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Reviews
Renfield (2023)
Best Cage movie in decades
I've liked Nic Cage since "Wild At Heart". Sadly, he is prone to over acting. In films like "Raising Arizona" such a performance is warranted, infact needed. Like a very early effort of his, "Vampire's Kiss" this one also needed an over the top performance. That film appears comedic to start with, mainly due to its absurdity, but descends into sadness and disquiet by the end. This time, a lighthearted tone persists. Nicholas Hoult and Awkwafina also shine, with comedic roles, and this vibe mixed in with the violence and gore, worked, in a sort of "Kickass" way. Keeps you entertained, probs enough these days.
The Queen's Gambit (2020)
Loved it
Really enjoyed this. Not my usual fare from Netflix, but I think Anya Taylor-Joybis an exceptional actress. Someone gave it 6, but also didn't know/ understand what a mini-series is.
Nuff said !
Prometheus (2012)
Dumbed down scifi
Won't rehash what so. Many others have said. But this is currently at 7/10? A sad indictment, really.
Things went pear-shaped at alien 3, mainly because Fincher was not left alone, and all subsequent releases were a steaming pile of poo.
This, and Aliwn Covenant have no excuse whatsoever. All those years to come up with this nonsense? Wow.
Red Notice (2021)
True waste of time
Ryan Reynolds has good comedic timing, and that save a lot of his scenes.
The Rock, well, the Rock is a wrestler turned actor.
Gal Gadot has no such excuse. A cardboard cutout would have fared better.
I sense a continuing agenda here, which began with her debut in Batman Vs Superman.
Thing is, as time progresses, it is becoming self-defeating. Certain power players will stop pushing it eventually.
Dune (2021)
These aren't the critics you're looking for.
"More of a remake of Lynch's film"
Really?
Errmm, both are based on a book. Called Dune. Not written by Lynch.
A book with a notoriously complex plotline, considered hard to film.
Lynch tried to, in 2h17m.
Villeneuve tells about half of it, in a longer run time.
Guess which one makes sense ?
CGI notwithstanding, Villeneuve's casting is better.
Lynch was ridiculed for casting his muse, MacLachlan, in the role pf a boy.
Sting popped up, inexplicably.
To be fair, Lynch had an epic task, and isn't known for straightforward storytelling, which is what this sweeping saga needs.
Most of what Villeneuve portrays works.
Knocked off a couple of points for the soundtrack, which is just too bombastic.
As a result, dramatic scenes have no greater impact, lost as they are in the cacophony. Zimmer is better understated form.
Regardsless, enjoyed this adaptation of one of my favourite novels. I am sure the second part will be more of the same.
His Dark Materials (2019)
Things that made me laugh
1) Daemons is being pronounced demons. Yep, that's what Philip Pullman wanted. You know, Philip Pullman, the author of the books, and Executive Producer of this series. Not to be confused with Philip Pullman, Unix programmer.
2) I never saw so many black people in Oxford.........I was a student at Oxford.
Yeah....the second part of that statement sort of explains the first. As a student at Oxford, I'm guessing you never went anywhere south of Cowley, like maybe Blackbird Leys ??!! Also, you seem to have missed the whole alternate world bit. We are being shown Lyra's Oxford here. Are these characters black or white in the books, and does it matter? Perhaps this had the Executive Producer's blessing, may have even been his idea?!!
3) Sort of GOT, but for children. Yes, well done. This is based on a trilogy of books that were written for children. You are very good.
4) Why leave things out from the books and then add other things to pad it out? Well, maybe the Executive Producer ( you know, the author) decided to make , or authorise changes that he liked? No ?
5) This is a ripoff of the film " The Golden Compass". I pray that the person who left this comment has my sense of humour.
6) seems to be Harry Potter lite. Credit where credit is due, others have already quickly pointed out which was written first, but as per my title, this made me laugh. Spot the non-readers out there.
7) It's the same thing as The Compass but longzz.... Shall I break this down with 8 episodes of tv series Vs. a film, or not ?!!
Anyhoo....having watched the first 4 episodes, I really like it. Can't wait for Will to be introduced. Should be series 2( = book 2), but Pullman is changing some of the timelines, so might even be earlier.
Aquaman (2018)
Bad beyond belief
I still don't get the 10/10 reviews. TBH, I never got the constant feuding between marvel and DC fans. I grew up reading both , and liked the heroes/villains/plotlines, not which company was behind it.
But, whatever.
This film is atrociously bad. I mean, they are spending millions upon millions, for cgi and actors' salaries, but have missed the basics : a decent storyline, with credible dialogue. This, I feel, was aimed for a more junior audience than myself. Venom was quite a bit better, and he is an antihero.
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
Ignore Butt-hurt Anti Disney Brigade
Not the worst, not the best. Certainly not a 1. Disney pretty much made all their money back with their first Star Wars film. This continuous protest is not going to make them sell : it's all profits now.
Fans who claim the prequels were better than this new crop of Disney outings are not real fans at all.
Real fans do not acknowledge the presence of the prequels, they were that bad, and proved that George had really lost his way ( warning signs were in ROTJ ).
We asked for more Star Wars. We got it with Force Awakens, A New Hope clone. The last jedi is continuing the story, and the final instalment will conclude it. The spinoffs are enjoyable enough. Rogue one was an unexpected surprise. Solo is a little above average, certainly not 1/10.
Wake up people. All those years of asking for more Star Wars, and now every offering becomes an anti-corporate protest.
Some people have notoriously short term memories.
Anyhoo, to redress the balance, it's a 10 from me.
Traffik (2018)
Fakers gotta fake
Check the 9/10 reviews, invariably their first and only.
A good B movie, and that is all.
Boone: The Bounty Hunter (2017)
Fakedy Fake Fake
This was as fake as the US general Election. You have been warned.
Alien: Covenant (2017)
Something Rotten in Denmark
Page after page of one star reviews ( they, like me, couldn't give a zero) but it manages 6.5 ? Hmm. A worrying trend on IMDB.
Anyhoo, A msg to Ridley Scott : Please, please, just let it go a bit. You know how you stepped back a little as exec producer for Blade Runner 2049 and a great film was the result ? Well try that with Blomkamp. He has a great idea and is a genuine fan. Unlike the rest of us fans, he can actually do something about it. That's it. Rant over !! Oh yeah, awful film !!
Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
Wow. Spot the prequel fanboy !!
I thought it was average. After the travesty that was the prequel trilogy, everyone clamoured for " more Star Wars " and that was exactly what Abrams gave us, down to a virtually cloned episode 4, but that was what was being called for. Thankfully, this was not another Empire, much as I like that movie. This was well thought out and well executed, with an ensemble cast who, for the most part, can actually act out good dialogue. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and this , together with rogue one, is making the prequel trilogy a distant memory, thank goodness !! People can say what they like about Disney, but they DO know how to employ people who can actually write a coherent script.
Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Awesome
I saw the first blade runner at age 13, and it had a profound effect on me. This film manages to continue and expand that sense of wonder. Thank God that Ridley was only executive producer. After his truly awful efforts with the Alien franchise recently, I am glad he was not front row centre on this one. many, many other reviewers have said it : Denis Villeneuve does a really good job at directing this. The cinematography surpasses the first film, and the CGI is restrained and unnoticeable, as it should be. Hampton Fancher's script is well thought out and considered. My only small gripe is that Zimmer's soundtrack is a bit jarring in some scenes, with too much crescendo and fanfare, where more restrained, orchestral overtones would have proved more memorable. But my bias for Vangelis' superb original is perhaps coming through. Otherwise, best film I have seen in ages. Well done to all for not ruining my childhood memories !!