonderful human that is Carel Struycken cannot save this movie from itself.
The Utterly non existent storyline, and just wringing the story until it's dry beyond measure. These are the kind of things that Hollywood really should be lambasted for. Utter rubbish to make money and perpetuate a franchise that (so sadly) died with its Gomez.
The Velvet Underground (2021)
Oddly disappointing
Having recently watched Moonage Daydream, Summer of Soul and the Beastie Boys Documentary, I was eager to see this one.
And I have to say I was underwhelmed. It doesn't really quite get to grips with the subject. It permanently feels like VU are at arms length. Maybe Mo and John meant it to be that way, but
I didn't get a sense of the creative process really as a band, only as individuals. The stuff of Warhol interspersed wasn't great, and didn't really fit. After all the great reviews it was a shame.
There isn't anything new said. I suppose it's all been said already. But with interviews with Mo, Cale and people like John Waters and in particular Mary Woronov, you'd expect some fun anecdotes.
The shining light is Jonathan Richmans total passion and understanding for the band.