sfx-882-826031 Reviews

Samaritan (I) (2022)

Perfectly Watchable Superhero Movie With Bonus Points

[8/10 · 29 August 2022]

Sit back, break out the popcorn and enjoy the ride. The movie is entertaining, a nice, straightforward story line with no multiverses or anything being everywhere all at once, and it chugges along nicely along the "and what happens next?" timeline to a decent conclusion.

Stallone looked a lot better in this movie than I have seen him for some time. A little too much plastic surgery had left him looking too much like an old woman; the beard really helped as did the special effects makeup. He wasn't too old for the role, seemed well in condition and strong.

Kids in movies are always a challenge. I felt the kid did a good job and gave a spirited performance.

I enjoyed this movie for the simple entertainment that is was.

Millennium Actress (2001)

Outstanding Concept, A Most Memorable Movie

[9/10 · 10 August 2022]

A dream within a dream ... This story and its format are exactly the kind of explorations of human memory, movies and "reality" I find so fascinating. But the smooth flowing through memory and make belief wasn't why "Millennium Actress" will stay with me. It is a beautiful film about love that moved me deeply. Kudos.

Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005–2008)

Excellent Entertainment For All The Family

[10/10 · 21 July 2022]

This is a great show, based on great characters. An absolute joy to watch all the way through, the story flows forward with passion and excitement. Watched this with my son and we enjoyed it together. We agree on 10 Stars.

The Bubble (2022)

I Chortled Repeatedly

[8/10 · 4 April 2022]

If you want to pick at this, you can find a myriad of complaints and niggles about everything. I can only say that I was dubious, but found the whole thing to be fun. I chortled repeatedly and laughed out loud a number of times. Could have it been funnier? Sure. Frankly, compared to many other myrth related offerings recently, it was a riot. In fact, I would like to see this idea developed into a Squid Game type TV show with many instalments. That would give more time to get to know the characters on the one hand, and run the film they are making alongside of it. I was going to give it 7 stars but will give it 8 instead, my contribution to encouraging folk to give it a chance.

I Am Dragon (2015)

A Russian Fairy Tale Romance, Made With Love

[8/10 · 26 February 2022]

There were many things to enjoy in I Am Dragon. I appreciated the great care and attention that was given to all the "little things" - scenes, costumes, props, everything was made with love. The story was an essential fairy tale, with many familiar components, and that too I found enjoyable after all the post apocalyptic, angst riddled and over socio-politicised offerings of late. Very much a romance story, for some lacking of battles and destruction I would imagine, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and was glad to have found it.

Dune (2021)

Overall A Good Attempt At The Beginning Of Dune

[8/10 · 13 December 2021]

I used to go to the cinema with excitement and looking forward to the experience. Now, I'm scared in case yet another previous loved IP gets trashed and leaves me sad and broken inside. I let my favourite Youtubers watch it first, like a nervous regent will let food tasters try everything to see if they will die before I take a bite. This is a sad story but how it is, and as I have loved Dune since I was a youngling, I was extra alarmed. My food tasters were still alive and even generally positive, so I took the plunge and watched this movie.

Well, it was generally a good experience, they gave it a good go, honoured the source material and created a movie that was watchable for a fan of the books. The actress playing Lady Jessica wasn't up to the job, but that was made up for by the young gentleman who played Paul Atreides. Best Paul ever. There are many things I could criticise, which is inevitable, but the reason I would say it was an overall success and deserved an 8 was that it was able to draw me into the story, and made the 2 1/2 hours flow away like sand ... When the titles run, it is a rude awakening. It should have been longer and contained more ... So, overall, a good effort, make the rest, asap, before the next variant kills us all.

Squid Game (2021– )

Intelligent, Thoughtful, Violent & Interesting

[9/10 · 27 September 2021]

So good to see a truly entertaining TV show for a change, enjoyed every single episode, a big round of applause for Korean entertainment. And don't worry about the bad VIPs, they're not in it for long and the masks are beautiful.

The Forbidden Kingdom (2008)

The Forbidden Kingdom Is Everything An Entertaining Movie Should Be

[10/10 · 31 August 2021]

I had the great pleasure to watch "The Forbidden Kingdom" starring Jackie Chan & Jet Li (2008) last night. It delighted me, and when the credits rolled I jumped off the couch and gave it a standing ovation. In recent years, I've not been impressed with so many movies, so fed up with "dark, gritty and postapocalyptic" and "issues" and general negativity and misery, for which I turn to the news, not visit a movie theatre!

Forbidden Kingdom was everything a movie should be - visit a different world where different people have different experiences, share in their ups and downs, and have a satisfying ending that leaves you happy and high, and dreaming in technicolour afterwards. Beautiful colours, interesting story, fabulous action from two of the best martial arts movie stars there ever were, consistent tone throughout, lots of humour - you can feel the love that was spent on everything from the script to the costumes, sets and scenery, to choreographing the fight scenes, the special effects. It really felt like everyone involved did their best, and I include the non-English actors emoting their lines, they did an awesome job.

Big shout out to Liu Yifei as Golden Sparrow, she owned every scene she was in. A super movie, and oh! How I wish that the EN world would come to its six senses and produce something ... just with LOVE for a change woven into the very fabric of its being. 10/10 from me.

Portals (2019)

Weird & Confusing

[2/10 · 20 August 2021]

I like the idea of the Portals and the idea of getting different directors to make a segment, but it didn't work. Perhaps it needed a fifth director to create a frame around it ... who is to say. I was going to give it one star but added a second seeing that it was a "low budget affair." But still - you can make GOOD low budget movies. You could ... try ...

Run Hide Fight (2020)

Theoretically A Good Idea

[1/10 · 20 August 2021]

There are many things that make sense in theory but in practice, they suck and don't work. This movie is a perfect example of this.

When I saw the synopsis, I was intrigued. A tricky subject; we don't want to encourage more US kids to bring out the weaponry by giving them an exciting example, right?

Imaging me sighing deeply.

This movie missed every beat that could have made it good, meaningful, more than an hour and a half you will never get back.

Oooh ... we're going to have a girl be the hero ... how stunning, how brave. What's her motivation? A dead mother. Dear Gods.

What is the motivation for the shooter? Who cares?

Do we feel sorry or appalled at the death of these young people? Ahm ... can't remember any of them, bang, rubber doll twitch, done.

There is a review I read earlier where someone goes through all the plot holes, step by step; it is a very long review, with very many steps, like you would have to climb to visit an oriental temple in the mountains.

I'll just add one of my own personal bug bears. A person, shot in the thigh, with a tournique made from a belt, running veritable marathons, not just through school corridors and cellars, but also through the woods, presumably hours now after the original injury.

I'm just shaking my head. Why do you spend so much time assembling the cast and making this movie, but pay no attention to basic things like that?

And leaving that expensive sniper rifle in the woods ... that the police failed to pick up ... oh, just stop, I could go on and on and on ...

A missed opportunity of epic proportions, and may become a fan favourite with certain people. Boy I hope not. One star. Just one.

Music (I) (2021)

Beyond The Autistic Controversy

[1/10 · 28 July 2021]

Much has been said about the bizarre treatment of the autistic character in this movie, so there is no need to re-iterate.

What disturbed me about "Music" was the general weirdness of the whole thing. It felt like the creator and that has to be Sia herself has entirely the wrong idea what happiness feels like, looks like, sounds like, smells like and tastes like. As though she is mistaking hysteria for happiness. The metaphors employed throughout were way off the mark, bordering on seriously disturbing on many occasions. This wasn't autistic, it was schizophrenic and those are not the same. I am hoping unsupervised children are not left in the room with this movie on the screen. Worrying.

Hunter Hunter (2020)

Real Homesteaders Will Have An Aneurysm

[2/10 · 28 July 2021]

What was this? What was the script? What happened with the pacing? What TH were any of the characters doing? I have no words for how much this movie annoyed me. Just horrible. Two stars for the leaves on the forest floor.

They Live (1988)

2021 Now And We Need Those Glasses!

[10/10 · 26 June 2021]

First time I've seen this movie and was so impressed with the story, which is a metaphor for "looking beyond the obvious" and so much more beside. Could not be made today, and yet it is exactly the kind of story and message we need right now. We need those glasses. Ten stars all around.

Riverdance: The Animated Adventure (2021)

I've Been & Seen About Every Thing ...

[1/10 · 26 June 2021]

I didn't make it all the way through. I have literally no idea what the thinking behind this total madness was supposed to be. I have no idea who wrote this, or who thought this would make for any kind of project. There is literally nothing about this crazy thing that is commendable. I'm still shaking my head, five days after having had the misfortune to see half of it. Insanity. Save your children.

Kindred (I) (2020)

Rosemary's Baby Without ...

[2/10 · 26 June 2021]

Rosemary's. Baby set in the countryside instead of New York, and without any of the ... wit, intrigue, magic, dialogue, tension, drama, interest, rhyme, or reason. Some of the actors tried a bit, the two stars are for them. Just re-watch Rosemary ...

Tenet (2020)

2 1/2 Hours Of My Life I'll Never Get Back

[2/10 · 29 September 2020]

Gave the two stars for the opening sequence in the opera house, which was intriguing and tense. After that, it was all downhill for me. I described this film as a James Bond film, where James Bond (Washington) goes to somewhere to meet someone, then he goes to somewhere else to get a thingy, and so on, and in every location, there's a plane crash, a car chase, a boat race and so forth.

Here, interspersed we have some sort of inverted time plot that tries to be intelligent but is really quite nonsensical.

At 1 hour and 45 minutes into it, I had lost the will to live.

Previous reviewers mentioned the bad sound choices, explosions and sound track too loud, dialogue muffled and usually unintelligeble (if ever it made any sense, which I doubt sincerely, still, it would have been nice to be able to hear it).

I will also add the total lack of human traits in the characters, notably the two main protagonists, notably the star/hero (Washington). I'm shaking my head as I'm writing this.

I would also say that Brennagh's performance was incredibly disappointing. Not once did I feel real menace from him. I have no idea what happened, he has proven he can act, and I think this may be an indication of the essential problem with this movie.

The director failed to elicit performances from the actors; had no interest in the characters, was too focused on the special effects and clearly in love with this inversion thing.

If you go nuts at the idea of time inversion, this is the movie for you. If you don't, well ... good luck to you.

Abominable (2019)

Amazed & Delighted

[10/10 · 3 September 2020]

I was amazed and delighted at this movie. I wasn't expecting much, in fact was ready to hide behind a cushion, the remote control at the ready, in case it was yet another preachy, dreary, current Hollywood style piece of propanda, but it wasn't!

Yay!

The characters were actually likeable, the animation was great, the scenery truly stunning. The colours were bold, bright and beautiful, something I have come to appreciate more and more as time has gone on, and the story kept me entertained, often laughing out aloud.

A beautiful movie on every level, suitable for full family viewing, and I wish and hope to see more from Pearl Studio in the future.

Full ten stars.

Okko's Inn (2018)

Everything Good & True That Hollywood Has Abandoned, Right Here

[10/10 · 16 July 2020]

I am an adult person who is simply tired, nay exhausted, with all the churned out negativity, post apocalyptic, dark, depressing, soul sucking churn out from the anglosphere.

On a rainy day, I decided to watch this anime in the hope of a little colour, in the hope of a little hope.

Two hours later, having laughed, and cried, and clapped, in other words, having been thoroughly entertained for a change, I knew I had to come here and write a review.

This is just a beautiful movie, a delightful story that stays with you.

Okko's Inn has the purity of spirit, of love, of energy that is so sadly lacking in the Anglosphere these days and I did not realise just how much I was missing this.

Ten stars and THANK YOU to the creators.

Headlock (2019)

Go go go insane? NO THANK YOU.

[1/10 · 22 October 2019]

Now normally I review a movie with the idea that I liked it, or didn't like it, and I give my reasons why this is so.

This is a whole new category for me - a movie that will make you sick. The final music track right at the end sings, "We'll make you go insane!" Yup. That's right. That's the idea.

I feel incredibly sorry for anyone who is stuck in a cinema and has this happen to them. Dreadful sound that veers constantly between near unintelligeble dialogue and BAM! CRASH! WALLOP!!! at screaming pitch; relentless crash-flashing-unintelligeable shot shifts that never cease, I just have no words.

Yes, I do. AVOID. This is not a movie, it's ... barbed wire to the eyeballs, hot neeedles in the ears and probably MK Ultra hidden messages cut in between.

Doesn't deserve to be called "a movie."

The Lion King (2019)

Soulless, Heartless, Loveless

[1/10 · 25 August 2019]

Did I just describe the entire Disney corporation there? Is there any actual talent anywhere, anyone with a vision?

On the basis of this horrendous re-make of a wonderful movie, the answer has to be clearly, NO.

How this movie has a 7 rating is beyond me.

I have little to add to what the other reviewers are saying here - the CGI is OK, the songs are rubbish, the whole tone/feel is wrong; and I wish I'd never seen this at all.

If you loved the original Lion King then you're better avoiding this Frankenstein's monster of a movie.

Monsters: Dark Continent (2014)

It's Not Sharknado - And Thank God For That!

[10/10 · 25 August 2019]

I was completely astonished when I saw the negative reviews for this movie, and decided to give it a 10 to redress the balance a bit.

I found it captivating from the start, a sense of being there and being a part of the character's experience.

I also thought that it was a showcase in PTSD, and extremely well portrayed.

The monsters are mesmerizing in all their varied forms, there is a story here that is fascinating, a cinematic universe that could create many, many movies.

I guess if you're expecting Sharknado, or It came from the desert, you would be dreadfully disappointed.

But if you like an unusual, intelligent film and some serious visual story telling, perhaps you'll like this too.

13 Graves (2019)

I was entertained :-)

[7/10 · 11 July 2019]

This is not your average 50 million Hollywood production (what DO they spend all that money on?!) BUT ...

It was thoughtfully filmed. The script was thought out, and there was a story. The acting was much better than your average low budget movie, and it got better as the movie progressed. The idea and the resolution at the end was interesting. I particularly appreciated the absence of "stock horror moments." Thank you. Above all else, I watched this movie from start to finish, didn't wander off, didn't check my phone, and I was entertained.

Good effort, and I look forward to seeing more from this production team.

Bad Times at the El Royale (2018)

An Absolute Gem Of A Movie

[9/10 · 10 February 2019]

I absolutely loved this from the moment it began, through the middle and all the way to the end.

A great script and some excellent performances, a never-to-be-seen-again set, fabulous use of music throughout, perfect timing - a true cinema joy.

Standing ovation to cast, crew and production team.

If you love real movies (with intelligent scripts and actual acting) this is for you.

Das Boot (2018– )

Ill Conceived And Deeply Annoying

[2/10 · 8 February 2019]

The original "Das Boot" TV series is on my top 10 of all times. I was curious what a new version could possibly have to offer but decided to keep an open mind.

I hardly know what to say. The first ten minutes are of a woman which was as boring as it could be. Who was she, and why should we care?

Oh, it's got to be diversity. Awaiting the black and Asian crew members of the submarine with bated breath ...

I just don't know when I started wailing, WHY OH WHY ...

They stole the idea and added pointless nonsense. They stole the title. They stole the music and made it sound lame as the lame lama that won last year's lame lama competition. What was that, a French horn synth? Oh, I don't care ...

Appalling. Pointless. An insult to the original. Shameful exercise in producing something on the back of something that is great, because clearly, you do not have any ideas, any scriptwriters, any decent directors of your own.

Two stars because the actors sort of tried.

Pleasantville (1998)

Delighted to have watched this movie

[9/10 · 29 December 2018]

There comes a time when you watch a movie because there's nothing else on, expecting it to be "Meh ..." and it gives you a wonderful surprise.

I love it when that happens!

I found this movie to be thoughtful, really original, intelligent and highly entertaining. The performances were good, some where outstanding.

I will remember Pleasantville long after 99% of Hollywood dross has been completely forgotten.