Category: 2017

Pottersville (2017)

Rating 12
Length 1h24
Release 10.11.2017
Director Seth Henrikson
About Maynard, a beloved local businessman, is mistaken for the legendary Bigfoot during an inebriated romp through town in a makeshift gorilla costume.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: Netflix
Trailer:

Naughty

  • It’s a personal thing, but I’m not a fan of Thomas Lennon when he’s got a large role. The focus moved to him for that middle chunk and I completely switched off. When someone drowns out not only Ron Pearlman but Ian McShane too? You need to tone down your character.
  • It didn’t lean into Jaws enough. Or Its a Wonderful Life. It didn’t lean into anything at all. It almost just half-baked the references.
  • Furries?! We had to go down the route of furries? Yeah, this film isn’t going to exist without that plot point, and I must admit I loved Michael Shannon referring to the wolf as a squirrel but …. it just feels at odds. Perhaps removing the Christmas element might have helped?

Nice

  • Ian McShane is the perfect Quinn. You will never be able to fault Lovejoy to me. I only wish he’d gotten his equivalent Indianapolis speech.
  • Michael Shannon has a bad guy aura, so it’s quite refreshing to see him take on the George Bailey role of the town. I also love that while he is that guy, he’s not the stoic perfect archetype that Jimmy Stewart was known for.
    Also, he handles the humour well.
  • The Its a Wonderful Life scene. Bloody hell, it was brilliant. The lead up to it, his reasonings for the actions he took that had him turned on and the uplifting town unity. It gave me everything except for the devastating tears that Frank Capra’s Christmas outing does.

Final Thoughts

The film looses my interest in the third act, but the opening and closing are some of the finest, charming, acting I’ve seen.

Little Evil (2017) Film Review

Stats

Trailer

The Good

  • ⁃Adam Scott impressed me in this. The first thing I saw him in was Hot Tub Time Machine 2 and from that point, I avoided everything with him in. Since seeing Parks and Rec though, everything has changed. There’s something about him in this that allows him to play the character as someone out of his depth without being weak. Brilliant.
  • The satire that isn’t spoof. There is comedic elements, it does delve heavily into the plot points of The Omen and other horror movies, but in a much more ‘love letter’ approach than many other lampooning films.
  • That unexpected, left field, ending was rather impressive.

The Bad

  • Not all the humour landed for me. I think it’s the SNL improv approach that I just cannot get a handle on. However, SNL has been running longer than I’ve been alive, so I’m sure there is an audience for it.

The Ugly

  • I don’t like the story telling device of being introduced to a movie at the midpoint, to then see what happened to get there. With the exception of The Hangover, I find it is a form of storytelling that only works well with tv shows and characters an audience are familiar with.

Final Thoughts

It was a decent offering and one I might watch again.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) Film Review

Rating 12a
Length 2h13
Release 5.7.2017
Director Jon Watts
About Peter Parker tries to stop the Vulture from selling weapons made with advanced Chitauri technology while trying to balance his life as an ordinary high school student.
Moon: None sighted
Where to Watch: Netflix
Trailer:

The Good

  • I love that this film didn’t go all the way back to the beginning and give us an origin story for Holland’s Parker. It allows this film to give us something different from previous incarnations.
    It also allows this Parker to not be entrenched in the grief of Uncle Ben’s death or set on a path of revenge. We get to have a much younger Parker, who is able to truly have fun.
  • Michael Keaton is such a genius bit of casting, characterisation and plotting. Choosing a past Batman has very little impact on the plot, but there’s all the meta goodness that adds to the cinematic experience.
    It’s not lost on me that Vulture is the anti-batman. Where Bruce was a millionaire, Toomes is a working-class everyman embittered by the Marvel’s equivalent of Bruce Wayne.
    I also love the I’d that the name, Vulture, is not only a bird of prey, but is also a scavenger. It describes the aesthetic of Toomes technology, but it is very descriptive of the character too.
  • Ned is a spectacular friend and I’m so happy that he’s not Harry. I adore every scene in which Ned is just himself.
  • Tom Holland really is ideal for the role of Peter Parker. He’s first of all young looking enough to know that he’d at least be carded, but the choice to have Stark as a mentor allows the story freedom for Parker to fail. He’s not the first and final line of defence and it changes the tone of the film and the character expectation of Peter Parker.

The Bad

  • It is a tad too long for it to be a regular rewatch movie for me. By no means a unique issue for MCU movies, but I find myself restless just at the moment when I need to be paying attention.
    The only problem with this, however, is that I have no idea what I *would* remove to trim the fat.

The Ugly

  • I’m so mad that this film did the dirty on Donald Glover! That man was born for a live action Miles Morales so while having him in this was amazing, I’m devastated that it perhaps rules him out from the upcoming multiverse film ‘No Way Home’.

Final Thoughts

Truly my favourite of the the Spider-Man films and I’m so happy that, as of a few hours ago, Tom Holland has been announced for three more films.

Fun Mom Dinner (15) Film Review

Rating 12
Length 1h29
Release 27.1.2017 (Sundance. No UK release)
Director Alethea Jones
About Four women whose only common ground is their kids’ preschool class, decide to get together for a harmless dinner. The night begins as a disaster, but the combination of alcohol, karaoke, and a cute bartender leads to an unforgettable night where these seemingly different women realize they have more in common than motherhood and men.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: Netflix
Trailer:

The Good

  • Toni Colette is always a pretty decent watch, and this is no exception. She could have taken any on any of the four main “moms” and made it work, but this embittered and closed of personality was quite refreshing to see her as. Molly Shannon can be a bit of a hit and miss for me, but she keeps it closer to her Never Been Kissed performance and that’s just spot on for me.
  • Bridget Everett keeps popping up in films I watch and I need more of her. If you haven’t already, you need to check out Patti Cake$ which she won a Best Supporting Actress award.
    In this, she’s giving us Melissa McCarthy meets Kathryn Hahn, but with her own brand of chaos that will generate most of the viewer’s laughs.
  • The story is simple enough and it’s fair to say it’s a condensed version of Bad Moms with a tone akin to the Hangover and Book Smart.
  • The liberal use of the word ‘c*nt’ is always a win for me. It’s my favourite swear. Might not be for everyone like, but there’s one interaction that just wouldn’t be as funny without its use.

The Bad

  • It’s come out at a bad time. It’s a saturated market for this genre. From the trailer, you would be forgiven for thinking that it offers nothing new. However, you must give it a go. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.
  • It’s not a very diverse cast. It’s all white, all middle class. It’s a shame, because it just feels lazy.
  • I’ve just started to tolerate Adam Scott. Why, then, does he go and give me the very character of his I absolutely hate?!

The Ugly

  • Having the woman cheat. It’s a cliché and I’m done.

Final Thoughts

It’s a decent offering, it’s just a shame that there are so many others on offer.

Molly’s Game (2017)

Rating 15
Length 2h 20
Release 1.1.2018
Director Aaron Sorkin
About Molly Bloom, who runs a high-stakes poker game for prominent stars and mafia, finds herself in trouble after the FBI seek interest in her profile.

The Good

  • Much like many other Aaron Sorkin products, Molly’s Game is fast talking, clever in its execution and able to surprise you in the final moments.
  • I like that Idris Elba’s character was fictionalised. By having that creative change, it allows the narrative to work slightly better for the screen. At the end of the day, changes had to happen. This choice streamlines them all.
  • Jessica Chastain. Bloody hell, she’s a little bit brilliant isn’t she? I don’t know why I’ve previously avoided her movies, but I most definitely will be taking a look at some of her other roles. In this, she gives us an evolutionary performance and her narration was impeccable.
  • Kevin Costner was another surprise addition to this film. While he doesn’t have much screen time, he certainly makes an impact not only in terms of the narrative, but on the viewer too.

The Bad

  • For me, it’s a little on the long side. While comfortable enough on a first viewing, I’m sure the episodic nature will keep it from being a repeated watch.

The Ugly

  • I’m not a mob girl. I don’t like gangster movies and I never have. Now while this does stick to the biographical and criminal side there are times were I worried in which way it was going to go.

Final Thoughts

An excellent biography that could be watched alongside I’Tonya or American Made. It’s not going to be top of anyone’s ‘favourite films’, but its certainly got the Sorkin seal of quality.

John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)

Rating: 15
Length: 2hr 2
Release: 17.2.2017
Director: Chad Staheiski
About: Renowned assassin John Wick sets out for Rome to duel with some of the deadliest killers to fulfil a vow he made. However, he soon learns that there is a huge bounty on his head

The Good

  • The editing of Wick’s visits to the various specialists was quite delightful. Cutting between the three rather than have them chronological, gave it a decent sense of pace. It also allowed for the weaponry sequence to have its comedy diluted enough to fit the tone of the film. 
  • Much like the first film, I do love the way in which the subtitles are stylised and incorporated into the film.
  • Equally I love the almost neo-gothic aesthetic it has going on. It works well in New York and it’s rather perfect for Rome too. Its the aesthetic that makes me so sad that I don’t really like this franchise.
  • Matrix reunited! Class bit of casting and nice little call backs in the script. This reunion also comes with my favourite line over the two movies “Somebody please, get this man a gun.” It’s not so much the words, but Fishbuurne’s delivery.

The Bad

  • Who doesn’t put a silencer on their gun for an assassination?! I know Cassian was sent away, but bloody hell it was loud and she should have had guard that would hear it. I know this, and I’m not an expert!
  • Going on from that, aren’t all these underground hitmen a bit shit considering the chaos they cause? First film it’s a club, now it’s a high class rave! In fact, considering all the big fight sequences, I don’t think clandestine is a word I’d use for this criminal underbelly. 
  • Can we please have John Wick talk a little more. I’m so bored of the monosyllabic, dead behind the eyes performance. I know Reeves is capable of much more, but the lack of words gives me the Ted (of the Wyld Stallions) vibe.

The Ugly

  • I really struggled with the opening. It was very much geared towards gamers and, at times, felt like actual game play. It also felt like an unnecessary bridge from the first film. 
  • The trance music is shite! Well, no it’s not in itself. However, as part of this franchise, I’m not so sure it fits.

Final Thoughts

Its not for me. I understand that they are loved by others, but I can’t see me ever rewatching this.

Darkest Hour (2017)

Length: 2hr 5

Release: 12.1.2018

Rating: PG

About: A thrilling and inspiring true story begins at the precipice of World War II as, within days of becoming Prime Minister of Great Britain, Winston Churchill (Academy Award nominee Gary Oldman) must face one of his most turbulent and defining trials: exploring a negotiated peace treaty with Nazi Germany, or standing firm to fight for the ideals, liberty and freedom of a nation. As the unstoppable Nazi forces roll across Western Europe and the threat of invasion is imminent, and with an unprepared public, a skeptical King, and his own party plotting against him, Churchill must withstand his darkest hour, rally a nation, and attempt to change the course of world history.

The Good

  • Gary Oldman. He’s always been a chameleon, but his portrayal as Winston Churchill made him almost unrecognisable and It’s not hard to see why Oldman took home the Oscar in 2018; he was fully immersed in the role and made the film what it was.
  • Ben Mendelsohn is, once again, earning his place within Hollywood. He’s an ideal fit for King George and his chemistry with Oldman is a delight to watch.
  • Lily James gives a fine performance and certainly feels at home in this period piece. She’s another fine actor who is able to hold her own and raise others as a result.
  • There are some beautiful scenes; ones in which you’d want to pause, print and display. The colour and focus all draws you in. It’s always a difficult one for me, watching a film at home, however it’s a good sign that my phone remained off other than for finding out who the snakes in government were.

The Bad

  • Owing to my lack of knowledge when it comes to political history, I did struggle with the people presented to the audience at the beginning. It’s a little busy and people heavy at the start and I couldn’t help but feel thrown in the deep end.
  • Lily James. As much as she gives a solid performance, I cannot help but feel she’s a character put in place to appease the critics and viewers waging war on equality. Without her imput and given Kristen Scott Thomas’ small role, this would be a ‘boy’s club’ movie, as it’s the way society was at those times ‘thems the rules’ as James’ War Room tour guide explains. The problem stands in the fact that the character is almost rolled in and out periodically and there’s large sections were I wonder if she’s left for good. Churchill letting her in on Dunkirk, while story-wise is a nice touch, seems too implausible to be believed.

The Ugly

  • My emotions watching this movie were largely based upon watching from a perspective of hindsight. I felt so very frustrated at the opposition Churchill faced and even the notion of ‘brokering peace’ with Hitler brought me to tears. Even knowing how it was to end and that Churchill is a celebrated political leader did not help; the writing and performances had me believing this could have been a possibility.

Final Thoughts

A powerful film that takes some artistic licence to tell a cinematic story. Some work well for me and others I’m at odds with.

As a woman, I do not want a lip service character for the sake of checking a box and being politically correct. Period pieces are one area in which it stands out more than others.

Film Review: Please Stand By (2017)

Length: 1hr 33
Rating: 12
Release: 26.1.2018 (but is considered a 2017 film due to having its premire on 27.10.2018)
About: Wendy sees things differently: she’s fiercely independent, with a brilliant mind and a mischievous sense of hilarity. Wendy also has autism. To her, people are an indecipherable code and the world is a confusing place. Inspired by her no-nonsense caregiver, Wendy comes of age and escapes from her care home on the road trip of a lifetime to deliver her 500-page script to a screenwriting competition.

The Good

  • Dakota Fanning is wonderful in the part of Wendy, a woman on the spectrum trying to enter a script writing contest. Fanning will be able to demonstrate a detachment from her own emotions while filling you with all of the emotions.
  • Alice Eve and Toni Collette are amazing support. Eve’s role as the sister infuriated me at first, but over the course of the film I felt I had more of an understanding of the position she was in. It is through both characters that you really get an understanding of the specific challenges Wendy faces.
  • Patton Oswalt can do no wrong. He’s an absolute star in this film’s final act. His ability to connect with Wendy will give you the biggest smile and reduce you to tears of joy.

The Bad

While the film’s plot is centered around Star Trek, I’d had loved to have seen more Easter Eggs beyond casting Alive Eve as the sister. It’s a viewer expectation, but it was Trek that caught my attention and I kind of expected to see a few familiar faces along the road.

The Ugly

It felt a little like it was a film about autism rather than it being a film about a character that just so happens to be on the spectrum. It might seem like a petty thing, but its much the same way films with gay central characters have their ‘coming out’ be the focus of the plot.
It makes autism seem like something that needs to be taught, that its a new phenomenon that people need to be held by the hand when exploring. Yes, films like this have the power to inform and educate, but its more important mission is to ensure people on the spectrum have someone to look to. Its as much their film as any others.

Final Thoughts

It’s cute, geeky and will make you cry. Even though it was light on its Trek, I still enjoyed the journey. Not something I’ll rush to rewatch, but I’m glad I caught it before it left Now TV.

Movie Review: Dunkirk (2017)

Length: 1Hr 46

Rating: 12a

Release: 21st July 2017

About:In May 1940, Germany advanced into France, trapping Allied troops on the beaches of Dunkirk. Under air and ground cover from British and French forces, troops were slowly and methodically evacuated from the beach using every serviceable naval and civilian vessel that could be found. At the end of this heroic mission, 330,000 French, British, Belgian and Dutch soldiers were safely evacuated.

The Good

For me, this has the feel and style of Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan with an excellent stock of known and unknown British actors. For a War movie, I don’t think you can ask more than that.

Both Mark Rylance and Kenneth Branagh really are amazing in their roles. Neither is a stranger to stoic roles which is clear from their performances.

I actually found the lack of action in the form of on the ground battles quite refreshing and offered something completely different from films that have come before it.

Again, I feel as if this film wasn’t sugar coating war and laid some of the truths out there. While it’s very much a work of artistic licence, there are elements of truth to ensure this isn’t propaganda or censored sudo-history.

The Bad

I struggled with the time framing of the three elements: the land, sea and air. From about half way, there were people (Cillian Murphy being one) who doubled up in the narrative. While with Murphy, it acted almost like a flash back, other scenes didn’t quite work as well and it felt disjointed. I found it particularly difficult with Tom Hardy’s narrative as we’d cut from the grounded pilot and reaction shot to Tom Hardy and the same grounded pilot up in the air.

I didn’t invest in any of the characters other than the family on the Moonstone. They all seemed like a representation of ‘soldiers’ than individuals. For a character driven plot, I really need to be invested and certainly with our teen, Tommy, I needed conviction.

Not addressing Gibson’s mute nature sooner I found a bit distressing. I called it the moment we discover him burying an bootless foot. Perhaps I’m still too in the head of E B Sledge, but challenge him Tommy!! While it’s evident later that he’s not the enemy, the audience don’t know that.

The Ugly

For the first time, I’m not certain Hans Zimmer’s score complimented what was on the screen. Yes, it was tense. So tense in fact that three times I had to pause the film and take a break. However, there was either an instrument, chord or tone that was too reminiscent of Tron and Daft Punk’s electro pulses to gel with a period piece. (Clearly the two Oscar’s Dunkirk won for sound would imply I’m talking utter bollocks. However, I will stand by my opinion and state that I didn’t like it)

Love Han x

Film Review: The Mummy (2017)

Length: 1hr 50
Rating: 15
Release: 9th June 2017
About: Nick Morton is a soldier of fortune who plunders ancient sites for timeless artifacts and sells them to the highest bidder. When Nick and his partner come under attack in the Middle East, the ensuing battle accidentally unearths Ahmanet, a betrayed Egyptian princess who was entombed under the desert for thousands of years. With her powers constantly evolving, Morton must now stop the resurrected monster as she embarks on a furious rampage through the streets of London.

The Good

  • It finishes? If my dad wasn’t watching, I would have turned it off and I do suspect that if I’d gone the cinema, I would have walked out.
  • Jake Johnson being Jake Johnson. Although, all it really did was make me miss his presence in Jurassic World 2. I would have been happy if he fronted the movie if I’m honest.
  • Seeing an ambulance filmed ‘Hollywood style’ strangely made me happy. Yay, don’t our med vans look cool in a high speed chase! (Yup, I’m clutching at straws to give another ‘Good’)

The Bad

  • Did we really need the Jekyll and Hyde sidebar?! Crowe was doing an alright job until he started ‘Hulking’ out. While I like that he didn’t grow in size and gained a garish Cocky accent, I just felt it was a pointless world building plot device that is unnecessary when the turd is as ill formed and prematurely presented as this one.

The Ugly

  • Why Tom Cruise?!?! Like what the actual fuck?! He was not right for the role. I felt like I was watching Tom Cruise being Tom Cruise and the plot was written around that.
  • Tom has zero chemistry with anyone onscreen, including the woman he’s meant to have shagged and have ‘feelings’ for never mind the Mummy who is meant to have enchanted him into having a desire to return to her.

Final Thoughts

With no characters you’re invested in, the story loses its audience almost right away. Watch while its on Netflix, but remember; it’s two hours you will never get back.