danmossman Reviews

Beast (I) (2022)

Turn your brain off

[6/10 · 9 September 2022]

If you do your best to attempt to forget the deeper subplot about the family drama, this film is a really great monster movie. Some of the Jurassic park imagery is a bit on the nose maybe, but the lion attacks feel real considering how ridiculous it is. There is a poacher subplot which is really silly, but also leads to some decent tension with the human characters. The 4 leads sell their terror and pain and the CGI is fantastic. Don't get me wrong I will say again, this is really silly, but I honestly found it flew by and I had a big smile on my face at the end. Idris Elba has to work so hard to stop this verging into the world of comedy, and I think he achieves that very well.

Orphan: First Kill (2022)

Up and down, but fun

[6/10 · 7 September 2022]

This film was a lot more fun than I expected. Some of the acting was absolutely horrific, but the star was great playing such a strange role at a different age to in the original. Some of this film was laugh out loud funny but I'm not sure it was meant to be. The film felt like it must have had a relatively small budget but a lot was done with it. I wouldn't personally say that this is a horror film of any kind. It is more of a drama/thriller. I think that there are more places this franchise can go and I would imagine that is something they will do, despite the ageing star. I was very rarely scared, but I was always entertained.

Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004)

Don't know why this is so hated

[6/10 · 31 August 2022]

So much of the plot and script of this film is absolute trash, but shaggy and scoob are so perfect it cancels all the other rubbish out. Even aged 25 I got so many belly laughs out of the CGI Scooby's antics. I also thought the monsters were pretty cool and the CGI is an improvement on the first film. I also really respect how directly out of the cartoon the characters and outfits are. With that being said, if you aren't ready to turn your brain off and watch a CGI dog in a fake afro do a choreographed dance. This may not be the film for you. I am surprised there was never a third film or a reboot of this franchise.

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Classic Tarantino

[9/10 · 18 August 2022]

The way Tarantino keeps you hooked just through dialogue is never more evident than in this film. Particularly the first scene with an unreal performance from Christoph Waltz, and the middle portion with Fassbender. These 2 scenes are two of the greatest I have ever seen.

Scooby-Doo (2002)

Great fun

[6/10 · 17 August 2022]

I actually had a lot of fun with this film on re-watch. Scooby and shaggy are so funny, the rest of the cast is meh. But the film is entertaining enough to pass its runtime with a few chuckles. The devotion to making the characters exactly like the film is both impressive and excruciating.

Nope (2022)

So unique

[9/10 · 14 August 2022]

A strange film that really scares at times and makes you think deeply at others. I've never seen a film quite like this. A little more care in the final third could make this a perfect movie. As it is though it's a fantastic, genre-bending, intelligent, popcorn spectacle.

The Babadook (2014)

Bone chilling

[8/10 · 11 August 2022]

This film never made me jump, but left me chilled to the core multiple times. The performances and themes are amazing, but the monster is one of the great horror monsters. Without spoiling it, it's more than just a monster.

Thirteen Lives (2022)

Interesting and so real

[7/10 · 8 August 2022]

Ron Howard achieves precisely what he wanted to by not exaggerating anything or glamorising the relief effort. The performances are perfect for their roles and everyone seems so real. The scale of the effort is made clear and the camera work is claustrophobic. This would be a much better film to me if I didn't already know what happens.

Under the Skin (I) (2013)

Humans are strange

[7/10 · 7 August 2022]

The theme of eyes, sex and understanding emotion are incredibly interesting and tackled in strange ways. The film's sound design is so interesting and unique, and Johansson's performance is eerie and weird. You never forget what she is in the context of the movie. The second half I feel is a bit stronger as some of the first half is needlessly strange.

Fresh (2022)

Funny, horrifying

[7/10 · 7 August 2022]

An interesting take on the romantic drama. The foreshadowing is great and both lead performances are top notch. A great cold open and once the plot reveals itself it is really dark and interesting. The film could take itself more seriously sometimes though.

DC League of Super-Pets (2022)

Fun for everyone

[7/10 · 6 August 2022]

Lots of knowing jokes for adults about the superhero genre. Lots of funny gags for kids. The story works and the voice talent do their best. A very decent watch.

Iceman (2017)

Unique, interesting, boring

[5/10 · 3 August 2022]

This film makes a feature length version of a history channel re-enactment. It is well shot and the history is truly interesting. The use of language is very interesting too and reminds me of superior films such as apocalyptic. Unfortunately it can just be a bit boring and the story is very overdone and simple.

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)

Meh

[5/10 · 25 July 2022]

The silver surfer is one of my favourite characters and he is actually portrayed pretty well here and the CGI is great for him. The fantastic 4 are quite badly cast and doom isn't intimidating enough. Some of the writing and effects are very dodgy, but it is watchable.

X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)

Underrated, but very bloated for its runtime

[6/10 · 25 July 2022]

This film was critically panned on release but I think it's harshly abused. It's a good looking film with some great plot ideas. Unfortunately too many plots make it very bloated. Despite this there are huge stakes and lots of exciting action. I was pleasantly surprised on rewatching.

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

The greatest achievement in cinema history

[9/10 · 21 July 2022]

I say the greatest achievement, not the greatest film. But it certainly is one of the best I've seen in many years. Downey Jr and Evans say goodbye to the franchise with MCU best performances in this ode to the MCU itself. The fact this many character fit in is insane, and the film actively rewards you for watching the god-knows-how-many other films. Wonderful, wonderful achievement.

Deadpool (2016)

Hilarious

[8/10 · 21 July 2022]

The fourth wall breaking, very different superhero movie Deadpool completely delivers. Ryan Reynolds is perfectly cast as Wade Wilson. The action is so bloody and realistic and there is genuinely a lot of heart at some points. Obviously the main takeaway is that this is absolutely hilarious.

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Modern classic action

[8/10 · 21 July 2022]

This is an incredibly high standard of action film. The set pieces are amazing and the cinematography is spellbounding. The story works so well, the film just presumes you take things as you see them. There is no unnecessary exposition clogging up the script.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

The start of the greatest story put to film

[10/10 · 19 July 2022]

There's nothing more that can be said about this trilogy. So perfectly cast, so perfectly adapted. What I'm going to focus on here is the score. From the shire, to rivendell, to the mines, the score takes you along with it. It may be the best score put to film.

Get Out (I) (2017)

Scary, exciting and dramatic

[9/10 · 19 July 2022]

A brilliant psychological thriller/horror that doesn't do the obvious things you think it is going to do. An all time great twist is the star of the show, but a great cast and story are added to by adept camerwork and terrific writing.

Apocalypto (2006)

Encapsulating

[9/10 · 12 July 2022]

The decision to have a fully native cast and have them speak the Maya language is what makes this film fly. The film and the outfits look amazing and the gore is well placed and not over the top. The film zips by and leaves you on the edge of your seat. There are some doubts about how realistic it is, but it works for me.

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

The best of the MCU

[10/10 · 12 July 2022]

This film achieves absolutely everything it aims to. All the heroes show their motivations and interact well with eachother, from where they were all left by individual films. The villain is one of the great movie villains, horribly evil and intimidating but you fully understand his loss and his motivations. Needless to say the CGI and cinematography are flawless as is the script. What a film. It also has one of THE great endings in cinema.

Wind River (2017)

Heart wrenching, dramatic, all too real

[9/10 · 10 July 2022]

Beautiful landscapes absolutely leap off the screen. Renner is the best I've seen him with the rest of the cast, particularly Olsen also top notch. The dialogue is very well written and the story builds to a satisfying finale. Some scenes are horrific and hard to watch, but it all works to make you appreciate the true horror of being human.

The Bob's Burgers Movie (2022)

Just like the show

[5/10 · 9 July 2022]

Not a huge fan of the show so the movie isn't hugely for me. I thought it was paced well and they didn't change too much from the show. I do wish they'd changed a bit more though as it only felt like watching TV for the price of a cinema ticket.

Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Fun, beautiful and heartfelt

[6/10 · 9 July 2022]

The story takes the backseat in this film but the character moments are great. Hemsworth, Portman and Bale shine the brightest in this uneven film. The tone is a bit all over the place, but it is funny and it is dramatic. Sometimes you just want it to commit to one or the other a bit better.

Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022)

Painfully unfunny

[3/10 · 7 July 2022]

This thing was harder to sit through that watching your dad impregnate your mum. They say films have to pass the '6 laugh test ' in order to be funny, this didn't even pass the 2 smile test. I will admit I smiled once at that baby chicken minion in the post credits. Do people above the age of 8 genuinely like this? I understand it's a meme, but really? I actually fell asleep for 10 minutes, and I never sleep in the cinema.