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The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
An eyepopping and compelling middle chapter to this great trilogy.
"The Lord of the Rings: The two towers" is directed by "Peter Jackson".
It stars Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Andy Serkis, Ian McKellen, Sean Astin and Orlando Bloom.
After the Fellowship breaks up, "Frodo" and "Sam" find "Gollum" who promises to take the "Hobbits" to "Mordor". While this happens, "Aragon" along with the town of "Rohan" must fight against "Saruman's" forces.
"The Two Towers" is the film I consider to be my least favourite of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy" but that doesn't mean I hate it. In fact I think it's nearly perfect.
The positives
The main positive is how this film manages to make the middle chapter of a wider narrative compelling. Usually the middle chapter of a trilogy is the hardest part to create. But the film manages to not only set up the payoffs in the third film but manages to create arcs for the characters in one film. "Frodo's" arc into becoming an unlikely hero takes a massive step forward thanks to his friend "Sam" being his morale compass. New characters such as "Theoden" manage time be compelling and Interesting even when he does start the film cursed and unlikeable. The characters developments are also enhanced thanks to everyone producing great performances and having so much chemistry with each-other. Another positive is the action. The third act is pretty much all action and tension. The battle of "Helms Deep" is one of the best action scenes put into film in my opinion. The camerawork to the editing to the cinematography is all flawless. The special effects are absolutely gorgeous for 2002 and still hold up today. There's plenty of horror elements in the film which add so much more tension to the film and it's all handled well to the point where my heart pounds so much. Finally, there is some humour in the film that lands nearly all the time. "Gimli" and "Legolas's" banter about how many "Orcs" they killed is hilarious and doesn't mess with the tone of the battle. "Gollum" and "Sam's" argument about stew was charming and hilarious.
The negatives
There's only one nitpick I have with the film. There's a fake out death that didn't add much to the story but it did add some tension to the build up to the final battle so it's not all bad.
Conclusion
While I do think "The Two Towers" is the worst film in trilogy. It's still nearly perfect. It's compelling characters, incredible action, phenomenal special effects, great horror elements and charming humour makes this film a great middle part to a larger story. Just a slight nit-pick with a fake out death is the only negative.
I'm going to give "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" a:
10/10.
Jurassic World Dominion (2022)
A well acted but boring and uneventful piece of pointless nostalgia.
"Jurassic World: Dominion" is directed by "Colin Trevorrow.
It stars Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Niell, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum and DeWanda Wise.
The final film in the Jurassic franchise finds "Owen" and "Claire" looking after "Maisie" from the dinosaurs roaming the world. Meanwhile "Alan Grant" and "Ellie Sattler" infiltrate a secure facility that holds dinosaurs to uncover its dark secrets.
I love the first two "Jurassic Park" films. After that though these films go downhill. "Fallen Kingdom" left a sour taste in my mouth and It lowered my expectations for this film. It's no surprise this film was really bad.
The positives
All the acting is great. All the main actors have great chemistry and I love how the original cast bounce off each-other. When the two casts meet its funny and charming and it's when the movie starts to improve. The CGI on the dinosaurs look great and I appreciate that more animatronics were used. There was some good cinematography sometimes and the music was great as it is in all of these films.
The negatives
The plot and characters are atrocious in this film. There's 3 different plots going on and one isn't in the film for over an hour. The main plot is stupid and it doesn't focus on dinosaurs or human extinction. The characters get no development apart from two of them and even then Its not well developed. The dinosaur scenes are shoved in just to make a scene cool. The big dinosaur isn't introduced until the last 30 minutes and it just shows up out of nowhere. Some dinos are in the film for a minute and just leave without a trace. The editing is awful especially in the action scenes. It does the terrible "shakey cam" and quick cuts and it hurts your brain just watching them. The horror was non existent as I wasn't scared one bit in the film. There's pointless nostalgia just like the first two films that adds nothing to the story. Finally the green screen in the film is awful. You can see the outlines of actors when they're placed in from of them and it takes you out of the movie.
Conclusion
While I don't think "Jurassic World: Dominion" is the worst film in the franchise. It's still awful. It has great acting, good CGI and animatronics, nice cinematography and great music. But it's unfocused and messy plot, poor editing, useless dinosaurs, pointless nostalgia and atrocious green screen make this a terrible end to an extinct franchise.
I'm going to give "Jurassic World: Dominion" a:
3/10.
Pistol (2022)
A overstuffed show with a great visual style and enjoyable characters.
"Pistol" is a limited series directed by "Danny Boyle".
It stars Toby Wallace, Anson Boon, Sydney Chandler, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Louis Partridge and Maisie Williams.
"Pistol" is a series showing the rise and fall of the "Sex pistols", a famous punk band in the 70's that changed punk music and music as a whole in the UK.
I've never been into the "Sex Pistols" or punk music as a whole but I do respect the culture It has on the world. I went into this series blind and came out of it very conflicted.
The positives
All the acting is great. There isn't a bad performance. The actors have so much chemistry which makes their relationships and conflicts believable. The visual style of the film was great. It does have a 70's feel to it which does add to the tone of the show. The costumes and sets feel like they came out of the 70's and I really appreciate that the designers gave it their all when designing these. The dialogue is great. It's quotable sometimes and isn't cliched. The music is also amazing. The actors did a great job at performing these segments and if you just want to watch the show for the music. You won't be disappointed.
The negatives
The main problem is that this shows conflicts are rushed and there's too many plots. I understand there's a lot to get through but we don't need everything. Some conflicts get resolved so quickly and get no development. Some don't even come back in later episodes and it makes me question why they were in the show. There's a lot of pointless sex scenes in the show for some reason. Sometimes you'll just be watching a scene then all of a sudden you just see people making love and it just felt laughable sometimes. I understand to make something based on a band with "sex" in their name you need some of those scenes. But they need to be used sparingly and not just thrown in there. Finally, this films cinematography is really bad sometimes. I hate "Dutch angles" and this film has plenty of those annoying shots. There's also no flare in the cinematography apart from the odd scene.
Conclusion
Overall, "Pistol" is a show that I enjoyed but could've been better. It's acting and the chemistry between the actors is great, the tone and visual style of the film was brilliant, the dialogue is quotable and the music segments are performed very well. But its overstuffed plot, pointless and out of place sex scenes and underwhelming cinematography brings the show it's fault. But If your a fan of the band you'll have a great time with this and I'd recommend it for you.
I'm going to give "Pistol" a:
6/10.
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
A big Improvement over It's ok predecessor.
"Top Gun: Maverick" is directed by "Joseph Kosinski".
It stars Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Glen Powell and Monica Barbaro.
The sequel to its 80s classic sees "Pete Mitchell" being called to teach a group of graduates on how to fly before sending them off on a dangerous assignment.
I'm not a big fan of the original "Top Gun" but I still respect the impact it had when it was released and I do not think it's a bad movie. But this film is better than the original in my opinion and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The positives
The story is simple but the characters are well written. "Pete" has a great arc about leadership and it also helps that "Tom Cruise" is doing a fantastic job. His characters likeable and "Cruise" has plenty of chemistry with the other actors. The romance with the character of "Penny" is believable and you want the two characters to get together. The graduates have their own distinct personalities and are all played by fantastic actors. The standout was "Miles Teller" as "Bradley" who is a very conflicted character but is arc is satisfying even if the ending is my biggest flaw. The action is thrilling. It feels real and that's all thanks to the stunts in this film. The cinematography is great but does slightly dull down when the movie gets going. The humour lands very well most of the time and the scene with "Val Kilmer's" "Iceman" was one of the best scenes in the film.
The negatives
The only big problem is the ending. I did have a feeling halfway through if what could happen and the way the movie was going I was bracing myself for it. It didn't happen but I think the film would've been better if a more tragic but emotionally satisfying ending would've happened. Finally, while it is great that "Val Kilmer" is in the film and they used "AI" to let him speak was brilliant. It is really noticeable that "Val" isn't talking. It got kind of distracting when it happened but it still didn't take any emotional weight out of that scene.
Conclusion
"Top Gun: Maverick" is a straight forward story that emotionally hits you. It's well written characters, Believable romance, amazing stunt work and action, brilliant cinematography, excellent acting and Funny moments make the sequel better than the original. Just a conflicting with the ending and some noticeable "AI" are the only flaws for me.
I'm going to give "Top Gun: Maverick" a:
8/10.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
A thrilling Introduction to kick off mybfavourite movie trilogy
"The Lord of the Rings: The fellowship of the ring" is directed by Peter Jackson.
It stars Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom, Sean Astin and Christopher Lee.
The first part in this great trilogy follows a hobbit named "Frodo" and companions who are tasked with destroying the one ring which could bring chaos and destruction to "Middle Earth".
"The Lord of the rings" trilogy is for me the greatest trilogy ever made. I could watch these films any day.
The positives
The films premise and story is fantastic. The film is near enough three hours of setup but it also does a great job in captivating you to watch the next films. Every character has distinct personalities along with great motivations and starter development. The romances and friendships all feel real thanks to all the actors having great chemistry along with great performances. "Ian McKellen" is for me perfect casting. No one else can play "Gandalf" In my eyes. The action in this film is fantastic. Not only are the stakes high in them but they are shot brilliantly. The whole film is shot fantastically. There's so many unique shots in the film that are memorable. The character design and makeup are all flawless. The "Orc" makeup is so good that I sometimes forget the people playing them are actors as they look so real. The CGI is fantastic even to today's standards. Finally the film also manages to be really scary. The film is full of creatures that won't hesitate to kill. When the characters are in danger I still get chills because of how scary those scenes are.
The negatives
The only minor flaw is that a couple of action scenes just last a bit too long especially the staircase scene. But all the action is entertaining and full of tension.
Conclusion
For me, "Fellowship of the ring" is one of the best first acts to a trilogy ever made. With its interesting story and characters, incredible chemistry and acting from the actors, brilliant camerawork, thrilling action, state of the art CGI, great makeup and some genuine scary scenes make this film almost perfect.
I'm going to give "The Lord of the Rings: The fellowship of the ring" a:
10/10.
Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
The best film of the year so far and one of the best movies ever.
"Everything everywhere all at once" is directed by "Daniel Kwan" and "Daniel Scheinert".
It stars Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu, Jamie Lee Curtis and James Hong.
This "A24" film follows a Chinese Immigrant called Evelyn is forced into a mission to stop the multiverse from crumbling. In doing so she must try and fix her relationships with her family.
I heard a lot about this film and I really wanted to see it. I can truly say not only is it the best film of 2022 but it's also one of the best movies I've ever seen.
The positives
This films message and story are incredibly well written. Every character has a well earned character arc. It's story is wacky but it works. The concept sounds ridiculous on paper but the script makes it work by explaining things clearly and making characters motivations clear and understandable. It also manages to take the audience and it's characters on an emotional journey that never gets dull. All the acting is excellent. The standout is of course "Michelle Yeoh" who deserves to win best actress at this moment in time. The action is amazing to look at. It's clever choreography and flashy editing make it more thrilling. The music fits the movies tone and atmosphere and also adds more thrill especially in the action scenes. The films cinematography is absolutely flawless. The lighting to the camerawork just make the film nice to look. There's plenty of long takes that just add that freshness to the film. Finally, the film is also incredibly funny. So many times me and the audience laughed out loud and I'm so happy that an original idea is making audiences come to the cinema more so that we can have a brilliant atmosphere.
The negatives
I can't find any big problems apart from tiny nitpicks and that's not affecting the rating.
Conclusion
"Everything everywhere all at once" is an incredible piece of cinema. It's story and characters are fantastic, the acting is brilliant, the action is thrilling and edited brilliantly, the music adds more thrill to the film and the comedic moments hit nearly every time. This is now one of my all time favourite movies for a reason and I encourage anyone who can see it to watch it.
I'm going to give "Everything everywhere all at once" a:
10/10.
The Last Airbender (2010)
A sluggish and disgraceful piece of cinema.
"The last Airbender" is directed by "M. Night Shyamalan.
It stars Noah Ringer, Nicola Peltz, Hackson Rathbone, Seychelle Gabriel and Dev Patel.
In this live action anime film, a boy named "Aang" must stop the fire nation from causing chaos and help the nations of water, earth and air find peace.
Seeing as I reviewed my favourite "Shyamalan" film with "Split". I decided to review his worst. I've never got into anime no matter how much I tried. But this film has really left a bad taste in my mouth and is nearly making me want to stop trying to watch anime.
The positives
There isn't any. Apart from some actors trying.
The negatives
This film tries to cram in a full tv series into a 100 minute movie. This movie really confused me and it felt rushed. Nothing gets developed properly and all the characters feel one dimensional. The movies pacing is atrocious. I kept wanting to fall asleep because I was that bored. The movie feels like two and a half hours. All the acting is terrible. Some actors I can say tried to at least salvage something positive out of the film but they failed. The CGI is terrible to look at. There's even one scene where there was supposed to be CGI but they forgot to put it in and it was laughable. The action was really boring and poorly choreographed by the actors. There was just nothing to love apart from laughable scenes. The post credit scene was just terrible. In what world did they think a film like this would get a sequel?
Conclusion
"The last Airbender" is a lifeless, unorganised waste of a film. It's underdeveloped story and characters, terrible pacing, awful acting, atrocious special effects, poorly done action and laughable scenes make this an insult not just to anime fans but to cinema as a whole.
I'm going to give "The last Airbender" a:
1/10.
Split (2016)
A suspenseful, dark and Incredibly gripping thriller.
"Split" Is directed by "M. Night Shyamalan.
It stars "James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy, Haley Ru Richardson, Jessica Sula and Betty Buckley.
"Split" follows "Casey" and her friends being kidnapped by a man called "Kevin". After some time, the girls find out "Kevin" suffers from "dissociative identity disorder" and find out he has 23 set personalities. But as his 24th personality Is starting to come through, the girls must try to escape before It's too late.
"M. Night Shyamalan" has no doubt had a rollercoaster of a career. I love and hate his films. This film goes In the love section though.
The positives
This film sends an Important message about suffering. This film In some ways relates to me. The main character of "Casey" Is relatable due to past experiences In my life and It's great how this film sends a message on how suffering Is how someone becomes a real human being. It's a great message to send through such a great concept. The dialogue of the film Is great. No line feels weird and out of place and In some ways It's quotable. The performances of this film Is amazing. "James McAvoy" gives not only a career best performance but also one of the best movie performances I've ever seen. Trying to play different characters Is hard and "McAvoy" knocks It out of the park. "Anya Taylor-Joy" Is amazing as always. The other actresses I've never heard of till this also won me over too. The films tone and atmosphere Is brilliant. From the first scene, you already feel the tension thanks to the camerawork. The camerawork throughout the film Is amazing. There's many long takes and great cinematography throughout the film which makes the film amazing to look at.
The negatives
The only flaw I have Is the final scene. It Is a twist as always and I did not expect It. But It felt really forced. There was never really a need to continue this story as It ends on a satisfying note, but the twist just felt like tiring sequel bait.
Conclusion
Apart from It's final scene, "Split" Is fantastic. It's amazing premise and writing, the message It sends, career best performances, a consistent creepy tone and amazing camerawork make this one of "Shyamalan" best movies.
I'm going to give "Split" a:
9/10.
Fresh (2022)
A dark disturbing look Into the world of dating and cannibalism
"Fresh" is directed by "Mimi Cave".
It stars Daisy Edgar-Jones, Sebastian Stan, Jonica T. Gibbs, Andrea Bang, Dayo Okeniyi and Charlotte Le Bon.
"Fresh" follows "Noah" who is trying to find a boyfriend via online dating. When a man called "Steve" approaches her, she immediately starts to connect with him. But little does she know that "Steve" is a cannibal who is cooking and selling body parts from the women he's captured.
I always like watching films from new directors so "Fresh" was a no brainer. I had no idea what this film was about and I think that's the best way to watch this film as this film was really good.
The positives
Everyone in this film does a fantastic job. The standout for me was "Daisy Edgar-Jones" who I've never heard of until this film. But she's already won me over. She was great and I can't wait to see her in more projects. "Sebastian Stan" is great too. He manages to play a psychotic but charming person incredibly well and the chemistry he has with "Daisy" is phenomenal. Especially in the opening half an hour. The film is also tense from the first scene you meet his character. You can already tell something's off even when he's likeable. The character of "Ann" was very interesting. She's not in the film for much but she does raise a lot of interesting question that the audience is left to answer and I really like that. It just makes the character more interesting. The camerawork and lighting was excellent too. There's several long tales that just add more tension to the film and the actors do a great job staying in character while they happen. The romance parts of the film are also written brilliantly. The dialogue is excellent and it doesn't make the romance too awkward to the point where you struggle to watch those scenes. The film is also not afraid to go crazy with its horror elements. This film is horrible to watch sometimes. Seeing characters eating food that's supposed to be human flesh is horrible. A scene near the end nearly made me sick but it did add to the realism which was essential for this film. Finally, the music is excellent. It's dark, creepy and quiet and it just adds more tension to the most simple scenes.
The negatives
While this film is shot brilliantly, it does still have that straight to streaming vibe in its appearance. Some shots while lit well just don't look cinematic. The film was also quite tame with the gore. I'm not saying that there should be gallons of blood everywhere but if your making a film about humans eating humans, then you may need some more gore to make it seem more realistic. But most of the time the film did look very realistic so it's only a nitpick. Finally, the final scene made very little sense to me. It just felt forced and really confused me due to what happened at the beginning of the film.
Conclusion
I really enjoyed "Fresh". It's brilliant concept along with interesting characters, terrific performances, incredible camerawork, great chemistry between actors, creepy and uncomfortable scenes and tension inducing music make "Fresh" a great body horror film.
I'm going to give "Fresh" a:
8/10.
Cars (2006)
A fun, Compelling enough "Pixar" movie.
"Cars" is directed by "John Lasseter".
It's voice-cast stars Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the cable guy and Michael Keaton.
"Cars" follows rookie racer "Lightning McQueen" who gets stranded in a small town while trying to get to his big race. With his rival "Chick Hicks" stealing the spotlight and no one knowing where he is. "McQueen" must try and fix the damage he's done to the town so he can leave.
The "Cars" franchise is not the best. The second film is still the worst film "Pixar" has made. But I do like this one at least.
The positives
The plot and characters are overall very good. It's cliched and after about halfway through the movie you know what's going to happen but you still have hope for an element of suprise. "Lightning McQueen" has a satisfying arc about appreciating the little things in life and how not to let fame and your ego get the best of you. He's unlikeable at the start but eventually becomes a good person. "Doc Hudson" is a great character. His arc is similar to "McQueens" in the third movie and it makes him the more interesting character. The romance with "Sally" is well developed and I like her and "McQueen" being together. It feels believable. All the voice-acting is great and you can tell all the actors have great chemistry. The animation still looks amazing today. Just small things like dust particles and landscapes look realistic and amazing. The racing scenes are thrilling to watch especially the final race. The first race does a great job at setting the tone of the movie and It hooks you in. Finally, the music of the film really stands out. Most of it is licensed music but their additions to the movie make sense. Some of the original music helps add emotion too.
The negatives
The film isn't funny to me. "Mater" is ok. He's charming and he has a couple of funny lines. But most of the time, the jokes fall flat. There's also a lot of filler in the film. One example is the cow horning scene which lasts far too long despite how charming it was. Finally, the main question i have is why does this movie need living cars? You can easily make this film about human racers. The bad thing about the addition of living cars is that you have to show how the world works properly so people don't call you out. "Pixar" made it harder on themselves as they have to tell a compelling story with loads of world building explanations. It just means the movie is really exposition heavy.
Conclusion
"Cars" certainly has a lot of problems. But it's still a good and satisfying movie. It's well written characters, good plot, great voice-acting, great music, thrilling race scenes and likeable romance make the film compelling. But a lack of good humour, a lot of filler scenes and an overload of exposition dumps drag the movie down.
I'm going to give "Cars" a:
7/10.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)
A messy, boring and poorly paced movie.
"Star Wars: The Clone Wars" Is directed by "Dave Filoni".
It's voice-cast stars Matt Lanter, Tom Kane, Ashley Eckstein, James Arnold Taylor, Catherine Taber and Nika Futterman.
In this animated movie, "Anakin Skywalker" and his apprentice "Ashoka Tano" must find the son of "Jabba the Hutt" from the hands of the separatists.
"The Clone Wars" show Is one of my all time favourite tv shows. But It's movie Is terrible to the point where It nearly kills any excitement for the show.
The positives
Overall, the voice-acting Is really good. "Matt Lanter" and "James Arnold Taylor" do great with voice-acting "Anakin" and "Obi-Wan" and they make their friendship feel real when they're on screen together. "Ashoka" Is a problem I'll get to later but "Ashley Eckstein" does a good job with what she's given.
The negatives
The story Is jumbled and bad. This movie pretty much consists of 6 episodes and they all feel jumbled and rushed. They don't fit together at all. Apart from "Anakin" and "Ashoka" meeting. The "Christophis" battle adds nothing to the plot and It's obvious that It was a two episode long arc. The plot just shifts from that to "Jabba's" plotline out of nowhere. The bad thing with the "Jabba's son" plot Is that I'm supposed to sympathise with "Jabba". Why would I want to sympathise with a crime lord that treats women as slaves and kills anyone he wants? It's dumb. There's too many characters to the point where there's only two character's that get development. One Is "Ashoka" who Is terrible. She's annoying and complains a lot and her Interactions with "Anakin" get annoying to the point where I don't like her. The animation Is shocking. It's Incomplete and looks like something off of a 90's videogame. The textures to the colours look ugly. The action gets really boring too. In the early seasons of the show, the lightsaber fights aren't great. The character's move weird and pause for short periods sometimes and It's really distracting. Finally, The films pacing Is terrible. It feels like two hours because of how boring the film Is sometimes. Especially nearer to the end.
Conclusion
"The Clone Wars" Is a jumbled, boring and Incomplete mess of a movie. Apart from the voice-acting It's terrible. It's jumbled and boring plot, terrible characters, shocking animation, boring action and terrible pacing make this the worst "Star Wars" movie.
I'm going to give "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" a:
2/10.
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
Another fun popcorn flick from the "Star Wars" universe
"Solo: A Star Wars story" is directed by "Ron Howard".
It stars Alden Ehrenreich, Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson, Donald Glover, Paul Bettany and Joonas Suatamo.
In this spinoff film, outlaw "Han Solo" get wrapped up in large scale heist while trying to find his girlfriend. He meets people and friends that inspires him to be in a life of crime.
I used to always say this was the worst "Star Wars" movie. But as of rewatching this, I think there's is a bit to like about this film.
The positives
The music Is brilliant. It's really good to listen to and it makes some scenes more thrilling. Especially in the train fight sequence. The action is overall brilliant to watch. All the fight scenes have plenty of stakes that keep you watching even if they are lacking in emotion. Some of the acting is great. Even when I thought this film was terrible, I still said "Donald Glover" as "Lando" was great and I still think that. "Woody Harrelson" is great as he always is and he's never had a bad performance. The effects are fantastic too. Just like "Rogue One", there is only a handful of bad effects in the film. Finally, there is some genuine funny comedy in the film. "L3" was funny for the most part and she was my favourite new character. There's a running theme of droids being great characters in these films.
The negatives
I don't like the plot of the film. It just feels like filler to me. The problem with the film is that it ruins the Mystery of "Han Solo". There's only so much I want to know about him. I want to know how he acquires the "Falcon" and how he met "Chewbacca". The sad thing is these are mostly glossed over and they're the most interesting part of the film. The lighting is overall terrible. The first ten minutes were lit so badly that I couldn't tell what was happening half the time. The colour pallet looks so ugly too. Some of the acting is bad. "Alden Ehrenreich" was miscast as "Han Solo" even though I can tell he is having a good time. "Emilia Clarke" is a great actor but she doesn't do a great job. Her characters romance with "Han" doesn't connect to me much as there is very little chemistry between the actors. By the end, I didn't feel much emotion because "Han" just acts like he didn't care. Finally, there is a cameo at the end which did not need to be in the film. It didn't do anything for the story and It felt like "Disney" panicked that we didn't have a lightsaber in the film.
Conclusion
Despite its many flaws, I think "Solo" is a fun popcorn flick. It has thrilling action, fantastic special effects, excellent music, some good acting and some nice comedic moments. But it's filler plot, Short interesting scenes, badly lit scenes, Bad acting, lack of romance and chemistry and a cameo that did not need to happen made the film end the "Star Wars" spin-off films.
I'm going to give "Solo: A Star Wars story" a:
5/10.
Cars 2 (2011)
The worst movie "Pixar's" ever made
"Cars 2" is directed by "John Lasseter".
It stars Owen Wilson, Larry the cable guy, Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer and John Turturro.
"Cars 2" follows "Lightning McQueen" and "Mater" travelling abroad for the "world Grand Prix". While this is happening, secret agent "Finn Mcmissile" attempts to stop a gang of cars from destroying the eco friendly fuel business.
Like every movie studio, "Pixar" has had its missteps. This is the worst "Pixar" movie in my opinion and it started a string of bad movies for them.
The positives
First off the animation still holds up extremely well. It looks beautiful. The lighting and the colours are great and sometimes objects look realistic. The voice-cast is great. I'm not a fan of the character but "Mater" is voiced well. "Owen Wilson" as always does great as "Lightning McQueen". Even "Michael Caine" is great as "Finn Mcmissile". Finally, the music is really good. It fits the tone of the movie and I actually like watching some scenes just for the music.
The negatives
The main thing is that this doesn't feel like a "Pixar" film. It's for the worst unfortunately. There's around three different plot lines in the film. They all have their endings but they don't get enough development to earn their endings. Apart from the spy plot which is the most uninteresting part of the film. The "Grand prix" plot-line was great but why couldn't you just focus on that and the relationship between "McQueen" and "Mater? With the spies, the movie just feels stuffed. Speaking of "Mater" he is really annoying. He worked in the first movie as a comedic relief character, but he doesn't work as the main character. "McQueen" is just pushed to the sideline. Why would you push your main character away? "Mater" makes the dumbest decisions that just make you hate him, he's not funny at all apart from one joke. The spy characters are underdeveloped and they too make dumb and annoying decisions. The villains are uninteresting and just feel like henchmen. The twist villain was really obvious thanks to a scene from the second act. The film doesn't set up any other suspects which just makes the identity of the main villain obvious. The films is not funny apart from a couple good comedic moments. But for me the world building is the worst part of the movie. The first movie did a good job with world building but this film slaps that in the face. "Cars" drink oil in the first film and that makes sense. But why do "cars" suddenly drink alcohol? Why is "Ice cream" something "cars" would eat? When you see these things you don't think of "cars" so they don't make sense and they just become dumb. Finally, this film felt like a feature length toy commercial. There's so many characters that do nothing in this film and are just there for selling toys. Characters such as the "plane" and the "bullet train" are their for merchandising.
Conclusion
I really don't like "Cars 2". It does have some great animation, it's voice-cast is great, the music is brilliant and there is a couple of good comedic moments. But it's overstuffed plot, underdeveloped characters, an unlikeable main character, boring villains, an obvious twist, terrible comedic moments and characters just there for toy sales make this the worst "Pixar" movie.
I'm going to give "Cars 2" a:
3/10.
A Quiet Place (2018)
A chilling film that makes you scared to speak
"A quiet place" Is directed by "John Krasinski".
It stars the director John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe.
In this horror thriller, the world has been Invaded by creatures that are blind but are sensitive to noise. The surviving humans have to survive by being very quiet and communicate In sign language. The "Abbot" family are some of the remaining humans trying to survive but as a baby Is being born, "Lee Abbot" must do all he can to protect his family when his new baby Is born.
This Is one of my favourite horror films ever, this film scares me to the core and It will do to near enough anyone.
The positives
This film does a great job on setting the tone from the start. It shows that even a simple noise from a toy "rocket" can lead you to your death. The opening scene hooks you Instantly and I love that this film Isn't afraid to get really dark and have no boundaries on who dies. The sound design Is great. There Is only two scenes where people talk and while they do offer some good character development and are Important, they are the worst parts of the film. The eeriness and silence of the film Is heart-pounding. So much so that you start to be silent too sometimes as you are afraid as-well. All the characters have some nice development and the actors have great chemistry leading to you connecting to the family. All the acting Is great. Even the child actors. The CGI on the creatures look really solid and didn't really take me out of the film. When one character dies near the end, I felt upset and shocked, but It was well done and the dialogue being signed tugs on the heart strings.
The negatives
As always with horror, characters make dumb decisions. Especially the children and the father. One big one was when the kids are on the corn tower. First off, It's amazing how this family has farmed so silently for months. Second, wouldn't stepping on metal make plenty of noise? Why would you think going up there would be a great way to be silent? There Is a few more but they're only small nit-picks that you can easily gloss over.
Conclusion
Despite It's nit-picks, "A quiet place" Is a great horror movie. It's terrifying tone, likeable characters, brilliant acting, great sound design, emotional scenes, frightening moments and good CGI make you fear speaking for 90 minutes.
I'm going to give "A quiet place" a:
9/10.
Rogue One (2016)
A fun galactic popcorn flick
"Rogue one: A Star Wars story" Is directed by "Gareth Edwards.
It stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Alan Tudyk, Donnie Yen and Forest Witaker.
In this spin-off film, "Jyn Erso" who Is the daughter of a former Imperial officer Is captured by the rebellion. In an act to set herself free, "Jyn" joins a group of rebel fighters to find the plans of the "Death star" so they can find It's weakness.
"Disney" has been Interesting when making "Star Wars" projects. Sometimes they do great. Then sometimes they are really bad. My opinion has changed with this film over the years. Unfortunately, It's not for the best. While I don't think this film Is great, I still really like It.
The positives
Overall the story Isn't confusing and Is Interesting. Even If you're not familiar with previous films, you will understand the film to a certain extent. The acting Is overall very good. I think that "Felicity Jones" Is really over hated In the film. I think she did really good. But the standout performance Is "Alan Tudyk" as "K-2SO". He's the only new character that I really like In this film. He's funny, charming and loveable. Most of the humour lands very well In this film overall. The effects are absolutely eye-popping. They especially stand out In the first act. There Isn't a single effect that I thought looked bad apart from the occasional green screen. The final act Is where this film Is at It's best. It's pretty much a 35 minute battle. The final scene Is what I think tricked people Into loving this film. It's the best scene In the film by far.
The negatives
I don't like the characters. They're boring and underdeveloped. I do route for them to a certain extent but only because they're fighting for the "rebellion". "Jyn" and "Andor" have the most development but they're so two dimensional. The villain Is taken as a joke so I don't take him seriously. It's probably the worst mistake you can make when writing a villain. There's also too many character's In the film. "Chirrut" Is cool when he's fighting but that's It. He's un-Interesting and doesn't really do much apart from using the force to fight. It's disappointing that these character's had good setups, but they had very little payoffs. When the ending happens, I don't feel much emotion. The de-aging effects and CGI characters look terrible. They look like something off of a videogame. The pacing Is really bad and only gets better In the third act. The second act really suffers from that and the more times I watch the film I sometimes get the urge to skip the second act as It's too slow and not much happens. Finally, I love the end scene with "Darth Vader' as everyone else does. But I think It would've been even better If this was the only time "Vader" was In the film. Imagine the shock when we see him and go on this rampage. It would've been a brilliant way to end the film.
Conclusion
Despite It's terribly written characters, useless characters, awful CGI humans, poor pacing and a cool final scene that could've been even better. I still like "Rogue One". It's decently written story, good acting, good comedic scenes, a thrilling final act and mind-blowing effects make It a fun popcorn flick.
I'm going to give "Rogue One: A Star Wars story" a:
3/5.
Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
A bad ending to a flawed trilogy
"Star Wars: episode IX- The rise of Skywalker" Is directed by "J. J. Abrams.
It stars Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Ian McDiarmid, Carrie Fisher and Billy Dee Williams.
After surviving attacks from the first order, the resistance discovers a message that the "Emperor" has returned and is planning to take over the galaxy. With time running out, "Rey" and her friends must find "Palpatine" and destroy him before he and "Kylo Ren" spread terror across the galaxy.
I said I'm my "Last Jedi" review, that whatever I say about the sequels, I will have people on my back. Same goes with this film, which I think is bad.
The positives
For me, there's only one character that has been really consistent and that's "Kylo Ren". He's my favourite character in this trilogy. His arc ends in a satisfying and gripping way. You see how conflicted he is. His talk with the memory of "Han" is the best scene of the film. It's emotional and emotional. Surprisingly, "C-3PO" is used very well in the film. Not only is he hilarious but he has a small arc about bravery. "Poe" is used pretty well too. He has a great arc about leadership hope. It makes up for how he was used in the seventh film. All the acting is really good. There's not a single bad performance in the film. The action is really good for the most part. The first lightsaber fight is well done and is a good way to show exposition. The effects look better than the first two films. Some of the cinematography looks great. Overall the film is well directed. I like the scene with "Chewbacca" getting his medal. I like that scene it had some emotion and a sense of accomplishment.
The negatives
The story is atrocious. Why would you bring "Palpatine" back and undermine the first 6 films? Why did you have to give "Rey" Important heritage and undermine how the force flows through anyone? Why did you introduce force healing which makes every main character in previous films look stupid? It's terrible. There's around 6 films happening at once and they are underdeveloped. The pacing is far too quick. The first act flies by and it felt like nothing was achieved. The worst part is when "Kylo Ren" breaks the "way-finder" meaning that the entire first act and first half of the second act could've been skipped completely. Some of the characters are forgettable or underdeveloped. I forgot "Poe's" love interests name. "Finn" is underused once again and his love interest ruins everything that "J. J." set up between him and "Rey. The twist with "Hux" was predictable and his death was atrocious. It would've worked if "Kylo Ren" killed him. There's a total of four fake deaths in the film and after the second one, they got predictable and laughable. The final battle is a rip-off of "Avengers Endgame" and too anticlimactic. There's no emotion and it gets boring as you know exactly what will happen. "Plot lines" are introduced out of nowhere and there's many conveniences. What's a diad? Why wasn't this mentioned in an earlier film? How is the "Death Star" not corroding by the water? The dagger scene was stupid and makes me laugh every time I see it. "Leia'a death" is offensive and atrocious. It felt rushed. Apart from "Chewbacca's" reaction, it was terrible. The kiss at the end was annoying. "Rey" and "Ren" have had no romantic connection so it just felt forced. Finally, the final line of the film makes me mad. That line makes this film go from mediocre to bad. The sad thing is I like "Rey" but she has not done enough to earn the right of "Skywalker".
Conclusion
"The rise of Skywalker" has its moments. But not enough to make this film good. It's stuffed and rushed plot-lines, Underdeveloped and useless characters, moments that undermine previous films, so many fake out deaths that got predictable over time, an unemotional climax, a rushed significant death and a final line that makes the film even more offensive make the "Rise of Skywalker" the least watchable "Star Wars" film. "The Phantom Menace" Is worst but I like to watch it for a laugh sometimes.
I'm going to give "Star Wars: episode IX: The rise of Skywalker" a:
4/10.
Cars 3 (2017)
Am massive Improvement after It's awful predecessor
"Cars 3" Is directed by "Brian Fee".
It stars Owen Wilson, Cristela Alonzo, Armie Hammer, Paul Newman and Nathan Fillion.
In the third film of the famous "Pixar' trilogy, racer "Lighting McQueen" Is starting to struggle racing when new advanced cars start stealing the spotlight. Desperate to get back to winning, "McQueen" finds a trainer who Is determined to get "McQueen" back to his best.
I know this Is a random review but I never even knew this film existed until today. I love "Pixar" but I don't like the "Cars" films. The first film Is good but the second Is In my opinion "Pixar's" worst movie. But "Car's 3" was a pleasant surprise as I really liked this film.
The positives
This film does what It can In fixing the mess the second film caused. "Lighting McQueen" Is back In the spotlight and It's refreshing. I love his arc about getting old and knowing he can still be Involved with racing despite his age. It's was a great way to end his story. His trainer "Cruz Ramirez" Is a great character with a compelling backstory and motivation. The way she ends the film was perfect and emotional. All the voice acting Is perfect. Everyone has great chemistry, especially "Owen Wilson" and "Cristela Alonzo. The animation Is gorgeous as always. It's amazing how some things look super realistic animated. The music adds more heart to the emotional scenes which I admit did make me cry. The film also pretends "Cars 2' never happened. It's for the best. The film fixes the bad and confusing world building In the second film. It also makes "Mater" a side character and I like him In the film. As the comedic relief he works well and he feels like a real friend to "McQueen". Finally, this film has a story that living "Cars" could relate too. The problem with the first two films Is that there's no need for the characters to be cars. But this film changes that by writing a story that a car could relate to.
The negatives
The big problem with the film Is that there's so many pointless characters just there for merchandising. Every "Pixar" film has characters there for merchandising. But they don't overdo It, apart from the "Cars" trilogy. Some useless characters get "Emotional" goodbyes but It doesn't affect me as I have no connection to them. The film also Isn't that funny. I think I laughed around three times and they all came from "Mater". Finally, I think that some of the Important characters are seriously underused. "Sally" Is "McQueen's" girlfriend. She does nothing, apart from one confidence boosting scene. Why don't you use her. She could be another sort of guiding compass. It just feels disappointing that she doesn't do anything.
Conclusion
Overall, I like "Cars 3". It does have an overload of characters, bad comedy and Important character's that are underused. But It's compelling story and characters, beautiful animation, emotional scenes, great music and the willingness to forget It's terrible sequel make this film a satisfying way to end a flawed trilogy.
I'm going to give "Cars 3" a:
7/10.
Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
Another flawed but gripping film In the Star Wars saga
"Star Wars- episode VIII: The last Jedi" is directed by "Rian Johnson".
It stars Daisy Ridley, Mark Hamill, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Kelly Marie Tran and Carrie Fisher.
After the destruction of "Starkiller base", the "first order" attacks the resistance base to stop the resistance from fleeing. While this is happening, "Luke Skywalker" is training "Rey" who is having force connections with "Skywalker's" former apprentice "Kylo Ren".
Whatever I say in this review, I will get plenty of opposition. This film divided the "Star Wars" fan base and I see why. But in my opinion this film is ok.
The positive
First off, I like what they did with "Luke". People are already going to be at my throat but I really like how they wrote his character. He is a flawed legend and he feels responsible for what he did. His arc is great and satisfying and I think the final fight with "Kylo Ren" Is perfect. It's filled with emotion and caps off "Luke's" arc in a beautiful way. The plotline of "Rey" and "Kylo Ren" is interesting. It's different and interesting and you understand each characters motivations and goals. "Poe" was massively improved. He has a great arc on learning patience during battle. Nearly all the characters are great. The action is mostly good. The salt planet looks amazing and the battle there is thrilling. The effects looks better than what they did in the predecessor. I struggle to find a single bad effect in the film. The final shot holds a lot of emotion and interests you for the next movie. Finally, the film is funny most of the time. The jokes get annoying sometimes but they mostly land.
The negatives
First of all the casino planet plot-line is a waste of time. It's there to add to runtime and none of it is interesting. "Finn" has the same arc as he did in the predecessor and it's a shame that he's underused from here on. His love Interest "Rose" is useless. I don't think she's acted bad but I think it's a slap in the face to the romance between "Rey" and "Finn". "Snoke" is boring and underdeveloped. He's not scary and when the twist happens, I don't really care. The throne room fight isn't the best. Some of the choreography is so bad that it becomes laughable. Another big problem is that the "First Order" is treated like a joke. The problem is the movie keeps doing it and it ends up harming itself. When the "First Order" attacks, I don't feel much tension as you haven't portrayed them as a big threat. Finally, the "Leia" in space scene was dumb and laughable. I remember seeing that and laughing and once again, I feel sorry for nearly making her a joke.
Conclusion
Whatever you think, this is my opinion. "The Last Jedi" is okay. I like most of its characters, the final fight and it's payoff is great, the action is mostly thrilling, the effects look amazing and most of the humour lands. But it's useless plotline, underdeveloped and underused characters, a poorly done action scene, an enemy that is portrayed as a joke and a supposedly emotional scene that is laughable make the film flawed and harmful to the "Star Wars" law in some cases.
I'm going to give "Star Wars- episode VIII: The last Jedi" a:
6/10.
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
A fantastic start to a trilogy that goes downhill.
"Star Wars- episode VII: The force awakens" is directed by "J. J. Abrams.
It stars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill.
In the first of the sequel trilogy, "Luke Skywalker" has disappeared as the first order rises from the ashes of the empire. Meanwhile a scavenger and a former Stormtrooper must work together to help a droid that's holding a map to "Luke" back to the resistance.
These next three reviews will get hate and praise as you either hate the sequels or love them. But after seeing the whole trilogy, I can still say I like this film.
The positives
The plot is a rehash but it still works to a certain extent. It's the characters that are still the best part of the movie though. I really like "Rey". I understand what she wants and I love the friendship she has with "Finn". Speaking of him, seeing a former "Stormtrooper" fearing the "First order" and wanting to be better is a really interesting idea. His arc is great and I wish they did more with him in the other films. I love that him and "Rey's" romance starts well. It sets up what could've been a really good romance. But my favourite character of this trilogy is "Kylo Ren". Again, he feels like a knock off version of "Darth Vader", but I love how he's conflicted from the start. It sets up an intriguing arc for the rest of the trilogy. Finally, I like how "Han" feels like a father to "Rey". I think it works well and you feel something by the end of the film. All the actor's have chemistry with each-other and it makes the relationships between them very realistic and likeable. All the acting is great. Again, the standout performance is "Adam Driver". He's one of the best actors working today. The cast from the original trilogy do a great job too. The effects look beautiful. Nearly flawless. I struggle to find any special effects that look bad. The action is thrilling and heart pumping. The lightsaber fight holds a lot of emotion and is choreographed really well. Finally, most of the humour lands mostly from "Han Solo".
The negatives
I think some characters are really underused. "Poe" could have some good development but he feels like a plot device. Although him and "BB-8" are cute together. "Leia" did nothing in the film apart from telling "Han" to bring their son home. There's also many questions that I have that should've been answered. How did this old man get the map to "Skywalker"? Why does "C-3PO" have a red arm? These are answered in books but a movie should stand by itself. Finally, this is my biggest criticism. At the end, why did "Leia" comfort "Rey" instead of "Chewbacca"? "Rey" and "Leia" never even met so why do they act like they have? "Chewbacca" just walks off and "Leia" never seems to comfort him. It's a little insulting that one of the main characters best friends is just pushed away so two characters who have never met comfort each-other. I don't feel much as I know these characters have little emotional connection.
Conclusion
Despite its misuse of characters, unanswered questions and an emotional scene of which felt insulting, I still like this film. The characters are interesting, the actors do a great job and they have plenty of chemistry, the effects are outstanding, the action is great and it has emotional weight and the humour mostly landed. This is easily the best of the sequels and it's sad that we go downhill from here.
I'm going to give "Star wars- episode VII: The force awakens" a:
8/10.
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
The worst original trilogy film that is still brilliant.
"Star Wars- episode VI: return of the Jedi" is directed by "Richard Marquand".
It stars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Ian Mcdiarmid, James Earl Jones and Billy Dee Williams.
In the final film of the original trilogy, "Luke Skywalker" and his friends attempt to free "Han Solo" from "Jaba the Hutt". While this is happening, "The Emperor" tell "Darth Vader" to capture "Luke" so he can be turned to the dark side.
The original "Star wars" trilogy is easily the best one. The first two movies are near enough perfect. While I still think this film is fantastic, it is flawed.
The positives
The plot is ok. The first act is thrilling and full of tension. While the second act stalls, the third is when the films at its best. Seeing "Luke" becoming a fully fledged Jedi was satisfying. "Darth Vader" has his redemption and the final scene between him and his son is done perfectly. "The emperor" is also fantastic. He's menacing and sinister and you want the heroes to defeat him. The effects for the most part are brilliant. Especially in the final space battle. I think the final space battle is the best out of the whole "Skywalker saga". All the action is great. The battle of "Ensor" has plenty of stakes and tension. The final lightsaber fight is one of the most heart pounding scenes in "Star wars". The chemistry between "Harrison Ford" and "Carrie Fisher" is great and it makes their romance more realistic.
The negatives
The second act is the big problem. Not only is it uneventful but some scenes are completely useless. The "Ewoks" are cute but what do they do apart from help in the final battle? The plot line of "C-3PO" being a god to the "Ewoks" lead to nothing. Most of the second act is filler. Some of the effects look terrible. The speeder bike chase looks really cheap and laughable nowadays. Same when the heroes are on the sail barge at the start of the film. Finally, I don't really like "Han Solo" in this film. He doesn't feel like the character from the first two films apart from two funny lines. He wasn't unlikeable it just felt weird and needlessly different.
Conclusion
Despite its flaws, I really like "Return of the Jedi". It's great characters, mostly good plot, thrilling action scenes, realistic romance, good comedic moments and a final scene that is very emotional make the film amazing. But a slow second act, poor special effects and a character that felt different makes the film the worst out of the original trilogy.
I'm going to give "Star wars- episode VI: Return of the Jedi" a:
8/10.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
A better sequel that Isn't afraid to get strange
"Doctor Strange In the multiverse of madness" Is directed by "Sam Raimi.
It stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Xochitl Gomez, Benedict Wong and Rachel McAdams.
In this MCU film, "Doctor Strange Is having dreams about a girl who can travel through the multiverse. When he finds out that the girl Is real and Is In danger, he seeks help from "Wanda". But he unfortunately discovers that "Wanda" has changed for the worst and he pursues on a journey through the multiverse to protect the girl known as 'America Chavez".
As of writing this, I just saw this film. It was my most anticipated film of the year for a reason. While this film Is flawed, I think It's a great movie to the MCU that's better than the original.
The positives
The plot and characters are brilliantly written. It's different and It shows the MCU Is growing up even more. This film Is creepy and It Isn't afraid to get brutal. This film Is pushing It's PG-13 rating to the limit. "Wanda" as the villain was great and her motivations are completely understandable. Her arc ends In a satisfying and emotional way. "Doctor Strange" has a similar arc to "Wanda". This film focuses on grief and accepting that you can't have everything you want. The relationship with "Christine Palmer" Is handled so much better. I actually care about the character now unlike In the first film. "Cumberbatch" and "McAdams" have chemistry and the relationship Is more believable and fleshed out more. "America Chavez" has won me over. I think she Is great. I love her development as a character and her friendship with "Doctor Strange". The two actors have plenty of chemistry and It feels like a real friendship. All the acting Is great. The highlight was "Elizabeth Olsen". She gives her best performance In the "MCU". The cameos were nice to see. There wasn't as many as I thought there was going to be but I was happy with what I saw. The action Is brilliantly done and It holds plenty of emotion. I spoke about the film being creepy and It scares you to the core sometimes. This film makes your heart pound and seeing 'Sam Raimi's" style of horror added to the mix makes It so much better. The effects are amazing. I saw this In 3D and I think It made the experience even better. The film Is also really funny. The humour Is placed In the right places and the jokes land most of the time.
The negatives
I think the biggest negative Is the pacing. This film Is two hours long and It felt longer. It's annoying because there Isn't a scene that feels out of place but some overstayed their welcome. Some of the cameos don't enhance the story and they have little development. None of them did anything significant apart from one cameo, and even that that character didn't accomplish much. Finally, this Is a spoiler so I won't say what happens. But there was one moment at the start which didn't add anything. It could've added some genuine tension later In the film but It was never used and I think It was a missed opportunity.
Conclusion
I really liked "Doctor Strange In the multiverse of madness". The story and characters are Interesting, the actors have plenty of chemistry, the acting Is great, the action Is really entertaining and emotional, the horror elements scare you and the humour lands. But the pacing, underdeveloped fan service and a wasted bit of tension lower the films grade.
I'm going to give "Doctor Strange In the multiverse of madness" a:
8/10.
Doctor Strange (2016)
A brilliant marvel film that Introduces a great character to the MCU.
"Doctor Strange" is directed by "Scott Derickson".
It stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Mads Mikkelsen, Benedict Wong, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tilda Swinton and Rachel McAdams.
In this "MCU" film, neurosurgeon "Steven Strange" damages the nerves in his hands via a car crash. Trying to get his hands back, he travels to "Kamar-Taj" where he hopes the ancient one can heal him.
To celebrate the release of the sequel to this film which as of writing I'm seeing later today, I thought I'd watch the original to see how good of a film it is and to refresh my memory on things. I really like "Doctor Strange". But it does have problems.
The positives
The plot and characters are both fairly well written. This is when "Marvel" started taking more risks and I love it. The plot is interesting and can easily be understood after a little bit of exposition. The exposition is said in the right places and it's not beating you over the head with it. Some of the characters are compelling. "Doctor Strange" is a well written character. When he loses his hands, it's horrible to see him push people away and see him struggling to accept that he can still live a good life. All the acting is very good. There isn't really a single bad performance, even from the actors portraying the underdeveloped characters. The effects were just spectacular. The "Dark Dimension" looks creepy and it's well animated. The action is brilliant. Seeing what I like to call "Wizard karate" is entertaining. The editing is really good. The action is edited well. Even heart to heart scenes are sometimes just filmed in one continuous shot and the actors do a great job to remember their lines when that happens. The film also has some good humour. They don't go over the top with it and it never feels forced.
The negatives
The main problem is the villain. I love "Mads Mikkelsen" but he's wasted here. The villain has a boring motivation and his backstory is really underdeveloped. His backstory has very little layers and it just makes him seem like a simple bad guy who just wants to change the world. The main villain "Dormammu" is underdeveloped too. The final scene with him is really cool but it has no emotion to it. The romance between "Christine Palmer" and "Steven" is underdeveloped and the worst part is they feel like friends, not lovers. There's a little bit of chemistry between the actors but nothing much.
Conclusion
Overall, I like "Doctor Strange". It's not the best but it's not the worst. It has great acting, some well written characters, an interesting plot, beautiful special effects, great action and hilarious moments. But it's other boring characters and underdeveloped romance leave minor stains.
I'm going to give "Doctor Strange" a:
7/10.
Moon Knight (2022)
Another great Marvel project that isn't afraid to get weird
"Moon knight" is the latest marvel tv show mostly directed by "Mohamed Diab".
It stars Oscar Isaac, Ethan Hawke, May Calamawy, F. Murray Abraham and Gaspard Ulliel.
This series follows "Steven Grant" who finds out he shares a body with a mercenary called "Marc Spector". "Marc" and "Steven" are sent out on a quest to stop "Arthur Harrow" from releasing a deadly god that will destroy most of humanity..
Before this show I knew near enough nothing about "Moon Knight" so I was intrigued to watch this show. I must say this show got better after each episode. At least almost.
The positives
First, the plot of this show is fantastic and different. "Marvel" is showing that they're growing up and not afraid to get weird now. The plot on paper seems confusing but the exposition is told very well. The first episode didn't explain much so that's why it's my least favourite of the show. Not to say it's bad though. The characters are well written. The villain has very understandable motivations and in some ways you do agree with what he's trying to do. Even if he is trying to achieve his goal in the wrong way. "Steven Grant" aka "Marc Spector" feel like friends thanks to the fantastic performance from "Oscar Isaac". He deserves a reward for his performance because it is flawless. It's tricky enough playing one character sometimes, never mind two. There isn't much action in the show, but when there is it's well done. Great choreography and impressive camerawork do the job. The effects are mostly good. The final scene in the third episode was just amazing to look at. The show is also really hilarious. "Steven Grant" and "Marc Spector" have great banter and in the later episodes, they feel like real friends. The chemistry "Oscar Isaac" has with "May Calamawy" who plays "Layla" is really good and the two feel like a real couple sometimes.
The negatives
The main problem I have is the final episode. It wasn't bad but it ended poorly. The ending felt rushed and it just felt like they wanted to get to the post credit scene. Some of the CGI looked really bad. Mostly in episode 5. The green screen looked terrible and sometimes and it unfortunately took me out of the show for a bit. "Moon Knight" looked like a cartoon character.
Conclusion
I loved "Moon Knight". It's not the best "MCU" show but it's made me Interested to see what "Marvel" does with the character in the future. Great performances, an interesting story, impressive action, great chemistry between the actors, mostly good special effects and hilarious moments. Just a rushed ending and poor green screen kept this show from being one of "Marvel's" best projects.
I'm going to give "Moon Knight" a:
8/10.
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
A rare perfect sequel.
"Star Wars- episode V: The Empire strikes back" is directed by "Irvin Kershner.
It stars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, David Prowse, Billy Dee Williams and Anthony Daniels.
After the destruction of the Death Star, the empire has chased the rebellion into hiding. With the rebellion now hiding on the snow planet of "Hoth", "Luke Skywalker" travels to "Dagobah to find Jedi master "Yoda" so he can be trained in the ways of the Jedi.
This is and most likely will always be my favourite "Star wars" film. The film is near enough flawless.
The positives
This film is sort of historical mostly because it has one of the greatest twists in cinematic history and has an ending which no one saw coming. The film isn't about the rebels getting another win over the empire, it's about the heroes struggling and managing to survive in the end. It's an emotional ending that is really satisfying and gets you excited for the finale. The twist is something I won't spoil but I'll always remember the first time I saw this film and just being shocked to the core with what was said. The lightsaber fight is the heat of the entire Star Wars saga. It holds plenty of emotion and it's not a fight where "Vader" and "Luke" try to kill each-other. "Vader" is toying with "Luke" to show him the power of the dark side. To try and show how powerful he can become. The characters are well written. Mostly with "Luke". He fails so much in the film. He gives up sometimes but he always tries again later. He has no fear too. He does not hesitate to face "Vader" when he has a vision. His arc also teaches us to be patient. We can't rush into things all the time no matter how much we want to do the thing we're trying to do. His teachings with "Yoda" also teach the audience in some ways. Lessons of patience and not letting your emotions get the better of you are told brilliantly. The acting is great too. Everyone does a better job in this film. The romance that develops between "Han" and "Leia" is charming. It's not awkward, the dialogue is great and the chemistry between the actors is great. The special effects look better than the first film. Thankfully "George" knew this was a great film that didn't need changing much. So we still see a lot of the original effects. Finally, the film is also incredibly funny. So many of the jokes and funny lines are placed perfectly. They don't interfere with the emotional moments and they bring some light hearted moments to an all round sad film.
The negatives
The only slight negative I have is that the film isn't laced amazingly. It feels slightly longer than it's runtime. But it's only a small negative that doesn't affect the rating.
Conclusion
"The Empire strikes back" is near enough a perfect movie. The plot, the twist, action, well written characters, special effects, romance, comedy and themes are all perfect. Apart from the pacing, the film is flawless.
I'm going to give "Star wars- episode V: The Empire strikes back" a:
10/10.
Star Wars (1977)
A historic piece of cinema that anyone can enjoy.
"Star Wars" is directed by "George Lucas".
It stars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness, David Prowse and Peter Mayhew.
"Star Wars" follows "Luke Skywalker" is sent on an adventure to save princess "Leia Organa" from the clutches of the galactic empire. With the help of a Jedi knight, a smuggler, a wookie and two droids, "Luke" must find the princess and get her to safety so an attack can be launched on the empires base.
I don't think many people will be surprised when I say this film Is a historic part of cinema. Not just because of how It revolutionised special effects but also how it created one of the most popular cinematic franchises still continuing today.
The positives
First of all, the story is flawless to the core. It creates an interesting and captivating conflict with fantastic characters. "Luke Skywalker" is one of the greatest heroes in cinematic history and it's no surprise why. His arc for this film alone is compelling. The best thing is that he relates to us in some way. We all have had those days where we wish we could be doing more in our lives and Yh is is what "Luke" wants. You don't care what he does as a job, all we need to know is that his life is boring. His journey throughout the film is satisfying. He overcomes plenty of obstacles and his journey to becoming a Jedi starts brilliantly in this film and it makes you interested to see what happens in the next film. The other characters are great too. "Han Solo" has a great arc. He learns to protect the ones he loves instead of worrying about money. "Leia" doesn't really have an arc but she's the damsel in distress who's also not afraid to fight. She has banter with the other characters which is funny and charming. "Obi-Wan" Is the mentor character who starts "Luke's" journey on becoming a Jedi. In some ways his relationship with "Luke" feels like a father and son relationship. But the villain "Darth Vader" is fantastic. In this film, he's a mysterious figure who is just plain evil. But you understand his motivations and his connection to one of the characters is compelling. The film sets up an interesting character that we want to learn more about in the later films. The story and characters are flawless in my opinion. The acting is overall excellent. I can't think of anyone else who can portray these characters. "Mark Hamill" is great as "Luke". He plays the character with heart and a lot of enthusiasm. "Harrison Ford" has always been one of my favourite actors and he once again does a great job as "Han Solo". "Carrie Fisher" is great as "Leia". She can play that badass sort of character. "Alec Guinness" is great as "Obi-Wan". Finally as always, "C-3PO" is brilliantly played by "Anthony Daniels". But the most historic part of the film is it's special effects. They still hold up today. There's only two shots where I think the effects look bad. That's an achievement for 1977. The use of models and green screen works brilliantly. This is why I don't like the special editions. They ruin a lot of the historic effects by shoving tons of cheap looking early 2000's CGI and it's so offensive. The action in the film is exhilarating. There is so much tension in every action scene. Even the first action scene has plenty of it. Hats mostly thanks to the opening title crawl. This is the best title crawl in the saga. It tells enough to understand and care what's happening. The exposition is well handled in the film. It's placed well and written in a way we can understand. The dialogue for the most part is well written too. There's the odd scene where it feels ropey and weak but you move past it as the film is entertaining. The pacing of the film is good too. The film never grinds to a halt. Every scene has a purpose and if it doesn't enhance the story, it adds tension and has plenty of stakes. Finally, The film is also really funny. The jokes that are in the film land nearly all the time.
The negatives
As I said some of the dialogue is weird but you let it off most of the time as I said. There are a couple shots where the effects don't hold up too well. That's all I can say negatively about the film.
Conclusion
"Star Wars" is a historical piece of cinema. It's plot, characters, action, special effects, music, pacing, humour and Decently written dialogue make "Star Wars" a classic. Apart from a couple of shots that looked bad and a few unfunny jokes. The film is perfect.
I'm going to give "Star Wars" a:
10/10.