MadamWarden Reviews

Like Crazy (2016)

CRAZED THELMA AND LOUISE

[7/10 · 25 August 2022]

I cute if somewhat hysterical insight into broken people through the lens of a strangely chaotic Italian adventure/comedy/drama movie.

Well acted and surprisingly charming yet sad and uplifting.

Worth a watch for sure.

White Boy Rick (2018)

MEH BOY RICK

[5/10 · 25 August 2022]

A laboured movie that never really got going and then sped through the final chapters at break neck speed. To much time spent on his earlier life and then the most important stage of his rise and fall is closed over.

Strangely no real character development.

An ok, if miserable watch.

Triple Threat (2019)

TRIPLE DOUBLE KICK TO THE HEAD

[6/10 · 23 August 2022]

Better than your average kung fu beat em up. Excellent action choreography and fight scenes.

Surprisingly good dialogue. The plot is ridiculous but good fun.

A good watch!

Blade Runner (1982)

TIME TO DIE

[10/10 · 22 August 2022]

This is still one of the greatest sci fi movies ever made. Fantastic performances from Ford and Hauer.

Scott's direction is superb. Definitely in his top 3.

The depth of character development in the midst of high velocity action is mesmerising.

And the dystopian setting is the benchmark.

Amazing to revisit this classic.

Transcendence (I) (2014)

CONDESCENDENCE

[3/10 · 20 August 2022]

This is really silly little piece of tripe that tries to present AI as the greatest threat to humanity. Ridiculous plot, bad script and misplaced CGI.

Some ok performances, but seriously, give this a miss.

Coherence (2013)

INCOHERENT

[4/10 · 20 August 2022]

Honestly, I wanted to like this as it started reasonably well and the premise had the potential for intellectual interest.

Sadly it never achieved that. The reactions of the characters were so unrealistic and irrational as to make the entire movie beyond annoying.

The Sandman (2022– )

THE BLANDMAN PUT ME TO SLEEP...

[3/10 · 14 August 2022]

I was excited to watch this given the massive fanfare around it. Unfortunately, as I had not read the comics, I wasn't able to get into it after 2 episodes of laboured effort.

I really couldn't quite get a grip on what it was trying to be or who the heroes were or where the story was leading. It seemed to be a back story leading nowhere.

Great CGI but soporific in the extreme.

Dogman (2018)

DOG DAY LIFE

[8/10 · 11 August 2022]

This is a desolate, sad little piece of art. A deep examination of a mentally impaired life in oppressed circumstances. Marcello Fontine is quite extraordinary in his role. A truly exceptional performance.

I can't say that there is much enjoyment in this movie and even revenge isn't sweet in the end. The entire movie is a metaphor for animal cruelty where the mistreated dog, beaten, stoic and yet with elements of warmth and even affection and loyalty when acts of kindness are present; eventually turns on its violent master.

The direction acting and sheer misery is mesmerising to watch.

A fantastic watch. Give this dog a bone!

Brigsby Bear (2017)

YOU CAN BEAR IT! HONESTLY!

[6/10 · 11 August 2022]

This is a sweet little "coming of age" Indy movie that is pleasant and interesting to watch. Some innovative concepts although completely illogical and unexplained. Reasonable performances.

Worth a watch.

Young & Beautiful (2013)

BEYOND BEAUTIFUL

[10/10 · 9 August 2022]

Vacth is, without doubt, one of the most beautiful women on earth. The fact that she is blessed with such talent is ridiculous. She is mesmerising in this little gem. Only the French could make a piece of art on subject matter such as this.

Amazing!

Sea Fever (2019)

SEE NEVER, IS MY ADVICE.

[3/10 · 9 August 2022]

A vaguely interesting pseudo horror/sea B-grade movie. Uninteresting characters, ok monster.

Weak plot, script and so so acting.

Honestly nothing that I can recommend here...

The Flight Attendant (2020–2022)

TAKE FLIGHT FROM THIS MESS!

[1/10 · 7 August 2022]

Is it even possible to get more annoying characters, score and "plot" than this mess?!?!

Cuoco is simply awful and yet they conspired to have scenes that involve 3 or 4 of her together being overly dramatic, student, screeching morons.

Don't get on this plane crash!!

The Cassandra Crossing (1976)

SLOW BULLET TRAIN

[6/10 · 4 August 2022]

I watched Bullet Train today so it was fun to watch this old train adventure. Completely different styles but this was great fun too. Lots of intrigue and crazed nonsensical action.

Old school but worth a watch.

Bullet Train (2022)

FAST LAUGHS AND ACTION

[9/10 · 4 August 2022]

A sensational little fast moving cigar tube of laughs. Great characters, fun script and terrific action. Oh and twisty twisted plot.

Pitt gets to play out his fantastic cameo from the pathetic Lost City. This movie gets the Bullock/Tatum/Pitt balance right and hence is a roaring success.

Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

HEROIC RIDGE

[7/10 · 3 August 2022]

There were many aspects of this movie that I enjoyed, particularly Garfield's performance. I was amazed to discover that the story was true. An heroic epic.

That said, I was annoyed by silly aspects such as why, when the Japanese commanded the ridge, they didn't cut the climbing net or fire on the soldiers climbing/retreating. I guess low budget direction.

Still, an emotional watch and amazing story!

Maps to the Stars (2014)

MAP TO THE BIZARRE

[7/10 · 3 August 2022]

I haven't seen a Cronenberg movie in a while but expected the bizarre. It took a while for his map to lead me there, but it certainly was bizarre. Great performances by all. Sad damaged stardom. Tragically funny and tragically tragic.

Well worth the watch.

Our Kind of Traitor (2016)

POOR KIND OF PLOT

[5/10 · 2 August 2022]

Not bad performances but a silly plot full of holes and lack of logic. So many to list but as an example, the British secret agents spirit the family to a safe secret remote location but don't destroy or even confiscate mobile phones.

The Russian killer takes his shirt off in the first to kill the traitor. OMG.

That said, some good locations and sets.

Red Hill (2010)

DUNG HILL

[4/10 · 1 August 2022]

This could almost be not bad if it wasn't so dreadfully predictable, corny and stupid.

The "hero" is beyond stupid and annoying. He continuously comes across dead or wounded armed men but never picks up a weapon. Oh, and he is whiny and weak and pathetic...

Really annoying but some ok scenes where he's not involved.

Oh and a panther... OMFG.

La belle époque (2019)

LA BELLE VIE!

[7/10 · 31 July 2022]

Such a French movie. Great performances, great script and so so very French. The love betrayal portrayal so nonchalant and master of fact. Love, freedom, craziness, betrayal, forgiveness, jealousy. Not necessarily in that order and definitely on repeat.

A great fun watch. Auteuil and Ardant are mesmerising. Youthful vigor resplendent!

The Gray Man (2022)

FIFTY KILLS OF GRAY

[6/10 · 26 July 2022]

A silly but fun high octane action blockbuster. Predictable plot and characters but great action scenes in some fantastic settings.

Don't expect Oscar winning dialogue or plot but certainly expect ridiculous action scenes.

Much better than I expected from Netflix.

Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022)

RISING LAUGHS

[8/10 · 20 July 2022]

This is a great fun movie. I was feeling down and ended up in a matinee session on my own, literally the sole audience member.

This was probably a good thing as laughed out loud continually and probably bopped to the many great songs they squeezed into the soundtrack.

A must see tonic for a miserable day!

The Fog (1980)

THE FOGGEN FOG. FOG YOU!

[5/10 · 14 July 2022]

Hilarious low budget shlock horror movie. Complete laugh with ridiculous characters, dialogue and plot. Terrible sets and costumes.

Great fun to watch again 40 years later!

Born on the Fourth of July (1989)

BURNED IN THE FIRE OF JULY

[8/10 · 11 July 2022]

A very moving anti war pic. So topical given the USA's relentless invasions of foreign lands all in the name of capitalism and at the expense of young American soldiers and defenseless, innocents in those lands.

Cruise is fabulous and I would think it would be one of his greatest performances.

A fascinating look inside middle American families and their religious fanaticism. Still so real now and, possibly, growing in an increasingly polarised country.

35 years old and still so very relevant. A disturbing but powerful watch!

The Untamed (2016)

THE NONSENSE

[4/10 · 10 July 2022]

Honestly, there were quite a few aspects of this insane little trip that were intriguing. Fairly solid characters, flawed and real. Interesting plot novelties and a few intriguing scenes.

But

I am really unclear what the point of it all was. Have sex with an alien till it gets bored then you die. Ok....

Cut Snake (2014)

CULT SNAKE

[6/10 · 10 July 2022]

This is a very dark, tense peak into post prison trauma in 70s Australia. Solid acting and good direction.

Uncomfortable yet riveting.

A good watch.