ben-427-950985 Reviews

Henpocalypse! (2023– )

Fun, great performances.

[8/10 · 27 August 2023]

The highlight for this is the acting talent. There's some brilliant subtle writing in this as well as the in your face comedy. Inevitably with this kind of comedy it won't suit everyone but if it's to your tastes you should love it. The main cast work so well together and really bring out not just the outrageous laughs, but the more nuanced elements too.

The plot inevitably means it's an almost all female led series which of course will immediately trigger some anti-progressives, but not only is this needed to redress the the long standing balance and make it refreshing - politics and diversity aside, it highlights some of the incredible comedy talent we have here in the UK. These should be household names and it certainly makes me want to see more from this cast.

It feels like we're missing fun 30minute quality comedies, and Henpocalypse happily fills the need.

The Flash (I) (2023)

Fun, but needs better CGI

[8/10 · 16 June 2023]

I was very excited to see The Flash as a massive Keaton/Batman fan. Lately, being excited to see a movie has usually left me disappointed and have to say the opening sequence left me worried. I like the 'fun' side of The Flash but it was borderline silly and the CGI was not good. I stuck with it and have to say it did bring me back in.

Miller, setting aside all their off-screen issues, does a great job. In fact the whole cast, without exception give superb performances. Keaton's performance and his story were the highlight for me.

Some multi super hero movies have felt like they're cramming in too much complex plot and end up being messy and confusing with a feeling of being overly long. But I felt The Flash did a great job of keeping it simple, considering it tackles time travel and multiverse.

I like the dark stuff in DC, so I had to accept this was going to be more tongue in cheek and fun, just accept it don't think too much about technicalities or plot holes. It's supposed to be fun and it's multi-verse time travel - let's not get overly bogged down in 'well that wouldn't happen'

Some of the CGI seemed unnecessary, so when it was bad I wonder why they bothered. Just keep it practical. My biggest criticism is the CGI - it risks taking you out of the film when it doesn't look good. But stay for the plot and the performances.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)

Great balance of fun and action

[8/10 · 19 March 2023]

Definitely one of the better super hero movies of late. I love super hero movies, but even I'm getting a bit tired of some of them. Overly long, overly complicated and terrible dialogue in too many but having just watched 'Shazam: Fury of the Gods', I was very pleasantly surprised.

It has a lot of heart and is a lot of fun. Enough CGI to be impressive, not so much you get sick of it.

David Sandberg really just seems to 'get' movies. Maybe it's his ultra-independent background, but what ever genre he tackles, for me it always works.

I've been disappointed so many times with movies recently, but this one was thoroughly enjoyable. I hope we see a lot more Zachary Levi et al in the new DC universe. A solid entry to the franchise.

The Bubble (2022)

Funny, silly, brilliant

[9/10 · 29 August 2022]

I guess comedy is always subjective but this movie is just so much fun. Incredible cast that seem to be having a great time. We just laughed all the way through it. Proper switch off your brain stuff and watch talented actors have fun.

I'm not someone who thinks marking the pandemic in TV and movies is necessarily a good thing as it will date it very quickly, but The Bubble is just such a joy to watch that I didn't care. A true ensemble piece that used the comedy talents of the cast to perfection.

I really worry that so many of these easy watching entertainment films get a lot of abuse from reviews. Why have so many people lost their sense of humour? If it's not your kind of comedy (and you'll know pretty quickly) then just move on...but maybe just try taking that stick out of your rear end and lighten up a bit.

Hollow (2021)

Stunning and original

[10/10 · 29 May 2022]

Must admit, I got a bit confused seeing quite a few low scores/reviews for one of those rare films I would label a masterpiece. But checking out 'official' reviews I've only seen positive write-ups so I'm guessing the low scores are bots or trolls or maybe the odd person that just didn't get it. Hopefully the average score will rise to what it should be as more people watch this brilliant piece of filmmaking.

To be both a disturbing horror and also a touching story of Alzheimer's is an incredible achievement but that's what this film does. There's some great performances in here, clever effects, and the cinematography and direction is simply stunning. The amazing score is just the icing on the cake.

Apparently this was low budget (I don't know specifically how low) but from seeing this I certainly hope they give Jonathan Zaurin LOTS of money soon to make more of this kind of thing. Original, refreshing, moving and disturbing. What more could you ask for?

The Pentaverate (2022)

Proper fun

[9/10 · 29 May 2022]

I have just loved The Pentaverate. Mike Myers shows off his incredible talents with this fun and engaging series. Yes, it's got cheesy moments, but that's always been the fun of Mike Myers - the cheeky smile that doesn't take itself too seriously. There's some clever comedy, dark/adult comedy and it's also really well made with a superb soundtrack.

Comedy will always split opinions, but I'm just so grateful for something so fun right now.

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

Everything I wanted

[10/10 · 29 May 2022]

Had an absolute blast watching this movie. It managed to give call backs and replicate parts of the original Top Gun but rather than feeling like a predictable re-hash it kept me excited and just gave me what I wanted.

It brought the Top Gun story and ethos up to date. Brilliantly filmed, the jet scenes are breathtaking. Love the familiar faces, love the new ones. The plot wasn't too complex - it just worked and left that feel good feeling. Loved it.

Morbius (2022)

Flawed but fun

[7/10 · 5 April 2022]

Absolutely no need for some of the hate this film is receiving. The script has it's issues but at least it manages to tell the story in under 3hrs. Jared Leto and Matt Smith in particular give great performances. I liked the horror-hero vibe and certainly left me wanting to see more of the character.

Dear Hangman (2022)

Intriguing thriller - saw at special screening

[8/10 · 4 April 2022]

Dear Hangman is a well paced thriller with an interesting story. It manages to cover psychological analysis of a killer with the impact their actions have on those around and still keep a twisty plot moving along. Some great performances and a gripping story. Definitely worth a watch.

The Batman (2022)

Not too long if you're enjoying it

[9/10 · 5 March 2022]

They've done Batman in so many ways I wondered how it could be different again without being bad and I think they nailed it. This is early Batman (year 2) - they wisely skip what we don't need to see and get straight into it.

The casting is incredible. I'll be honest I had some doubts but my doubts were shattered by the performances. The idea is made clear that Batman hasn't figured out who Bruce Wayne is yet, he's too consumed with the Batman project.

I avoided reviews until I watched it and predicted the negative ones - "woke" and "boring". Yes, if you like your movies to be full of white good guys saving weak women from nasty foreigners you might get yourself all angry at any suggestion the world isn't like that. This film focuses much more on the detective side of Batman which means more scenes of figuring stuff out, rather than a constant barrage of fights and explosions - but there are plenty of fights and explosions along the way. If you don't engage your brain, you may get bored from time to time.

It's a movie, it's subjective but I really liked this one a lot more than I thought I would. Can't wait for more as they set so many things up so well.

Masters of the Universe: Revelation (2021)

It's not a repeat - now enjoy it!

[9/10 · 26 July 2021]

Yes, if you believe your childhood is destroyed by someone developing an idea you loved, addressing it's flaws and taking some bold steps with it you might well cry, get angry and write a nasty review with one star before swearing and insulting anyone who disagrees with you.

I loved the original cartoon. I'm now 45 and can't say I've enjoyed a cartoon series for a very long time but this I loved. Loved the nostalgia, loved how it developed what came before instead of just repeating it, loved how it brought it up to date, because actually as years go by - people do change their hairstyle (jeez - this seriously upsets some people!?!).

For me it had edge of your seat cliffhangers - and you know how you get that? Shock the audience, keep them guessing.

You never please everyone, and everyone's entitled to an opinion - but so many of these negative reviews just feel like they can't deal with any change. Just watch the old show if you don't want anything to change. But if you're ready to see a world you loved taken to the next level then I think this is pretty damn close to perfection.

Polterheist (II) (2018)

Wonderfully black humour & performances

[9/10 · 21 January 2019]

Polterheist manages to have a great story idea and excellent execution with some very memorable performances. The humour is pitched just right, and the characters are interesting and engaging. What more could you ask for?

Thoroughly enjoyed watching this at a film festival and would happily watch it again. Definitely one of the better U.K. indy films out there.