donmurray29 Reviews

Speak No Evil (2024)

Great looking madness, English crazyness

[7/10 · 13 September 2024]

Giving this an 7/10 rating

Thriller and horror with James McAvoy on mad duty, and good at it. It starts off beatify and lovely lovely and the most part, that is what it is, thanks to McAvoy, Scoot McNair, Mackenzie Davis and Aisling Franciosi, and the big draws are Alix West Lefler and Dan Hough and the two kids that you cannot take your eyes off as they pull the strings of the movie.

IMDB say this a remake of Danish film from 2022, so how it compares since I can't remember it, so I don't know. But this is good fun as the acting is just so good as is the story, again, you sit in the cinema, at late night, and it entertains, not dull at all, just the end could be a bit better, in some parts.

You'd be forgiven of thinking of 'Straw Dogs' after this, and that's a fair point to make out, this is good stuff if you want crazy stuff.

Starve Acre (2023)

Stark, bleak but very good horror with rabbits

[7/10 · 13 September 2024]

Giving this an 7.5/10 rating

Set deep in the 1970's England in the middle of nowhere, this is a slow burner horror that starts with death, and ends with death?? Bleak looking in look and story, you really have to be invested in this, otherwise you might miss the wheels turning.

Matt Smith and Morfydd Clark are very slight and calm, both deliver in the acting department, Erin Richards ties the three all in. Tragedy is turned into a weird kind of rebirth, a family brought together and torn apart by strange going ons in muddy England. Spooky music that works and a simple run time help this film not out stay it's welcome.

The browns and blacks set the background, with blood really being the only colour here, on purpose I see. You will like Rabbits after this. I liked this as it was a surprise, in a good way. Great ending, you must decide.

Rob Peace (2024)

Boring, tired urban drama that you can miss

[5/10 · 13 September 2024]

Giving this an 6/10 rating

Chiwetel Ejiofor takes on writing and directing for the first time in this weak, bland film. The problem is the seen before story of a black person who can be better, then takes the wrong path to disaster. Yet another urban drama doing this tired theme.

At two hours, you get really bored, and just don't care for any of the cast, even the main character, just seen it all before, done better, done worse, too. Chiwetel is the only one who has something of interest to follow, but even he gets n your nerves, and it's a shame, this is based on a true story.

Some years back a film called 'The Hate you Give' did this urban black drama, and that was bad, and better than this, which does not say much for this. Just please stop with these depressing black person I must get out this poor neighbourhood and do better and not. Sick of this crap.

Not missing anything by not seeing this, the acting is fine, that's it.

The Substance (2024)

Insane and brilliant body horror

[8/10 · 13 September 2024]

Giving this an 8/10 rating

Coral Fargeat brings us viewers, a truly disturbing vision of what a product of the future can be and what it could do, in this brilliantly insane and gorgeous horror film. Demi Moore is the main centre character and revolves around her, Margaret Qualley is just the same, but sees things differently and that is where things go wrong. Both are just so excellent, I want both of them for an Oscar. Dennis Quaid is a vile TV man who clearly is written on someone in the industry and is rotten and he loves it, plays it, all the way.

The clean designer look of every location, clothes and props heighten the tension, helps the narrative particularly with the inspirational scenes from other classic horror films that you will clearly see. And blood, you get buckets of it. But not before the build up with the best VFX and make up you will see in a long while.

It's really Demi Moore that shines and holds it together with her on some really excellent acting, and with what she has to do, you can see why the reviews have been good. One film I am going to watch again.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)

Spooky fun and laughs

[8/10 · 13 September 2024]

Giving this an 8/10 rating

Been a very long wait for this, and I really had a good time, it is a lot more way out there then the first film, and the cast really had a blast making this, it is really wacky, creepy and downright funny, much, much dark humour and singing!

Everything looks great and the the plot is just as nutty and works a treat, most of the cast is older so there is very much good acting and action going on, Willem Dafoe, who seems to be in everything is just plain crazy, and Michael Keaton is magic, as is Winona Ryder and Catherine O'Hara, she suffers in this.

Turn your brain off and sit down and enjoy the great Tim Burton visuals and you should know what to expect if you are going to watch this. Loads of fun.

The Critic (II) (2023)

Fine fun, good form from Ian Mckellen

[7/10 · 13 September 2024]

Giving this an 7/10 rating

Ian Mckellen is very evil in this fine British post second world war drama set in London theatre land and newspapers. He laps up every moment of his very craft and and despicable critic who just loves his power and what it gives him, until it goes away.

What follows is the great length he goes to get it back and revenge, with horrid consequences to the rest of the cast in this tale of corruption and lack of moral fibre. And it's all rather well done, the cast of Gemma Arterton, Mark Stong, Ben Barnes, Lesley Manville and Alfred Enoch, they all shine, and suffer at the hands of Ian's character.

Great to look at, and it zips along at a good pace, it does the job. Very fine work from director Anand Tucker and a sharp script from Patrick Marber and Anthony Quinn, its a fine bit of film.

Cuckoo (2024)

Crazy Euro horror film, but good

[7/10 · 28 August 2024]

Giving this an 7/10 rating

Writer /director Tilman Singer puts Hunter Schafer, though sheer hell in this very bizarre, and visually great tale of a family moving to Germany, and things get crazy.

The clean look and palettete works perfectly for the fable, which has it's feel very much in the myths and legends of europe, evil creatures and hidden things. Many secrets. Martin Csokas and Dan Stevens, Jessica Henwick are doing the best, Jan Bluthardt is solid and very dogged. But really this a a good choice and is very much, Schafer's film as she gets destroyed in this.

A stark looking horror film, and does stand out by itself and even though I did a late showing of it, it keeper me wide awake. A strange film for sure, so watch trailer first, as always and decide if it's for you.

Blink Twice (2024)

A great debut film which shines and shocks

[7/10 · 28 August 2024]

Giving this an 7/10 rating

Zoe Kravitz first film as writer and director, and it's a very fine thriller of ride, which, you must watch with eye wide open so you don't miss anything. It builds up and the uneasiness builds up and when the action and real drama starts, you get really involved.

A very disturbing plot which is clever and borders on the sci-fi films of old, coupled with great acting from Naomi Ackie, Channing Tatum and Alia Shaukat and the rest of the great actors, and you have a super, menacing themed film, that will shock you, that is the purpose.

E. T. Feigenbaum is the other writer along with Kravitz, and I can't wait for the next film if they decide to work together, a good start, a very good start.

The Crow (2024)

Laura Bin is good in this...

[5/10 · 28 August 2024]

Giving this an 5/10 rating

This has nothing to do with the comic or the original film from 25 years ago which has it anniversary this year, which is a thousand times better than this rubbish. Robert Sanders has a visual flair and it has good looks, but not nearly enough to save this.

James O'Barr has his name on this, only as it's based on his comic, this is not based on it, this story is some made up crap and drags on and on, the action is not action, it's just gore, and to be fair, the acting is rather good in places, but not so much that can improve on this, Danny Huston is just on auto pilot and why he did this, is a mystery. I did like Laura Bin and her character, more Laura.

Watch the Brilliant Brandon Lee film, at least the story and names are there, this is a soulless film. Waste of time. I gave it 5 for Laura Bin and the good music.

Only the River Flows (2023)

Surreal crime thriller, that entertains in a strange way

[7/10 · 21 August 2024]

Giving this an 7/10 rating

Chinese slow burn crime thriller is the early 1990's, that is very surreal, dreamlike, brutal and engaging, all at the same time. Another on based on a book, and director Wei Shujun has fun with it, the images and sound really make this film as actor Yilong Zhu works magic the cop who is really in a bind by work and home life, and has to make it work somehow.

The goal of catching a killer is never easy, but with a crisis of the mind thrown in, you get the sense of evil is any where with the images and sound thrown cleverly. So you have to pay 100 percent attention, and ti's worth it.

It is like a David Lynch film in a way but not as extreme, and you have a story that you can follow, even if you go down a path of weird.

Alien: Romulus (2024)

Bloody great sci fi horror.

[8/10 · 21 August 2024]

Giving this an 8/10 rating

A very fine space horror film, we get very few of them, if any. Plenty of death, action, story, and some fan service. It really looks superb and IMAX will be a big treat for those willing. The film slips in between Alien and Aliens and had to look and sound like a film of that time, which it does.

Cailee Spaeny is in her third film this year, so she is very busy and you can she why, a good meaty role to act in, David Jonsson is also superb, all actors are given a much screen acting and deliver.

Fede Alvarez has done a great job in the Alien universe, showing the scum of the universe - humans and alien, and desperation is the cause of downfall to all here, desperation and explotation run all over the film. Space jacking never works in these films so this is a classic case of a space jacking gone wrong, horribly wrong. That said, the set pieces are some of the finest and the deaths are clever, the use of outer space is done well, there is a great outside action set that will look brilliant in IMAX.

The film is going to be in the top ten of the best of the year, and it's going to be a very mixed bag of films for this year. Just how well it will do, time will tell.

It Ends with Us (2024)

Very acted and well looking if a bit long, film

[8/10 · 21 August 2024]

Giving this an 8/10 rating

The only thing wrong with this film is that it's a bit long, shave of about 10 minutes, but that is a slim comment on an otherwise very compelling film, that really is about mental health as the domestic abuse story.

Blake Lively,Justin Baldoni and Jenny Slate are just really superb they steal the show, but the rest of the cast are just as good, I don't' know anything about the book itself, but the screen story is a good watch and eats up the time in a good way, I had no problem with it, Justin Baldoni's direction is good and the background landscape is lovely to gaze at, and with the soundtrack the does suit the action, it's not in your face.

So what you get is a different movie subject for a change, and it's done very well, the violence is very brief and used lightly, not all over the place, as the film progresses. It deserves the high rating it has and the showing I attended was a full house.

Ozi: Voice of the Forest (2023)

Fine animated film that does the job, good fun

[7/10 · 21 August 2024]

Giving this an 7/10 rating

It's heart is in right place for this simple enough tale about life and destruction of our forest and eco sphere. The cast have fun, look and sound good, the animation is not Disney, it's European so it has it's look and does just fine here.

The message is told in a nice easy to follow way, not at all preachy which you get from America these days, so it works, the character design is nice and the colour palette is very good, surprisingly good voice cast keeps it good. It has Amandla Stenberg, Donald Sutherland, Djimon Hounsou, Laura Dern and others. It does look good on the large screen and the sound is very nicely done, there is nothing wrong with this, it's just a very fine movie.

Trap (I) (2024)

Top Trap

[8/10 · 13 August 2024]

Giving this an 8/10 rating

M. Night Shyamalan gives us a super clever thriller, which Josh Hartnett gets to shine, and does carry the film, all he way. With Saleka Shyamalan, Hayley Mills and Ariel Donoghue, they share screen time and bring this film, all together. And Jonathan Langdon has great fun and he too, is important.

A very simple story and a very tight script makes the runtime go fast, it's very entertaining, as things go right and wrong, you look for clues and work out where this is all going. In short, it's a superb bit of thriller cinema. It's all shot in one large location and it weaves it's way throughly, and the mood really goes up and down, a case of all or nothing.

But really, this is Hartnett's film and he really enjoys it, and he is so good in this, his face is most stern, calm, but focused. He pull this off and I am thankful for his, great film.

Borderlands (2024)

Good action, good acting, just short of brilliant

[7/10 · 9 August 2024]

Giving this an 7.5/10 rating

It's a fun movie, looks really good, and the action is good too, it's just missing that extra bump for a better fit, maybe it should of been an higher rated film, that would of helped as the content deserves a mature rating, if it's going by the game it's based on.

Eli Roth and Joe Crombie have done a good job on this, and it's a good romp, the story does hold up, and he alien worlds, the cast are grubby and colourful, just like the game. The Superscreen showing I did, it looks great, so IMAX should not be a problem,

Cate Blanchett as Lilith, I at first, thought to be told old for this, but she is cast well, and looks good too, Jack Black is the voice of Claptrap, the robot, he has fun, everyone works here, hats off to Florian Munteanu as Krieg, as he does not say much, and hidden behind the mask, has much more work to do acting wise.

I do think this film is worth the trip at the cinema, unlike the trash that is 'Harold and the Purple Crayon', this is more lifelike and just entertaining. Needed more, we shall see, a good movie for the summer.

Kensuke's Kingdom (2023)

Simple, beautiful and fun with thought.

[8/10 · 4 August 2024]

Giving this an 8/10 rating

Another great animated film based on another book, and this film shows how a good family film should be done. This time the book is written by Michael Morpurgo, it's an adventure story set at sea and land. Frank Cottrell Boyce helps adapt the book, Neil Boyle and Kirk Hendry are the directors who have done a great job and give us a great different looking animated feature.

This is a film that shows that action, speaks louder than words, as there is more done, than said, so the cast done really have much on script, so everything is left up to the visuals and sound design, and it's a nice treat, a simple story of island life that is seen by two points of view, driven by circumstance.

Also the island and wildlife are characters in their own right. A very thoughtful movie.

Harold and the Purple Crayon (2024)

Go buy some Crayons instead

[5/10 · 1 August 2024]

Giving this an 5/10 rating

Would of been better as an animated feature, perhaps, but the story and characters are so bad, it would not of made any difference, it feels like a very bad Saturday morning 1980's cartoon.

Poor old Zachary Levi and Zooey Deschanel are the only good things in this, and they act their socks off, but can't do much with this limp film. There is no magic from the rest of the poor cast, with only great VFX that are the best thing in this. And I like Purple, but not in here.

Levi is in real danger of being typecast if he keeps playing big kids, he can do much more, Deschanel must of been passing by, and they just grabbed her, waste of great actors. The idea for the plot is fine, but it's so bland and tame, even a 5 year old would be offended by this tripe.

You have intelligent stuff as 'Inside out 2' still showing, and Sony waste our time with this. Really!

This needed to be super good, if it wants to be respect the source material, which this misses by miles, better off and cheaper to buy some crayons instead, more fun too.

Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)

Bloody and violent, funny and fun.

[8/10 · 25 July 2024]

Giving this an 8/10 rating

This film is bloody, has lots of swearing, great action, and has good feelings with it, and a more than fine storyline. It's an unexpected triumph, I hoped for just a good film, as the films in this genre ,this year, have been less than good.

The marketing on this has been non stop for a long while, and almost drove me away. But today, I sat down and enjoyed a nice gem for the big screen. Fun from the start to finish, you have such a great cast of actors, and there is a big cast of them, so it was important that the script was not only funny, but had meaning, a good place for it to go, and characters that are believable. Motives aside, even the villains, have genuine bite and some caring to them, well, one does.

If you like the first two films, you already know that you are going to see this, and this is great a late night cinema stay, just know that this has lots and lots of blood, and bad language, other than that, it's solid as they come.

Twisters (2024)

Great windy fun, a lot different to 'Twister'

[8/10 · 17 July 2024]

Giving this an 8/10 rating

This film is very entertaining and an education as well, but not really a remake as people are saying, the tale is similar to 'Twister', but now it has to tackle social media, climate change and a bit of direction shift as how it runs.

Writers Mark L. Smith and Joseph Kosinski adapt and update the Michael Crichton orignal story, with the action packed direction from Lee Isaac Chung, it all works, better than most of these retelling these days, and we get focus on the effects of tornados on the scientists and the people who live in, die because of adverse weather. As we get more of this in real life now, the film feels much more at home, timing is everything.

Acting trio of Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell and Anthony Ramos, are there, nothing wrong on the acting and work here, a tale of love and revenge is woven in, and with a great script, they have no problems doing the great work, during the mayhem and some great VFX and wire work.

Joseph Kosinski has worked with Glen Powell on "Top Gun:Maverick', so I could see another film together in the future.

Sleep (I) (2023)

Don't go to sleep...

[7/10 · 16 July 2024]

Giving this an 7/10 rating

Not much blood in this one, more of a slow build up and use of the environment, the two main characters, which are husband and wife in a new place, and then, stuff stars to happen, that really does effect them both

A good simple premise is done good, thanks, down to great acting and very good dialogue, effective soul design, and good writing and directing for Jason Yu.

The trio of Kim Gook Hee, Yoon Kyung-ho and Lee Sun-kyun, pull off good work, and have to make work of the limited setting of home, and the other settings. The limitations are the driving force and are used with much thought. And this film proves that ou can do a horror, with out loads of blood and make it interesting. Sleep can be dangerous, and this film shows us the effects of it.

In a Violent Nature (2024)

Boring and slow.

[6/10 · 16 July 2024]

Giving this an 6/10 rating

Very boring horror film, the camera is locked into a position that drives you nuts, and the cast is wasted, you barely see them let alone hear them. Senseless use of time and killings. Was more akin to a student film then anything else. Not good at all, very plain, too long, not caring on anybody or anything in this film, the nature looks great, but a great look does not help this at all.

The slow march of the view from behind the killer, would work for a few minutes, but not the whole film, cast does not do anything and put up little or nor fight to make you feel sorry for any of them.

Chris Nash does give us one good kill, the rest are just not much at all, one is shown and the graphic violence is not needed. Idea was sound, for this film, but it really fails in making you want to watch.

Longlegs (2024)

Good legs, fun legs, best horror legs

[8/10 · 16 July 2024]

Giving this an 8/10 rating

Never heard of Ozgood Perkins, the man behind this, but I have now, and this film is a good horror film. The FBI hunt for a killer dives into the super natural and the past.

The case, as the film goes on gets full of more dread, and death, and some humour thrown in, mostly the performances from Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage and Blair Underwood the focus of the screen time, with Cage really relishing his quite crazy and comic turn in some parts, he does his part very, very well. Monroe is just really quiet and focused and is the lead, and it's her best performance she has done, and she has done good in the past, so this goes a long way.

The eerie feel and use of sound and photography really is done at it's very best in this horror film, and if it did not, the tale would just simply fall apart. Thinking of doing a second watch of this, but for sure this is in my list of best of the year.

Kill (I) (2023)

Needed more on characters, less on gore

[7/10 · 10 July 2024]

Giving this an 7.5/10 rating

I'd give this an 8, but I feel that the violence and gore was not really needed for this, great action, yes, but it did not need to be this graphic. And to be clear, it's not the most violent film from India, I've seen plenty, just not as gory, and there are some though. That out the way, this is still a cracking good film.

A train jacking goes horribly wrong is what this film is, then it's about families getting revenge and also just plain old love of beating the next person up. The love story is what saves the film and is what I could of had a bit more off, less killing, more love, the balance would of been better with a bit more on this story, but the real narrative is the robbery and the bandits.

The location of a train is totally used so well, and does get grim all the time, and belief is grown out the window with what happens to the heroes, which spoils things.

Nikhil Nagesh Bhat does a near perfect job as writer/ director, helped by writer Ayesha Seyd, but it needed to be less graphic and more character and story. The fighting is brilliant though.

Customs Frontline (2024)

Action packed fun, mayhem and drama

[8/10 · 10 July 2024]

Giving this an 8/10 rating

Yes, action packed Chinese film is great fun, some really superb action and the story is good and topical too. Hong Kong customs must stop at serious and deadly arms dealer from getting on top when arms flood in via boat, thus leading them a very merry chase across the world.

The film highlights the real cost of war, innocents, greed, and also covers mental health issues too. Nicholas Tse, Brahim Chab and Jacky Cheung are well known faces and do the job, just fine. The writer, Erica Li gives us well written suffering between, family life, ambition, suffering and death, which there is quite a bit of. And thanks to Herman Yau, the direction is good, and the action is way up there. Seems like one of his better films, looking at the ratings of others he has done.

It's out in IMAX if you can find it, probably not, but it would look good. I gave it the high rating as it was better than I expected and is a fun time at the big screen.

MaXXXine (2024)

Ti West does it again, a good slasher crime horror

[7/10 · 10 July 2024]

Giving this an 7/10 rating

I enjoyed this very dark and twisted slasher horror crime film which carries on from the events of 'X', which also stared Mia Goth, and Hollywood is really a killer, her character has to and will go to, any length, to stay alive and achieve her goal. And from the start, there is killing.

The cast is a real good list of actors and they really go to town in this, lines are slim, for the most part, and it's more a case of actions, not words. All driven by the visuals, set in 1980's, so lots of red, blues and darkness, which move the eye.

It's very well shot and acted, and very, very gory, and plenty of evil. Elizabeth Debicki is super cold and driven, as is Giancarlo Esposito. Kevin Bacon plays a slime of a guy, which is fun. The cast all are right for this movie, no one is wasted.

So, Ti West knocks out another good film, hope he does a nice sic fi film next, he's racking up a good reputation for horror now. Mia Goth is always watchable.