Change Your Image
Devo-McDuff
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
Top Gun (1986)
Top Fun
This is the first time I watched the movie in close to 30 years and it hasn't aged particularly well, but it's still a good ol' all American cheese fest. Jingo jingo all the way.
The Northman (2022)
Meh
Promised a lot, delivered a bit. This is sold as an epic but it lacks scale, at times I couldn't figure out if there were 10 people in the village or a 100. The fight choreography was average at best too. I was hoping for something along the lines of a feature length 'See' but got a mid season 3 feature length episode of 'Vikings' instead. Also, Nicole Kidman used to be a great actress but that's not really feasible anymore when her face is incapable of movement.
Candyman (2021)
Candid message man
Too much focus on trying to knock you over the head with social injustice messages and not enough focus on filmmaking. The theme is valid but a bit of restrain and nuance might have been more effective. The story is a mess, which is a shame as there is good lore to work with. On the plus side, there is some artistic flair here to enjoy.
The Bad Guys (2022)
Who's bad?
My 5 year old loved it and from the adult point of view, there's nothing that particularly stands out but there's not much to be critical of either. It made me smile without bringing on a full laugh, but I'll take it. Good job Bad Guys.
Bull (2021)
BS
Add a certain 4 letter word to the end of the title and it could double as a review. This is naff with a daft plot, dodgy direction and average acting and script. The 'twist' was laughable.
Don't Look Up (2021)
Do Watch If You Want
This has come in for a lot of flak from many sides, but I quite enjoyed. There's nods to Dr. Strangelove and Network and although it is not remotely in their class, it is funny at times and makes valid points, albeit without much subtlety or nuance. It could do with another round of editing as some of the stuff it a bit to OTT and there's easily a good half hour that could be shaved off to good effect IMO.
Clifford the Big Red Dog (2021)
A big red bag of fun for all the family
This is excellent family fare. There's nothing ground breaking, here but it's fun and pulls at the heart strings. My only criticism is you don't get to see Cliff take a dump, that would need one hell of a pooper scooper.
Finch (2021)
Does what it says on the (scavenged) tin
Okay, there's nothing original, ground-breaking, intriguing or remotely inventive about this. But it does have an adorable dog, endearing robots and most importantly, Tom Hanks. If you go in knowing what you're getting, you won't be disappointed.
The Many Saints of Newark (2021)
Woke up this morning ... wish I'd stayed in bed rather than went to the cinema
I'm a huge Sopranos fan, and this is a huge let down. It's a disjointed mess on every level with dreams of being Goodfellas, but it's not remotely in the same league. Sadly, Michael Gandolfini is miscast, there's none of the genuine menace of Tony Soprano (even an up and coming one) and he doesn't convince in the least. What a shame.
Trautmann (2018)
The German Gent
What a man Bert Trautmann was and what a story his is. This captures both very well. If this doesn't tug at your heart-strings, they've snapped.
Censor (2021)
Video okay
Great visual style and acting but there's just something missing. The sister story is a bit flimsy and besides the video nasty angle, the mental unravelling and reality distortion thing been done before and relatively recently too.
Zola (2020)
Hoe'd up
This is a very stylish and inventive flick, the video and music edits really work and plenty of panache. There's also real substance and solid acting. Having researched the story post watching, there's a fair bit of embellishment, but that can be forgiven in the name of art.
Possum (2018)
G'day Possums
5/10 seems harsh as visually and stylistically this was very impressive and it was also well acted. However IMO they did a terrible job of telling the story, you could shift around the order of half the scenes and it would barely make a difference. It's too confusing to offer a good cinematic experience, but as an art project and throwing narrative out the window, I guess it works.
County Lines (2019)
Grim
This is grim, as it should be given this is a very real and common place scenario these days. The casting and acting is great, all the main parts ring true. My main problem with is the somewhat happy ending, as this is not how I think most of these situations pan out. It also didn't feel believable that his Mum suddenly becomes Mrs Doubtfire after not bothering to ask where the money has come from for the last 6 months while he was wagging school. I know the gravity of what happened might have shocked her into action, but still, I didn't buy that a Mum that neglected him so badly in that time and must have surely known where the money was coming from, could change so much. Maybe I'm just cynical.
Ghostbusters (1984)
Something strange
I just watched with my 5 year old son for the first time in a long time, it still holds ups. Murray is just naturally funny, even when the dialogue isn't (and it often is)
Dirty Dancing (1987)
Moves like Swayze
It's good isn't it. My only criticism is I wish they'd stuck to the 50s/60s tunes rather than mixing in later period stuff, that sometimes took me out of it.
A Quiet Place Part II (2020)
Not quite the place
It's quite basic and lacks the impact of the 1st one, there's lots of Hollywood tropes and cliches too. That said, it's worth a watch on a Friday night.
Creation Stories (2021)
We need to talk about Alan ...
There's nothing particularly special about this but it does a solid job of telling the Creation Records/Alan McGee story and is plenty of fun along the way. Spud does a good turn as Alan but it was pretty ridiculously how it went from young Alan to old Alan, he looked like he aged 30 years in the space of a fortnight.
Saint Maud (2019)
Saint Bored
A very misleading trailer/poster mark this as standard horror fare when it not a horror film at all, it's a psychological drama; a slightly brooding atmosphere and the occasional hallucination a horror film does not make. It's well acted and believable but I also found it to be very slow, even considering the meagre running time.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)
TV Clone
It's hard to judge as a stand alone theatrical release as it is basically an extended TV show episode, more akin to a pilot. There's not that much going on but the action is good and if you like the Star Wars universe and lore, it should be enjoyable. It's better than Attack Of The Clones anyway.
Soul (2020)
Lovely stuff
It's not a particularly original message but it's conveyed in an original manner and with grace, humour and wit to spare. Pixar know what they do well and keep on doing it.
Under the Skin (2013)
Polarising
For a film that often seems to draw huge acclaim or complete disdain, I'm very much in the middle and thought it was just bang average. The story is simplistic and while intiguing at first, it doesn't really go anywhere and I don't think there is much deep doing on to ponder. While there is often nice cinematography there is just as often indulgent drawn out scenes that add nothing. Okay is about all I can muster for this.
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)
Star Flaws
This flick was and still is widely criticised for terrible dialogue and really, it's completely deserved. The love scenes are pathetic, it's painful to watch and as bad as Haydn Christensen is in this (and my oh my is he bad) he never had a chance with that turkey of a script. The CGI is also pretty ropey but not quite as bad as in the first prequel. Having said all this, I still enjoyed it as it's Star Wars and the whole universe and lore is just so compelling. Plus Yoda with a lightsaber, what's not to like about that!
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
The CGI Menace
Ultimately it does what a Star Wars movie should and entertains. It's not without problems though; the tone is a tad inconsistent, acting a bit stale, the accusations of racial stereotyping justified, the CGI is horrific (honestly, may as well be watching Who Framed Roger Rabbit at times) and the biggest crime of all is Obi's rat tail. It does entertain though.
Diego Maradona (2019)
A unique talent
Maradona was clearly a massively flawed character but was also one under constant pressure and perpetually manipulated by people around him. Many consider him to be the best footballer of all time but I think if he played in the modern era it would be indisputable as he'd have better protection both on and off the pitch and his talent wouldn't have been curtailed. Asif Kapadia does a great job of capturing the genius and sadness of the man.