hscptcrash

Boyz n the Hood (1991) Film Review

Rating 15
Length 1h52
Release 25.10.1991
Director John Singleton
About Three childhood friends, Darrin, Tre and Ricky, who struggle to cope with the distractions and dangers of growing up in a Los Angeles ghetto.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: Now TV
Trailer:

The Good

The acting in this film is incredible. All relatively unknown at the time of making, each and every one is worthy of the praise.

The realism presented in the film is heartbreakingly authentic. Not only of the time, but unfortunately today. While at the time, the film was seen as glorifying gang culture and the violence that goes alongside, I think the important commentary to take from this film is how society outside the ghettos responded. By which I mean the gentrification and the way in which the police, even those of colour, made the community low priority and regarded them all with contempt.

The Bad

I really struggled with the language. Particularly swearing and slurs used is such a casual and repetitive way. I have no problem with its use as it is authentic for the time and the community being presented. However, I had a physical reaction every time, specifically in the 1984 section, these young boys were swearing at each other.

It’s hard to watch knowing how it is going to end. That’s not a spoiler, or prejudicial, the opening quote gives you an idea how this story is going to play out. While less of a shock over who, this film is comparative to American History X for that fatal scene you don’t want to see, but cannot turn away from.

The Ugly

This film was vastly overlooked when it came to the Oscars, being nominated only for director and screenplay. I’m not going to even question why; it’s long been established that the Academy Awards are problematic on everything from gender, genre and race.
The biggest example of all three is Angela Bassett. She clearly demonstrates her talent in the minimal scenes she’s in, yet even to this date she’s not been able to claim a trophy of her own.

Officer Coffey is a presentation of the most horrific and heartbreaking side to humanity, made all the worse because people like him exist in real life. Watching Coffey’s distain and contempt for people of his own race is a complex injustice that turns my stomach.

Final Thoughts

Not something people should *want* to watch, but certainly something everyone *needs* to watch.

Frequently Ask Questions About Time Travel (2009) Film Review

Rating 15
Length 1h23
Release 24.04.2009
Director Gareth Carrivick
About Ray stumbles into a time portal and envisions his death in the future. He and his two friends unravel the baffling rules of time-travel and try to return safely to the present.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: BBC IPlayer
Trailer:

The Good

Baby Chris O’Dowd! Dean Lennox Kelly! Anna Farris! What an incredible cast that gives this film a Red Dwarf meets Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy British Sci-Fi feel.

The story, being about time travel, is actually well plotted to keep the audience on track. That is a feat that even some of the best Sci-Fi’s out there cannot achieve; both Star Trek and Dr Who have episodes that have wrinkled my brain.

That opening scene in which Chris O’Dowd’s Jay reduces a bunch of kids to tears with an IT Crowd ranting monologue is genius. Its what will sell you on the movie and if you don’t laugh, you might as well turn the thing off.

The Bad

It is very rare that I say this, but it’s a little too short. I can see why it was done, but it all gets going and then it ends. Feels very pulled up short and wrapped up before it’s time.

The Ugly

Mr Fucking Poppy! I’m sure Marc Wootton is a perfectly decent guy and an all round excellent actor. However, to me he will always be Mr Poppy of Nativity fame and I cannot stress how much I hate that man-child character.

Final Thoughts

With a bit of a pass through and about 25 more minutes added to the plot, this would have made for a passable instalment of the Cornetto Trilogy.
Absolutely worth the watch, but might not be to everyone’s tastes.

Chariots of Fire (1981) Film Review

Rating PG
Length 2h03
Release 30.03.1981
Director Hugh Hudson
About Two men, Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell, race for the gold in the 1924 Olympics. While one runs for his faith, the other participates to leave prejudice behind.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: Disney+
Trailer:

The Good

What an incredible film I’ve been sleeping on. It has everything that makes a biopic like this great; a rousing score, dedicated yet flawed leads and an uplifting, tear jerking ending.
Even though it’s a two lead film, there’s an incredible supporting cast who you will be as equally invested in.

The themes explored are powerful. Namely faith, success and the lengths people will go to achieve it, are as organic as the sport presented in this film. Yet, even with the two leads being of the Abrahamic faiths, it does not feel like a religious movie. Merely part of who these two men were and how it inspired, motivated and challenged them.

This film is a whose who of Star Trek and a cast of remarkable talent within English acting. It’s incredible to see these people in an early role and the only problem it raises is trying not to be distracted while you place them.

The Bad

Society in the UK is really quite shit and while it makes for excellent challenges for the leads to overcome, it doesn’t leave a good feeling at the treatment of both Eric and Harold, particularly when a lot of it is directed towards their faith.
The gatekeeping of the Olympics is not a theme isolated to this particular reenactment, which only makes this worse.

The film also presents many men, particularly those in high positions, with antisemitic views. Obviously, it’s a necessary part of the film, and the theme however it does make for a frustrating and infuriating watch.

The Ugly

Oh I cried. It’s weird how success can make you cry more than failure, but I can’t imagine many people would have dry eyes by the final act. For me it’s not about patriotism, but about the success of the individual and the effort they put in.

Final Thoughts

It’s a beautiful, uplifting film that manages to take a look into privileged lives without alienating the audience.

The Secret Life of Pets 2 (2019) Film Review

Rating PG
Length 1h26
Release 24.05.2019
Director Frank Coraci
About At a farm, Max meets the sheepdog Rooster who tries to help him overcome his fears. Back home, Gidget loses Max’s favourite toy, while Snowball tries to rescue a white tiger cub, Hu.
Moon: loads of full moons throughout the film
Where to Watch: BBC IPlayer
Trailer:

The Good

Patton Oswalt taking over as the voice of Max was a genius move. To the point, I would love him to voice the first instalment. He has a voice that works for the personality and as an actor he is wholesome.

While still on casting?! Harrison Ford finally lent his voice to an animated character. Could you think of anything better than the gruff and hardened Rooster?! He’s an actor who can handle being angry at the world, without being off putting. Between him and Oswalt, I was grinning all the way through this movie.

The animation and and characterisation of having domesticated cats is so spot on. Having the tiger demonstrate those behaviours too was adorable. Obviously because everyone who loves cats would love to pspspspsps a big cat in the hopes of being able to pet.

The Bad

Did the writers not know what most of us think when we hear a dog is going to a “farm”? I won’t lie, I spent the film on edge thinking Max was going to prove the theory that all dogs go to heaven. I think I would have liked a little reassurance that the plot was *not* going that way and maybe parents would too.

The Ugly

I love both of the plots; the farm and the tiger. However, the both feel a little undeveloped and as if they should have really taken part in their own, separate, film. Was it that the writers got so far and couldn’t develop the storylines, so smushed them together?
Either way, it felt a little lacking.

Final Thoughts

A competent film that you won’t regret watching, but certainly doesn’t reach it’s full potential.

R.V (2006) Film Review

Rating PG
Length 1h39
Release 09.06.2006
Director Frank Coraci
About Bob Munro rents an RV and takes his dysfunctional family on a road trip to the Colorado Rockies. However, midway he realises that the brakes of the vehicle aren’t functioning well.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime
Trailer:

The Good

Baby Josh Hutcherson is really adorable to watch as the youngest of the Munro family on a typical family vacation film. It’s a perfectly great performance for a kid actor, but the novelty here is watching it knowing how much of a successful career he’s had.

There is a charm to the exploration of the family unit and Bob’s attempts to reconnect, while not really being all in himself. It all builds towards a really heartfelt final act.

Jeff Daniels and Kristen Chenoweth truly steal every single scene they’re in. Yeah, I have a true soft spot for Daniels, but I honestly couldn’t think of anyone better going up against Robin Williams.
Kristen Chenoweth is just a consistent charm and what I love most of all is her quirky brightness that actually compliments Cheryl Hines’ much more straight laced matriarch.

The Bad

I love Robin Williams, I honestly do. However the ‘parent’ role like the one he has in R.V have the heavy cringe moments like the ones when he’s trying to be ‘cool’. I almost wish that Robin Williams had the Gornicke role as Jeff Daniels would have perhaps given the exasperated patriarch a little more balance.

Other films have been there, and done that before. The Great Outdoors, Vacation, We’re the Millers, Cheaper by the Dozen 2. They’ve all covered this ground, clashed with other families and destroyed vehicles or property in funnier ways than this toothless, groan-worthy option.

The Ugly

There are way too many toilet and poop ‘jokes’ of varying levels of grossness. The worst one involves the disastrous evacuation of the septic tank. After the third or fourth toilet joke, don’t be too alarmed if you’re nauseated; I certainly was.

Final Thoughts

I can think of worse films to watch, but I certainly won’t be in a rush to see it again. It certainly wouldn’t make any of the actor’s top 5 performances. Well, except for maybe JoJo who seemed to decide after 2006, acting wasn’t for her.

King Knight (2021) Film Review

Rating 15
Length 1h18
Release 08.08.2021 (US)
Director Richard Bates Jnr
About Thorn and Willow appear to have it all as the revered high priest and priestess of a coven of New Age witches. However, a secret from Thorn’s past throws their lives into turmoil, sending them on a hilarious and trippy journey.
Moon: Moon
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime
Trailer:

The Good

Some of the best parts of this film are when Matthew Gray Gubler has the screen to himself. The middle section, when Thorn is high, is the funniest and most engaging part of the film.
There’s something about Gubler that makes eccentricity acceptable and mainstream so there’s comfort to be found in his performance.

The pinecone! Hearing Aubrey Plaza swear her way through describing the life of a pinecone is just perfect. That woman can do no wrong. Seriously.

The animation and title cards between acts are both incredibly beautiful. Actually, most of the film is stunning. Even with the trance music and complimentary lighting that can only exist to engineer a headache, its beautiful.

The Bad

It takes way too long to get to the reveal that Thorn was once, gasp, popular. Instead, the film focuses more on being an arthouse film. Which is fine, I’m sure. There’s certainly an audience for that. However, there’s also a narrative with potential that would appeal to a larger market if only the script was edited.

“We all have poo in our butts”
Seriously? Did no one take a once over with this script and think ‘we can do better guys.’

The Ugly

Johnny Pemberton is a comedic talent and an absolute genius in Superstore, yet he’s not given the opportunity to shine here and is instead reduced to playing a stereotype and mumble out his words.

Final Thoughts

Not as funny, or easy going, as it could have been. It could have been The Craft, meets Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion. Instead, I almost turned it off in the first 20 minutes and before the reveal.

Sideways (2004) Film Review

Rating 15
Length 2h02
Release 28.01.2004
Director Alexander Payne
About A middle-aged Miles is a budding writer while his friend Jack is a soon-to-be married actor. They take a road trip through Santa Ynez Valley wine country in order to celebrate his bachelor party.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: Disney+
Trailer:

The Good

It is a really well made film; the scenes are well paced and cinematography is stunning. The cast is incredible and there are some delightful scenes that do make me want to visit “win country”.

Thomas Hayden Church, as always has an excellent presence and this is no exception. Despite the fact that I hate everything about his character, I cannot fault his performance.

The Bad

The jazz music is too “elevator music” to fit the film. I love jazz, but it’s it pulling for attention rather than complimenting the movie. It’s weird; this is now the second Oscar nominated film in which I want to change out the score completely.

Gag warning. There’s a scene in which one character drinks from the spit bucket. Jesus, just no! There’s only one other film that had me this close to throwing up and that was one of the Saw movies.

The Ugly

I detest both men and so I find myself not giving a single fuck about either of their stories. Miles is a miserable dick whose pretentious views about wine has me so angry that I don’t know enough to challenge him.
Then Jack?! It shows how shitty he is, that the film manages to make me hate Thomas Hayden Church and that takes an extraordinary feat. However, using the stage week to first of all land the blowing news that Miles’ ex wife is newly married and invited to the upcoming wedding of Jack’s. Then, the whole purpose of this time away for Jack is to cheat on his fiancee. The character is almost coded as a younger man for the emotional immaturity.
It is a story that clashes so much with my own morality that I cannot enjoy the story itself. Other people might not have that problem, but I was very happy for it to be over.

Final Thoughts

A well made film, but will most likely leaving you feeling hollow. Unless of course you drink when they drink and then you won’t remember how shitty these men are.

Bonnie and Clyde (1967) Film Review

Rating 18
Length 1h51
Release 08.09.1967
Director Arthur Penn
About When Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow meet, they get attracted to each other. Together, they choose the path of crime to earn easy money. But they refuse to hurt people while going about their business.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: BBC Player
Trailer:

The Good

I was hooked from the very start until that heart wrenching, yet inevitable, final scene. The chemistry between Dunaway and Beatty is undeniable and they do really bring the iconic Bonnie and Clyde to life.

Considering when was this was made, the film presents some ground breaking imagery and representation. The first murder on screen by Beatty’s Clyde, while tame by today’s movie standards, is quite vivid. There’s no edit between the firing of the gun and the sight of blood; it’s incredibly well filmed and would take any audience member by surprise.

The ending is on a par with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), or perhaps even the inspiration behind the highly stylised ending for the Redford and Newman fronted film.
Slow motion certainly is something that is overused today, but combined here with the alternative views and speeds, it. really is effective for representing the last moments of their lives.

The Bad

I’m sorry to say this, but how did Estelle Parsons win the Oscar for her support performance?! It’s all screaming and … well if you’ve seen The War of the Worlds (2005) and you remember Dakota Fanning’s scream-y performance. It’s like that, but so much more annoying.
Yes, the characterisation is a deliberate contrast to Dunaway’s Bonnie, but did it really have to go that far?

The Ugly

I’m certain that at the time of release, the original score would have been considered amazing. However, due to the potential over use of the banjo and it specifically being used to provide levity and a satirical tone, the music really clashes with the narrative.

Final Thoughts

A very well made film, with an excellent cast and It’s one of those that you have watch at least once in your life. Give it an updated score that you can listen to without smirking, and I’d agree with many that it is a masterpiece.

Next Goal Wins (2023) Film Review

Rating 12
Length 1h44
Release 26.12.2023
Director Taika Waititi
About With the 2014 World Cup qualifiers approaching, down-on-his-luck coach Thomas Rongen tries to turn the American Samoa soccer team into winners.
Moon: Full moon during the “nightcap” scene
Where to Watch: Still in cinemas
Trailer:

The Good

Yes, it’s a little plot by numbers, as underdog stories go. But that’s what makes them so good. Plus, you have to give it at least a bit of a pass; it’s based on a true story.

I adore the humour. I always have. It’s that odd, make a declaration that seems to be an absolute, then list the exceptions. Of which there tends to be many. For example “America Samoa skin is impenetrable. Unless you have something sharp. Scissors, a knife, a pin. You know anything that has a really sharp point.”
It’s like a Waititi Dad joke and I adore it, especially when you pair it with the dead pan accent of Waititi; or most of the cast of Next Goal Wins.

Kaimana is incredible as transitioning player Jaiyah. I was concerned that the topic of having a trans woman on the team was going to be approached in a heavy handed manner, particularly when one of the first scenes has Fassbender’s Rongen deadname her, repeatedly.
However, what develops is a beautiful education of the coach, and perhaps the audience too, and one of my favourite relationships of the film almost becomes the focus of the film. I would have loved to have seen a little more, but given that this is a football film I’m going to let go.

The Bad

At first I thought perhaps it was the accent, but it is actually that fucking fake assed beard that Fassbender is made to wear for the opening act. Maybe it’s the blondness of it that really makes it look fake, but I really could have done without it and I was very grateful for it’s departure upon his arrival to the island.

The Ugly

Niagara Falls warning – as with many underdog movies, this one will tug on your heartstrings and reaching for the tissues. You know, if you have a heart.

Final Thoughts

This is essentially Mighty Ducks does football, with Waititi’s brand of humour. I personally love it, but some might not.

The Marvels (2023) Film Review

Rating 12
Length 1h45
Release 10.11.2023
Director Nia DaCosta
About Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel, has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. However, unintended consequences see her shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with two other superheroes to form the Marvels.
Moon: moon(s) sighted
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime for rental
Trailer:

The Good

The best part of The Marvels is Iman Vellani, reprising her role as Ms Marvel from the Disney+ show of the same name. She’s identifiable, not only as a fan of The Avengers, but as teen with an overbearing, yet loving, family.
I adored her flawed character, I enjoyed watching her grow in confidence and her interaction with her family and whatever organisation Fury belongs to now.
One of my favourite parts came towards the middle of the film; Kamala, upon facing the genocide of the remaining Skrull and the harshness of Captain Marvel’s apparent apathy suddenly realises she’s not in her fan fiction. The expression Kamala gives is so very telling and said much more than pages of dialogue.

Goooooooooooose! I love Goose (in your face whoever said Goose would be dead in Endgame) and they really played on the cat behaviour and Flerken elements this film. I loved it all. Every single second of Goose.
Then they went and elevated it with one of my favourite Star Trek treatments: They did Trouble with Tribbles! Seriously could have watched a film set just on that station. In fact, I really wish they’d leaned into the Trek a little bit more.

Fury, and Samuel L Jackson by extension, brings the humour just by being himself. His interactions with the three leads and, in particular, Kamala’s family are the perfect tone to brings some levity into what is rather angst-ridden proceedings.

The Bad

Why so much angst?! Captain Marvel is very angry, but doesn’t pull it off in the way Fury does. She’s almost akin to The Doctor (Who) but the character hasn’t got the balance quite right yet. While The Doctor also comes with some heavy baggage, every incarnation has always balanced it with a brightness and a joy and Captain Marvel needs that. There is an attempt, but it needs to be more. Kamala was the perfect opportunity for it and it was missed.

The Ugly

It is very clunky both in terms of a film within a blooming universe and how this film, and its story, is presented to the audience. It’s not so much that you need to have seen the tv shows, or even any previous film featuring Captain Marvel. The issue is that the reminders come a little too late and I’m certain “yeah, thanks. Figured that out now and if you wouldn’t mind filling me in on what I missed while I worked on it?!”

Another example of clunky, that actually does link in to the Disney+ shows. I *think* this comes after Fury fronted Secret Invasion, however the presence of the Skull and Fury without factoring in the fallout everything that transpired?! While I don’t expect it to be fed in to the story in a way that alienates those who choose not to watch, it’s also should feel like the film is a retcon of a show. They should compliment each other, elevate. However, more work on the script is needed for that to happen.

What a waste of Zawe Ashton! The actions and motivations of Dar-Benn are so utterly shit and mind-numbingly dumb that there was no real danger to be felt.
It appears that Dar-Benn has two missions; revenge and saving her planet. Thirty years is a rather long time to come up with a plan that achieves …. both?
Don’t know about anyone else, but save first, revenge later?! It just doesn’t make sense; they’re clearly advanced technology wise and there’s no reason to hate the people she’s prepared to destroy. It’s like an inconsistent triad of motivation.

Final Thoughts

Oh there’s lots to enjoy, but it fails for the same reason many Marvel movies do post-Endgame: not enough time is being spent on the script or the overall plan within the franchise.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) Film Review

Rating 18
Length 1h32
Release 03.12.1982
Director Amy Heckerling
About Driven by their fickle wits, a group of youngsters find themselves entangled in a web of sex, drugs, validation and dejection.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: Now TV
Trailer:

The Good

As with many other high school films, the soundtrack is incredible. It’s of its time and also somewhat timeless. I can imagine this being a sought after album at the time of release and there’s certainly a few songs going to be added to my playlist.

The plot, while a generic “year of”, covers an incredible amount of ground. Judge Reinhold and Sean Penn give us two examples of success, or lack there of. Rat and Demone give us the emotional conflict of changing friendships. Finally we have Stacy and Linda, our empowered women.
Stacy’s abortion storyline, is handled well. Yes, more could have been made of it: we know this from the existence of Juno (2009) and The Cider House Rules (1999) but it being present without any judgement from characters is quite powerful.

The Bad

I think there needed to be more visual prompts to aid with the passage of time. The Christmas marker was good, but I think it needed a little more to prevent it from feeling like a very leisurely amble. While there’s a risk of it feeling episodic, I think it would be worth the risk and it could have been sectioned into “lessons” or “terms” perhaps.

The Ugly

I cannot quite put my finger on what is missing, but there’s something that prevents this from being elevated to the level of Clueless, 10 Things I Hate About You and Dirty Dancing. Perhaps it’s that it’s a little before its time in term of expressing feminism or it could be that this film walked so that many others run. By which I mean I spent a lot of the time distracted by identifying films this one would go on to influence; Clueless, Big and Ted’s many Journeys, Pineapple Express. Just to name a few.

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed this to see this films legacy, but it was also quite fun to see the impact this had on Stranger Things; not only in the literal sense, but in the visual aspects.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022)

Rating PG
Length 2h02
Release 01.04.2022
Director Jeff Fowler
About After settling in Green Hills, Sonic is eager to prove that he has what it takes to be a true hero. His test comes when Dr. Robotnik returns with a new partner, Knuckles, in search of a mystical emerald that has the power to destroy civilizations. Sonic teams up with his own sidekick, Tails, and together they embark on a globe-trotting journey to find the emerald before it falls into the wrong hands.
Moon: moons seen while Robotnik is on Mushroom Planet
Where to Watch: Netflix
Trailer:

The Good

I absolutely loved the all human “project catfish” b-plot. The obvious being the addition of Criminal Minds’ Shemar Moore as the groom at the destination wedding, but it’s also the ladies: Tina Sumpter and Natasha Rothwell going up against the government with Tail’s tech. I kind of wish there was more to this.

Jim Carrey is having just as much fun this time around and he is almost a complete delight to have in this instalment.

The dad-joke puns are awesome and plentiful in this outing.

The Bad

Sonic spends too much time with other CGI creatures and begging the question; did this really need to be live action? While my favourite parts involve the humans, those scenes don’t overly contribute to the main “plot”

The Ugly

No kids film should exceed the 1h 40 mark.

You have the beautiful Idris Elba cast. You have the potential to have him alongside the equally stunning Shemar Moore, and you make him CGI?! Are you actually kidding me? Talk about a tease!
I all seriousness though, Elba was criminally wasted.

Final Thoughts

Too long and, to quote Jim Carrey’s Dr, too derivative. Not one I’m going to rush to watch again and I really feel for any parent’s out there potentially having to watch this on a loop.