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Reviews
Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
Another Stinker from the DCEU
Not much to say on this one other than believe what you hear and don't waste your time. The only real reason this got 4 stars was for the 80's aesthetic and the fantastic music in it (Frankie Goes To Hollywood's 'Welcome to the Pleasuredome' as an example).
As for the movie I didn't mind Kristen Wiig's transformation into Cheetah but it came faaaaaaaar too late in the movie, which was otherwise filled up with dull as dishwater drama between Gadot and Pine. I hate to say it as I'm a huge fan of him in the Mandalorian, but I even disliked Pedro Pascal's performance. Poor all round.
To round up, if you want to watch a Superhero-Action movie with no action then this may well be for you. For the rest of us we'll just be sitting here wondering when the DCEU will reboot after this disastrous attempt to outshine Marvel.
The Mandalorian (2019)
Put Simply, it's Excellent. I Have Spoken.
I won't lie I've dreamed of a Star Wars show like this ever since I can remember, and its astounding to me that there hasn't really been a live action Star Wars show done prior to this. The Galactic Underworld is by far my favourite aspect of Star Wars, so it's no surprise that I rate this so highly. Ever since reading about such criminal entities such as The Hutt Cartel, The Black Sun Syndicate, The Zann Consortium to name a few, I've been fascinated with the galaxies criminal underbelly. This show delivers that hive of and villainy vibe perfectly, and isn't afraid to show you it's grittier side in the process.
At its essence I think what makes The Mandalorian show so great, is that offers something old and something new. Fans of the original trilogy will feel more at home with this than say the prequels or sequels, but the way the story is set it also offers something we've never seen before. It's essentially a Spaghetti Western mixed in with a Space Opera with a sprinkling of classic Samurai tales. Immediately you're thrown into familar settings but not once do you feel like you've just retraced your steps, something that the sequels (in particular The Force Awakens) have been accused of.
One thing that really struck me was the quality of the production. Obviously I knew it was going to be high end stuff, but I wasn't expecting it to be THAT good. It's quite easily movie-level special effects, sounds, and camera work, and the action scenes as you may have guessed are of the highest calibre. Disney have definitely gone all out here and for that I'm very thankful.
Character wise Pedro Pascal does a wonderful job of portraying the hard-nosed Man(dalorian)-with-no-name (sorry couldn't resist :P) pivotal lead - a character I may add makes Han Solo in A New Hope seem like a saint. He has no qualms of delivering swift justice with a blaster to anyone who may stand in his way. Questionable morals aside, there is a underlying sense of honour, duty and respect which one would expect from a member of the Mandalorian culture. Likewise Nick Nolte's guiding Ugnaught "Kuiil" offers us a more level-headed and wisened character, much in the same way that Ben Kenobi did in the original movie. Last but not least, I really must mention IG-11, a Bounty/Assassin Droid that will most likely have you laughing as well as watching in awe as he goes about his business. I for one hope to see a lot more of him in future episodes.
So in summary, this is MUST-SEE Star Wars for any fans of the franchise. Both Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau clearly an have understanding of what SW fans want, and it's quite obvious their combined love of it shows in the end product. I can only hope Disney realise this and give them greater control in the future. We're only 2 episodes in at the time of me writing this review, and I for one find myself impatiently waiting for the next installment. One thing I will say, is that I wish these episodes were a bit longer as it's not helping my fix!
10/10, I have spoken.
The Void (2016)
Hell Hasn't Been This Much Fun In Ages
First off, I've seen some negative reviews on here that have truly surprised me. After growing up as a fan of Horror during that wonderful 80's period, I can honestly say The Void felt as comfortable as it does uncomfortable, especially if you're a fan of those movies of that time. Yes there are some very strong Clive Barker influences running throughout the movie (both Hellraiser and Nightbreed for example), but I think that's what kept me hooked throughout. That with a dash of Lovecraftian themed fantasy here and there really gave this movie a lot of (albeit dark) charm. I think the last time I saw something this twisted was probably the Turkish movie 'Baskin', with which it shares a lot of similarities, but The Void tends to push the boundaries a bit further, The landscape and atmosphere are nightmarish, imaginative, and gleefully sinister and foreboding. If they set out to create a true vision of hell then I can safely say that they've achieved that goal and then some.
Its only true flaw is probably some moments of shoddy dialogue but they by no means break the movie. I can think of a lot of top box office Horror's that have far worse dialogue in fact.
One of the things that I found most pleasing was the return to practical effects, so if you're a fan of movies like Carpenter's 'The Thing' then you're in for a real treat here. I think I only saw one moment of CGI in the entire picture, which was extremely refreshing. Nothing kills horror like bad CGI ('Mama', I'm looking at you) but its obvious from the get go that this is a movie made by people who respect the genre, and want to bring it back to its roots.
Ignore the negative reviews. If you're a true fan of the genre then I'm sure you'll find a lot to love about this movie. Its one hell of a trip, literally!
Ghostbusters (2016)
This Bustin Made Me Feel Bad.
Oh where to start? Let's go back to 1984. A small 7 year old lad is taken into a cinema by his father and is completely blown away by a movie named 'Ghostbusters'. It had everything - Action, suspense, scares (be fair guys, I was only 7), an offbeat love story, great effects, great soundtrack, and lets not forget the hilariously natural comedy aspect, which at the time I probably didn't understand as much as I do now.
Fast-forward (quite) a few years later. That same lad is now a fully grown man and by sheer accident stumbles upon the news that Hollywood are being ****'s again and are remaking his favourite "kids movie". From the get-go I knew this was a bad idea, unless somehow, someway, they managed to continue the story where it left off from GB2. Well, the film finally gets released and guess what? Its an absolute shambles....what a surprise! All of those flavours that made the original so wonderful have been condensed into, for want of the better word, ectoplasmic goo. It's unfunny (aside from one scene with a certain musician), it's forced, the cast (aside from some scenes with Hemsworth) and the characters are HORRENDOUS, cringe-worthy plot, it has very little in common with the original two aside from the obvious, the effects look cheesy, they've butchered the soundtrack...I could go on and on about how bad of an experience this was but I'd be here all day and night.
This is one movie that shouldn't have been touched. Sacred ground to many, including myself. I literally can't understand any of the positive reviews this is getting. Complete and utter trash. Part of me couldn't help but think poor Mr. Ramis must be turning in his grave.
Who you gonna call? Probably waste disposal.
Extraterrestrial (2014)
Close Encounter of the Hammy Kind
What a cracking little flick this is.
If you're a fan of the Vicious Brothers (Grave Encounters) then you won't be disappointed. As expected it was hammy as hell, but a great watch from start to finish. It's strongest point was how the movie shifted. I for one wasn't at all expecting the last 20 minutes that the film provided. The thing I enjoy about the Vicious Brothers productions is that they give the viewer what they want to happen in a movie, instead of palming them off with a basic lame ending leaving them unsatisfied.
Now don't get me wrong, the film has a ton of cringe-worthy moments in terms of the script, but the overall movie is one that you HAVE to keep watching. The alien effects are down-right laughable but considering the budget (from what I hear) they did the best with what they had. It's also pleasant to see that they clearly know their audience with cameos from Michael Ironside (Watchers) and Emily Perkins (Ginger Snaps)making an appearance.
One of the top Sci-Fi Horrors I've seen this year, and despite it's faults its a must-have for any fans of the 80's golden age of the genre.
6.5/10
The Hunted (2013)
2 Men vs. One Angry Orgasm...
....should have been the title.
*SPOILERS*
I cannot put into words how bad this found-footage nonsense really is. I've seen some good ones in my time (Paranormal Activity, V/H/S 2, REC, and the Grave Encounters movies spring to mind) and I'm open to all horror movies as a life long fan...but my word: THIS IS THE WORST THING I HAVE EVER SEEN.
Zero shock factor, zero interesting footage, zero believable characters that made Blair Witch kick-start this whole fiasco, and to top it off as the title says, the hysterical factor is that that after well over an hour you literally realise you're watching two men run from the sound of an impressive orgasm. Maybe that doesn't sound like I'm dating normal people, and I'm fine with that. I'm more concerned that I had the patience to watch this garbage to the end.
I'd love nothing more than to tell you why its so bad in a critical manner, but I only have one lifetime. Full credit to the "Movie Star" Deer Buck in it though, he stole the show...along with the trumpet player that informed us so hysterically when something he thought happened never did.
Horror fans = Avoid.
Grave Encounters (2011)
An Interesting Encounter For Sure
I'm 36, a seasoned veteran in this genre, been to Horror-fest (UK) and a few other festivals, and I can honestly say that I don't know if I love this movie or not. Don't get me wrong it has some nice ideas, but with movies like this the idea is to NOT show so much. On the other hand I admire it for being more exciting that that colossal waste of time, The Blair Witch Project. A film that single-handedly created more scares from its promotional material than its actual substance.
The premise is great. Trapped idiots in a mental asylum doing the one thing we'd all love to do for a living. The action is thick, fast, engaging, and for once we're meant to hate at least one or two of the characters. But, that is where the problem lies. They're very stereotypical characters. Fame-obsessed producer/star, gay (or at least that was my impression) TV psychic and, forgive me if I'm wrong here my African descendant friends, a jumped-up overly aggressive black hero type that are becoming far too overused in modern cinema for my liking. Add into the mix an alternative thrill-seeker and a typical frat-boy intellectual / tech no-geek and literally the whole thing COULD have fell apart.
Nope. It doesn't. The scares that are good, work good. It's certainly not up there with REC., which in my opinion is the best of the found footage bunch, but its progression into madness brings the audience with it.
The big question really is - is it scary? For a seasoned horror veteran, no. Not by a long shot. For someone over the abundance of the slightly squeamish then yes, most definitely.
One thing this encounter provided best was entertainment and if you're a horror fan or not then it's worth (at least) some of your attention.
p.s. It can't be that grave if I'm about to watch the sequel now can it? ;) 6/10