LeedsPokerGuru Reviews

Prometheus (I) (2012)

Provokes the imagination. Bench mark setting visuals

[9/10 · 31 May 2012]

If you manage your expectations then you will be in for one of the best sci fi experiences in recent years with some killer visuals.

I'm not what you call an Alien trilogy fan boy. In fact I'm not exactly even a fan. Couldn't tell you the last time I watched one of them. They've never hit home with me. From my point of view they are monster movies than anything else. If the originals were set in a research lab in the south pole it wouldn't have changed much.

Prometheus is a sci-fi movie at its very core. It provokes the imagination. It will ask questions such as how where we made, why, by who, for what purpose?? The movie will take you on an enjoyable, thrilling and philosophical science fiction experience. Simply put Ridley nailed it. So much so he has simply set a new bench mark in movie experiences.

The visuals of this movie are amazing. Proof if anything that when it comes to special effects and eye candy none do it better than Ridley Scott. In my opinion the best use of 3D to date. Couldn't fault the cast. Having said that its clear to me Fassbender turned in the best performance. I feel thats largely due to the uniqueness and quirks of his character vs the more straight up working professional crew. Either way he turned in the performance.

Going forward I hope we see Ridley revisit the Prometheus story arc and treat us with some more outstanding science fiction cinema. If he doesn't then it would detract anything from what this film IS. My only fear is this film will draw criticism for what it ISN'T and the disappointment of the fan base for the more tried and tested formula of the Alien movies.

I guess that goes both ways though. The original Alien movies weren't for me where as Prometheus was. I guess only time will tell but at the time of writing this review there is a ground swell of fans who's expectations of "an Alien" movie were not met. Happily my sci-fi journey with WOW visuals expectations were met.

The Road (I) (2009)

Ticks a lot of boxes but fails to entertain

[6/10 · 14 January 2010]

I find giving this film a score a tough ask. When you break it down the films scores very well in separate categories.

It was directed very well. So well I feel a need to check out the directors previous work. Some great locations and stunning camera work. The non verbal communication the director puts through the film is thought provoking. True to form Cormac McCarthy manages to write characters so well. Characters that feel richly complex, have history and regrets. Characters you feel you will learn more about each time you watch the film and here the dialogue again. The acting from Viggo as the dad I thought was nomination worthy. He displays a range of emotions that befits his characters depth and complexity. The cameo appearances also deliver imapact.

Ultimately though the films biggest asset was its biggest shackle. What makes a great novel does not always make a great movie script. A film with great artistic merritt but not a film I could foresee watching again as it simply does not entertain.

In Search of a Midnight Kiss (2007)

A highly enjoyable, realistic, funny emotional journey

[9/10 · 23 October 2008]

Just finished my first viewing of the film. I feel compelled to write a review in the hope that it persuades just 1 more person to see this film. This film is a great piece of writing, directing and acting. It's just a great film. That fact that it is not perfect makes the film as close to perfect as you can get. Just when I was thinking I would have wrote/shot this scene differently because I got annoyed with it I realised maybe the point was to invoke the emotion.

What to expect is nicely paced movie which, as expected, focuses on the 2 main characters and the dialogue they have. You will laugh out loud, you will get annoyed, you will feel up, you will feel down and you will feel some genuine heart ache. Not to mention everything feels real. The scene just after they have some chewing gum is SO REAL to me that I find it hard to believe most people have not had an experience exactly like that.

Honestly I kind of sad that Hollywood is built in such a way that many people won't get to see or hear of this movie. Do your bit and spread the word.

BRILLIANT. Buy this film. Watch it and tell your friends to watch it.

Redbelt (2008)

Unfocused, convoluted, disjointed.....the director lost his way

[4/10 · 14 July 2008]

I'm a huge MMA fan and was looking forward to this so much. The result akin to leaving a restaurant after an evening meal still hungry. It just doesn't scratch the itch. Mamet wrote and directed this one and he did a bad job on both parts.

The cast was good on paper. The acting from Chiwetel Ejiofor was one of the films leading lights. He brought sincereness, warmth and good old fashion likability to the films main character who's personal code was based on honour. The other actors did nothing to inspire or impress me which is a shame considering the cast. This leads me to question Mamet's direction of them. Maybe he was within himself too much to lead the cast or gave them bad direction.

The story I can appreciate on some levels. The main character has a clear ethical code which dictates his actions. There were less obvious meanings to characters motivations and actions. It's all well and good not spoon feeding audiences and giving them credit for intelligence to work things out. However when that comes at the cost of an unclear, flimsy, disjointed story telling then just give me Rocky with MMA. Sadly I feel Mamet was too into his own story to take a step back and evaluate what's going on from an audiences point of view. He was trying to be too fancy and deep and just missed the mark.

Production values were OK but the movie never really sprung to life. Not enough action for me. The action present left me numb. Even the last action sequence left me flat and disappointed. There was never anything that made you sit up and draw you in which means you're never going to get a climax to the film.

As it stands Never Back Down is a better MMA film. I live in hope of an MMA film that delivers high on realistic action with strong characters and good story telling.