wrigco Reviews

Lullaby (IV) (2022)

my ears are still ringing

[3/10 · 21 June 2024]

This is truly one of the worst movies I've seen for a long time. I think the parents were driven mad by the baby's interminable screeching and the rest of the movie is them in an insane asylum. I know I felt like I was in one.

Poor Popo. That was enough to make me hate this even more. The only likeable one with any character.

The thing is, I like stories based on old myths and religious claptrap. But can the monsters be a little more original please. They all look and sound the same. The babies in this were laughable.

So they had a "twist" at the end - but I think we could all see that one coming.

Expend4bles (2023)

expendable is now expended

[4/10 · 16 June 2024]

Look, if you want to make an action flick starring Jason Statham with lots of bad stunts and deplorable CGI, blowing up things and lots of extras being shot to bits with machine guns, then , by all means , do so - but don't add in a few extra characters for show and then call it an Expendable movie. Especially do not include the awful Megan Fox parading around showing off her new lips. Ugh.

This started off OK. I liked Andy Garcia and Dolf Lundgren, hanging in there, all speed to him, I hope he smashes that cancer.

Whee was the irreverent banter and humour.

There must be something wrong with me, because I never found the ending funny.

BlackBerry (2023)

ah... blackberry bye bye

[7/10 · 14 June 2024]

Anybody who was anybody had a Blackberry back then. I remember how proud I was of mine too! After that came Nokia, who also experienced a massive fall from grace after stratospheric heights.

I don't know how much of this is poetic licence - the characters seem to be too almost cartoonish. However, we all know how it turned out for them in the end. Despite knowing all this, I found myself dreading the end. I never found any of the characters very likeable but still, you can't but help rooting for them.

How on earth did the NHL story just pop up like that out of nowhere..silly man.

Sad, really. What could have been...

Little Fish (2020)

forgettable

[5/10 · 7 June 2024]

This little movie begs the question - why do people fall in love? And why do they stay in love or fall out of love for that matter. Do you have memories when you first fall in love... this is the question. So why does it happen. Memories are wonderful things, but I would posit - if you really loved someone, surely some smidgeon of why you had that feeling in the first place would remain, even if you don't remember actually meeting them any more. I guess we might never know. Who can tell us - everyone has forgotten.

Anyway, this was too long - it would have been better off as a short I think although the concept was good. Far too many drawn out scenes with lots of talking, the scenes with the dog affected me the most.

Us (II) (2019)

not clever enough

[5/10 · 6 June 2024]

This movie seems to me to be trying too hard. It's too much and not enough all in one and unravels after a while.

There are other detailed reviews so I won't go into the story, but a lot left me very frustrated.

What's with the red overalls? They insist they're human, flesh and blood and just like their doppelgangers, but where is the evidence of any food or water below the surface? Just a bunch of dormitories and bunny rabbits - how did they procreate, or didn't they. How where they created when a new child was born up above?

Why don't they speak - grunt, grunt... really? A lot of double jointed almost super powers too, very hard to kill - why - they're just "normal".

I think it began well and then got lost up it's own bum.

The Outfit (2022)

a pleasant slow boiling surprise

[9/10 · 2 June 2024]

From the beginning you realise that this movie is going to be one of those slow burners that either picks up pace and surprises you , or just meanders along until the ending and totally disappoints. For me, this is one of the first.

Despite knowing that all is not as it seems, the start is rather slow and I wasn't sure if I was going to stick it out. However, once past the initial 10 minutes the ball starts rolling and the story unfolds.

Despite a high body count there isn't a lot of spectacular violence. Rather, the kills are pretty much as they would be in real life. They all take place in the Tailor's shop or, as he refers to himself "the Cutter" - a professional.

Just when you think the movie is ending, there is a further 10 minutes or so, at which time you can work out the rest of the plot if you haven't already. Nevertheless, it was still tense and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The acting was great all round but I would have liked to see a bit more of the supporting cast.

57 Seconds (2023)

nothing to see here

[5/10 · 2 June 2024]

Boring. Both leads are unlikeable, and please, did they just get married within 2 days of meeting? What am I missing. And where did she get that Mercedes convertible that she sped off in in a huff? She was quite willing to accept all the little luxuries until she got the zig when he was a non-show for her exhibition. Frankly her "art" was terrible too. Who would buy that rubbish?? Ah, yes Morgan freeman, no doubt with some nefarious intention - what else could explain such bad taste.

The baddies were the best part of this movie. I actually found the constant recurring scenes of the 57 seconds" re-dos a bit irritating after a while. One of them, where he tries to get the safe combination went on forever.

The ending was supposed to make us root for them I think, but it was just plain silly.

5 is generous.

Apples Never Fall (2024)

promising start

[6/10 · 30 May 2024]

I have to say, I did not love Annette Being's character. In fact, I found myself actively disliking her. I also found Sam Neill's permanent sneer immensely irritating - what a couple. No wonder they had all those hidden under the surface issues.

I haven't read the book, but I'm guessing the series is missing something - I could not care less about this entitled, selfish, whiny bunch. They all seemed to be operating in some sort of a "me me mee" vacuum.

I did like that it tried to tie up loose ends, but really, the plot just defied all logic. For some reason I also found the "then and now" switching back and forth distracting.

It could have been quite good. It isn't.

Funny Woman (2023– )

on the fence

[6/10 · 28 May 2024]

I'm on the fence with this one. I thought I was enjoying it but I don't think I actually was. Not as much as expected anyway.

I found the main character annoying and a bit unlikeable. It was hard to root for her and the final scene with all that blabbing - she would have been fired and that's that. It was the 60's ! It seems that the series was supplanting those times for a modern take. I don't think it worked.

At time it was amusing, but definitely not funny. Slapstick was considered hilarious back then but it hasn't aged well.

So a bit of a hit and miss, the music was wonderful though and the best thing about the series.

Fast Charlie (2023)

enjoyable caper

[7/10 · 26 May 2024]

I really enjoyed this movie, despite the polarising reviews here I actually found it quite entertaining. Pierce Brosnan as an ageing "fixer" for some mob pulls it off and I found the repartee between him and the excellent Morena amusing despite an "ick" factor due to the age difference. I just can't get past that - thankfully there was no physical stuff to reinforce this factor.

That aside, it was easy watching. There wasn't anything to strain your concentration and worry about plot twists and contra twists and so on, so popular nowadays.

It's not meant to be an action movie either, so leave those expectations at the door. Nevertheless there are a number of creative deaths and James Caan in his last role adds a level of poignancy. Sharon Gless was a hoot too, I would have loved to have seen more of her!

Awake (2007)

nice little thriller

[7/10 · 25 May 2024]

This was a brightish spot amongst some real stinkers I've seen recently. We're not talking Oscar material here, but Lina Olin I have always liked, and I thought her Mother/Son relationship worked well.

Jessica Alba and Terence Howard were both great and believable and Haydn Christensen and Christopher McDonald were a pleasant surprise.

The whole concept of the plot is what makes it a thriller, but. God, what kind of people are these??? Much of it stretches the credulity. However, it's supposed to be about good and bad, so just leave that scepticism at the door and you get quite an entertaining thriller ( nice and short, too, for anyone who has read any of any of my other reviews may have noticed a big plus for me!)

Retribution (I) (2023)

A generous 6

[6/10 · 19 May 2024]

The best part of this movie was its length - a nice 90 minutes. Any more than that and this review would drop by a star for each additional 5 minutes.

It starts off interestingly enough. The usual bratty kids being rude to their Father when he unexpectedly picks them up from school.

Yawn.

Then he gets the call about the bomb under his car seat apparently rigged to explode if pressure is released and somehow activated by cell phones.

The so-called dialogue is terrible. Perhaps Liam Neeson said - look, I don't want to learn a whole lot lines for this rubbish - so just give me the same lines with a few variations. Listen to me, It wasn't me, I didn't do this etc etc.

Why didn't he stop the car and get out when there was no signal in the tunnel?

Other reviews have already covered the terrible "logic" so I won't go into them again.

Hilariously, one them said it reminded them of a DSTV movie and that's where I watched it.

Twisted Vines (2022)

tries but misses the boat

[6/10 · 19 May 2024]

This looked intriguing from the short synopsis i glimpsed just as it was starting. I missed the very beginning but don't think that was a train smash in any way. Because the entire movie was confusing with a bunch of uninteresting characters.

I perked up when I thought I recognised Michael Pare - oh, Streets of Fire - where are you now, sob. Still a good looking man although a bit on the seedy side now, or perhaps that was in character. I hope so. The extra star is for him for old time's sake and good memories.

Anyway, a couple of people get bumped off at this wedding, and of course one of them did it. But the guilty party drives off at the end and the MIL's bag had some significance but don't ask me what.

I was still waiting for the finale when the credits came up.

Freelance (2023)

C Grade movie

[5/10 · 12 May 2024]

John Cena looks like a model of a wooden action figure. His acting is only slightly better. OK, it's not BAD, but, I don't know.. I was looking forward to a nice comedy for a change. They seem to be in such short supply lately.

The whole South African Mercenaries thing. Please, the world has moved on. Why not just make them Australian seeing as how the accent kept popping in. Oh, sorry, I see he is actually from New Zealand.

Anyway, the guy who played the dictator was the most amusing thing in this film. I also quite liked his nephew or cousin or whatever who wanted to be a revolutionary but was sick when his underling got shot in from of him.

I snoozed in a lot of it, so no fireworks here.

Oppenheimer (I) (2023)

just seen not madly impressed

[6/10 · 5 May 2024]

Finally got to see the great Oppenheimer but unfortunately on a laptop screen so I guess a lot of the effect was lost. Nevertheless, I still found it long and confusing. I was able to slip off to the loo and also make coffee without seeming to miss anything of any great portent. In fact, this is a move that you can watch by "listening", there is so much chatty, chat chat by people sitting down. How on earth do they remember all those lines???

I never even knew Josh Hartnett was in it and I thought he did a fine job as did Matt Damon. There were a few other recognisable faces who did OK too.

At one stage I found the eye makeup - eyeliner especially, distracting on Oppenheimer. I don't like to see too visible make-up.

I never found him to be much of a sympathetic character either.

Rosie Molloy Gives Up Everything (2022)

Terrible

[1/10 · 29 April 2024]

I'm baffled why anyone would think this is a good show. I don't know the lead actress, but she is simple terrible, although admittedly she carries off the part of a druggie and alchie very well. The thick make-up just makes it worse and adds to her general dissolute appearance.

None of the characters are particularly likeable.

I love Ardal O'Hanlan he looks on his neck half the time too... perhaps he was.. lol. Pauline McLynn could still have been on Father Ted, a far better prospect for both of them imho.

I couldn't have cared less if she gave it up or not, she clearly did not want to and I have no time for people like that, and the chaos they cause in other people's lives.

Not amusing at all.

Mafia Mamma (2023)

not a funny film

[1/10 · 28 April 2024]

I sat stoney-faced throughout this Mafia "satire". It could have been funny, but it just wasn't.

I have never been a big fan of Toni Collette, but her ham acting in this really makes you cringe. I liked the two bodyguards and the stunning Monica Bellucci can make toilet paper sing. Hence the star. The entire movie was sort of a mash-up between a high school comedy and a sort of Mills and Boon romance novel or whatever they call them nowadays, with some blood and gore thrown in for good measure.

The opening scene was a portent of the awfulness to follow.

I think I might the supposed target audience for this, so there you go. Make of that what you will.

The Bay of Silence (2020)

ja nee

[5/10 · 27 April 2024]

Not as bad as some say. Not that good either.

I thought the twins were quite creepy and could have been incorporated into the story a bit more. I felt for the Dad, but he made some strange decisions.

The Mother looked the part but I felt strangely unsympathetic towards her. In fact, none of them came off in a positive light at all.

The ending was very weird. I get it, but , meh.

I'm giving stars for atmosphere it did feel sort of baroque - dark and interesting. But that wasn't enough.

I wasn't entirely bored, but i did skip large sections. I'm also not sure how the baby died and why he would choose to bury it. You could see quite clearly it was a doll. So nothing much to care about there.

White Lies (2024– )

Abysmal

[1/10 · 25 April 2024]

I can't believe I actually watched all of the episodes of this really just absolute rubbish junk.

You knew right from the start where the story was going, even the supposed "twist". It couldn't have been more obvious. The acting was horrendous, even from Natalie Dormer who at times, seemed to be the only one trying. Although I did think the daughter was slighter better than the son, not that that says much. How were two underage kids allowed to stay in that huge mansion on their own anyway, with not even any "help".

I certainly hope they aren't thinking of a second series, please god no.

I'm giving 1 star for the awesome Cape Town scenery. I wanted to laugh when she waded out into that freezing cold Atlantic Ocean. You put your toe into that water and you think it's going to drop off, ha ha.

The whole thing is just plain bad.

Mandy (I) (2018)

red gore with lots of white teeth

[4/10 · 20 April 2024]

I'm with the low reviews here. I don't generally like slasher movies anyway and this one wasn't really all that different as all the 10's on here seem to think. However, the amount of blood that spurts out of and into various orifices etc blends in with the constant depressing red background of the film so that it had a bit of a numbing effect for me. It could have been anything - at times it resembled paint it was so thick. So, I, who would normally look away in disgust found it a bit meh.

Did he leave one of the cult members alive? Was she an innocent? Not clear on that one.

My abiding memory of this is Nic Cages' red bloody face and awesome shining white teeth. Those American teeth are everywhere.

I think some of the acting was OK, thus the 4 stars.

Fear the Night (2023)

Not even sure about the 5

[5/10 · 14 April 2024]

I'm really on a roll with bad movies lately. I think this is the 5th one in a row. I watched it because it seemed like the best option in that time slot. Hoo boy.

Actually it started off OK. The tension between the 2 sisters is believable, although we're not told why it exists. The 3rd sister just sort of pops up and out in short order even though the entire film is based on the premise that they are all gathered to celebrate her bachelorette party. No idea who the groom or groomette is though.

Anyway, it just gets silly after that. The bad guys arrive and they attack using bows and arrows. No-one thinks to barricade the windows with cupboards or anything. Poor 3rd sister just lies on the couch with an arrow in her chest and no-one seems to really care, not even her 2 sisters.

What happened to all the guns that were stored in the shed, they disappeared - but where to?

I guess the survivors got away with the money in the end, but why does she drive away with the 3rd girl who puts her hand over hers whilst driving. Is that significant? Why?

I quite liked Beth, go figure, so that's why it 5 instead of 4.

High Heat (2022)

Not that Bad

[6/10 · 13 April 2024]

OK, listen I don't know why Reviewers take movies like this so seriously. It's obviously a light puff piece and not going to win any prizes or anything. You can watch it with half and eye, have a little laugh and then get on with the rest of your day or night and forget all about it.

I did enjoy the twins especially, a nice little touch there I thought, and NOT something you see regularly in movies. Gary the masseuse was also amusing. The Mafia guys were really bad though.

Best of all, this is a nice short movie and doesn't outstay its welcome.

I didn't love the ending - they could have done more with that it sort of just fizzled out.

Infinity Pool (2023)

utter shlock

[1/10 · 11 April 2024]

There is nothing redeeming about this dreck. There was some spectacular scenery, but unfortunately we were treated to another sort of scenery instead which got tiresome pretty quickly.

The beginning showed promise but this soon degenerated into one repetitive gory or depraved sex scene after the next.

Are we to gather from this that every single person that has the opportunity to gain some sort of anonymity will descend into depravity and sado masochism? And then these same people just revert to normal after they've had their fun for the week. Puhleeze.

I watched to the end in case there was sort of message or point, but I could have saved myself the trouble.

I don't think I can ever look at Alexander Skarsgaard in the same way again. Lol.

The Regime (2024)

disappointing

[6/10 · 8 April 2024]

This was a series with so much potential. Funny, no - at least I never found anything to laugh at, but satire does not need to be side splittingly hilarious.

I would have loved to see more of Andrea Riseborough. I thought she was one of the more interesting parts of the series, but it was not to be. What happened to the child? Throughout the entire 6th episode Kate Winslett's character does not enquire about him once. Even for a megalomaniac that is quite something.

I seem to be one of the few that did not take to the "butcher". I found her fascination with him quite baffling.

I agree with those who think that Kate Winslett had too much screen time to the detriment of the other characters. Less is more. And this could have been so much more.

The Independent (2022)

just plain boring

[4/10 · 7 April 2024]

I don't know what planet the person is on that thought this was prime time Sunday night movie fare.

Given the state of current American politics this is positively quaint. I admit to skipping large sections and never missed much.

Anyway, it drones on and on. The lead, whom I've never heard of sounds like she's reading points from a political spreadsheet with the same expressions throughout. Brian Cox could not save this.

I didn't think John Cena did too bad a job.

I suppose it might have been interesting when it first came out, but even then there were far more fascinating things about the elections to make a movie about.