npcbiz Reviews

Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2024– )

Secret organisation hires untrained agents

[3/10 · 2 March 2024]

I guess the comedy is in two agents lacking in skill as regards spycraft or relevant information to do their job while being more interested in getting to know one another than doing the job (at least from the first few episodes)

There are better spy based stories out there.

But if you want drama in a "spy" series, I guess you could do worse.

This just left me flat.

Everything they do is seemingly inconsistent with "spycraft", from constantly looking around while watching the target, to running away in public, failure to communicate and getting emotionally attached at the drop of a hat, distracting them from their job.

The chemistry feels forced, perhaps by the end of the season it will fit better, but the first few episodes it feels they are doing things because the story needs them to do things.

RideBack (2009– )

Hands down my favourite anime

[9/10 · 23 April 2020]

If they ever turn this into a live action I would be both giddy with joy and afraid of how poor their take would be.

Fantasy Island (2020)

Not a bad movie, nor a good one either

[5/10 · 18 February 2020]

Had potential but failed to reach any sort of climax. Just staggered towards the finish line without a clear sense of direction.

Birds of Prey (2020)

Where was the emancipation?

[4/10 · 6 February 2020]

Harley blows up Ace Chemicals and then gets abused the rest of the movie, failing to live up to the image of Harley in Suicide Squad.

Cinema Sins will have their hands full sinning the nonstop narration.

Had hoped for better, but standard DC meh...come on DC you can do better.

I may have to stick to solo Batman movies at this rate.

Bad Boys for Life (2020)

Dull movie relying on violence and vulgarity to get by

[3/10 · 16 January 2020]

Released today in Australia (for commentators hung up on US release dates)

A simple revenge plot driven movie relying on graphic violence to float your boat and over scripted vulgarity lacking in delivery. If you get off on a steady stream of head shots, throats being cut (which covers the first 20 minutes or so), then this is probably one for you, plenty more tired death scenes to follow to keep you entertained)

If you are looking for something a little more entertaining than this phoned in xerox of a movie, look elsewhere.

The buddy buddy action doesn't really pick up until an hour and a quarter into the movie and seriously couldn't care less about someone gunning for Mike or his midlife crisis to live up to his reputation.

Cats (2019)

Not the Cats you know

[2/10 · 27 December 2019]

There are changes.

.Deuteronomy is changed from male to female, which of itself isn't necessarily an issue, but unfortunately what was missing was character as presented by way of song. So the character is missing a certain sense of power.

.Mr Mistoffelees is presented as a nervous, inept magical novice

.Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer claim to be mischievous, but are lacking any personality to back that up, instead relying on accent to differentiate them.

.Busterfer Jones and Jennyanydots were played for laughs, with standard Rebel Wilson humour (misses out on the initial presentation of an upright matronly individual with a fun side when the character is presented as self absorbed, and rather quiet vicious when you get down to eat, going so far as to eat some of her anthropomophised cockroaches)

The Great Rumpus Cat was dropped along with his song, presumably due to the words "heathen Chinese" not being deemed desirable for the Chinese market. (Another already demonstrated the willingness to modify Deuteronomy by switching out words, why they couldn't have done the same with the Great Rumpus Cat)

...

The story itself was a bit lackluster and insertion of characters into other characters were done only to advance plot/connect characters, certainly didn't add much if anything (except perhaps to Grizabella, but she had some presence so really didn't need the addition.

...

As far as "the uncanny valley", the CGI was no worse than anything else involving non-humans (ie aliens/monsters) unless you felt they should have been more catlike, no, the problem was in the wirework as they jumped, seemingly defying gravity by hovering across the scene, certainly didn't feel like they jumped.

The (facial) acting was good.

The dancing I'm assuming was mainly body doubles (at times there was a slight discrepancy between face/body that left me uncertain if it was purely a CGI issue that was putting me off.

In the end, I'll stick to my disc of the play.

This movie is lacking on the personality front, a bit of a problem for a musical which relies on such.

Black Christmas (2019)

Predictable and lacking in suspense

[3/10 · 13 December 2019]

I'm all for a girl power kick the slasher movie, but when the movie isn't scary and the slasher is plural, telegraphed well in advance...see it if your fighting the good fight and men are evil (or incompetent for plot reasons, but then, so we're the girls till they needed to be strong) otherwise save your money.

Come on, at least give us something with a little imagination.

This was lacking

Ad Astra (2019)

A movie about nothing

[5/10 · 19 September 2019]

Space, grand, glorious and empty.

That about sums up the movie.

Lots of promise, but in the end it is about a son trying to find his father while coming to terms with himself.

If you have any knowledge of space/physics...unless you can leave that knowledge outside the theatre, you're going to find it hard to enjoy parts.

In feeling I think they tried for Stanley Kubrick's 2001 A Space Odyssey

Action junkies, avoid, the trailer is the majority of the action.

Aladdin (2019)

Stick with Robin Williams

[5/10 · 27 May 2019]

Sadly the biggest issue for me was Genie, as Will Smith and the CGI just fell flat.

Everything else held promise.

A couple of new scenes for Jasmine were pretty cool and expanded her character.

Disappointed because I love the previous movie.

Brightburn (2019)

By the numbers

[5/10 · 27 May 2019]

A lot of potential but in the end, simply ticked the boxes without bothering to break out of the mold.

Perhaps the biggest issue is the fact that there was no reason to care about any of the characters (the only possible exception being the girl in his class)

Line them up, knock them down.

Several plot holes.

Was looking forward to it, perhaps that was my problem, should have really left my brain at the door for this one.

The Hustle (I) (2019)

Piss poor remake of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

[3/10 · 10 May 2019]

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels didn't age well, and this remake follows in its footsteps, failing in all the same places ... just with genders reversed.

I love Hathaway's previous work, less so her Co-star, sadly this film drops my opinion of the first and does little to change my view of the later (who does better in the audible ads)

Wishing I could just leave, but hoping the film improves while I grimace through it.

Hellboy (2019)

Mishmash

[5/10 · 11 April 2019]

In a nutshell, Hellboy is a single story with as many possible story arcs that could be crammed in so you flit from one big bad fight scene to the next until the end.

Basic physics go out the window in some scenes because CGI wow factor trumps believe ability (magic works wonders right up to a point)

It's pretty, but incredibly predictable with an over reliance on blood splatter, shock effects (oh look, more brains, entrails, blah blah blah, bored now)

With events having a slight disjoint between real world acting and CGI overlay.

I enjoyed it...

...but I have reservations about recommending it.

Good for the rebellious teenager type.

Us (II) (2019)

Trailer was better sadly

[5/10 · 28 March 2019]

Don't get me wrong, the movie is OK, but the trailer gave me chills which the movie failed to deliver.

Very much an 80s style horror flick in concept so good enough to hold it's own, just not a stand out piece.

Could have been so much better and at times I thought it would deliver.

Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

Stock standard Marvel fare

[8/10 · 3 August 2018]

If you're a Marvel fan, this is more of the same, light hearted superhero action with the introduction of a more than capable Wasp taking her place on screen.

Funny how so many men cry foul over a strong female character, but in the end, if you feel threatened by such, this is not the movie for you.

On the other hand, if you are looking for a strong role model for your kids, the Wasp is definitely a plus. Kicking butt and taking charge.

Two thumbs up and a sidekick from my friends 7 year-old who was very satisfied with discovering the Wasp. And I thoroughly enjoyed it too.