Rating 12a Length 1h58 Release 12.11.2021 Director Rawson Marshall Thurber (fun fact: He’s the Quiznos guy from Easy A) About In the world of international crime, an Interpol agent attempts to hunt down and capture the world’s most wanted art thief. Moon: Full moon sighted as Reynold’s character goes home. Where to Watch: Netflix Trailer:
The Good
It’s a pretty solid story. Not that I cared, at all. Why? Oh, I was here for the Johnson/ Reynolds dialogue. They understood the mission. Their interactions were *chef’s kiss* perfect. I don’t quite know what it is about these two together, but they’re dynamite. The only pairing I’d want more is Reynolds and Jackman and with both, I could have had them sitting, in a room, just reading the lines. Yes, it would be fair to say it really is down to Reynolds’ delivery of a lot of the lines, but if you’ve seen the latest in the Hitman’s Bodyguard series, you’d know that it’s more than that.
That said, there are some amazing action sequences, location shoots and excuses to dress up. It’s The Mummy meets Bond, by way of Danny Ocean. Its perfect for a Saturday night watch when you don’t want to think too hard.
The Bad
Cal Gadot almost gets there. There’s crazy in the performance, but the actress pulls it back and I really wish she didn’t. Gadot could have given us something shy of Harley Quinn and I know I’m splitting hairs, but in a film as good as this, I do have to critique something.
The Ugly
Green light the sequel already, you cowards!
Final Thoughts
Had everything I really needed in a movie like this, so there’s really nothing to complain about. Only thing is, this review is a little redundant as it would appear that most people have already watched Red Notice this weekend.
Rating 12a Length 2h12 Release 3.09.2021 Director Destin Daniel Cretton About Martial-arts master Shang-Chi confronts the past he thought he left behind when he’s drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization. Moon: None seen… but I was too invested and may have missed it. Where to Watch: Cinemas nationwide and Disney + Trailer:
The Good
I cannot fault the casting. From the knowns, to the unknowns (to me), they fit the roles perfectly. As always Awkwafina is a joy, Ben Kingsley brings his ham and Michelle Yeoh is the badass I always depend on her being.
I adore the change of the Ten Rings from the comic to the movie. Having the rings appeal more to Asian culture also has added bonus of differentiating them from the hand garment of the previous phases.
The story is really awesome. It acknowledges the Manderine (Ben Kinsley) of Phases 1 and 2, while giving us someone who is a complex and flawed antagonist. The family relationship and dynamic reminded me of the short-lived Helstrom and it was good to see that in play here.
Ben Kingsley’s Trever was that brilliant touch of off the wall comedy you need in something like this. Also, his Scouse accent is spot on for someone who would be theatrically trained. There’s varients in the dialect and that man got it right. So it’s not the hacking and eck-ing that people who are familiar with John Bishop are used to, but it’s a softer and rounder accent. Sod it, I’m just happy we got some Scouser representation in there.
The martial arts itself is STUNNING. Beautiful. I also love that we got original language and subtitles. One of the reasons why I’ve stayed away from the martial arts genre is because access only ever seems to be dubbed movies. As someone who relies on lip reading for understanding, dubbing has the habit of giving me a headache.
The Bad
Some of the CGI is ropey. Like Episode 1, really isn’t going to age very well, sort of ropey. It’s a shame, because from what I can tell of the preproduction everyone was prepared for the martial arts, but there were bits that went to the next level to make it a Marvel movie. If it had been kept within the hidden world, it might have been okay, but as it stands I found certain scenes, the bus fight in particular, detracting visually.
The Ugly
There’s a scene in which the fight sequence takes place on scaffolding. Bollocks, it scared me. My body had the physical reaction of watching a horror movie, I had to look away and I even considered fast forwarding at one point. While this wasn’t a fun experience for me, I do like the fact that it was able to gain such a reaction from me.
Final Thoughts
Iron Man really did run Phase 3 and 4 introductions could fly. I only hope the fatigue doesn’t last for people, because these are the films we need.
Rating 12a Length 2h43 Release 30.09.2021 Director Cary Joji Fukunaga About James Bond is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica after leaving active service. However, his peace is short-lived as his old CIA friend, Felix Leiter, shows up and asks for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond on the trail of a mysterious villain who’s armed with a dangerous new technology. Moon: no sighting Where to Watch: Still in cinemas Trailer:
First Thoughts/ Trigger Warning
So it’s finally here. We all thought MGM was holding off for that ‘return to the cinema’ so more people felt safe going. Tenent certainly reinforced this with its lacklustre box office. Having seen No Time to Die, are we not certain it was the subject content (a hijacked bioweapon) that was the cause for hesitation?! They certainly made the right choice, had they kept with their November 2020 scheduled release, the film might not have been the escape that Bond usually provides.
The Good
I’d forgotten about the humour and witty dialogue in Bond. This was up there with some of humour in Casino Royale. Not all of it hits the mark for every “What’s with the Book of Moron?”, there’s a cringe inducing ” do you know what time it is? …. Time to die!” but when it works, it is amazing.
I absolutely loved the use of sound when Bond is deafened by a bomb. As someone who is partially deaf, this really brings to everyone’s attention how difficult it can be. I know it’s not a new thing and I’ve certainly seen tv shows use this effectively, but this really did stand out as it was giving the audience a vulnerable spy.
Massive shout out for the Hugh Dennis cameo! Who doesn’t love Hugh Dennis?! Made my night and reminded me that this will forever live rent free in my head.
Felix! I love Felix. His relationship and interactions with Bond have always been my favourite part of the Craig era.
Lashana Lynch is the perfect 007. After all, its only a number. I love how the film acknowledges the ‘concerns’ and dismisses them completely. My only issue is that Lynch is underused. I, for one, would love to see a continuation of her story.
The entire Cuba sequence is wonderful. From the action, to the music. It is a chuck of Bond perfection. My favourite moment is the reunion of Daniel Craig with his Knives Out co-star Ana de Armas. Mainly for the fact that Bond asks her to turn around while he changes. I find it so endearing and weirdly charming that there’s this reversal of the norm for this sort of scene.
They made Q gay! Oh my heart soared (after I rewound to confirm what Ben Whishaw had said). No outing, no big fuss, just conversationally gay! THIS is exactly how LGBTQ+ should be in films. And, just as a side note. I want his house… and his cats.
Dad Bond is awesome. There’s a massive change in Craig’s performance once he even suspects that the young girl is his daughter that certainly, for me, put him at the top of the list for the most developed Bond in the franchise. There’s certainly a move away from the toxic masculine persona of the past and I’m pretty certain we wouldn’t have got that without Craig.
The Bad
The ‘prologue’ was a hefty 23 minutes, the longest in the franchise. I’m not sure what it was, but it put me completely on edge for all the wrong reasons. The prologue for me was also a little unclear. I didn’t have subtitles, so perhaps I missed the girl being called Madeline, but visually there wasn’t enough to state that it was a flashback. (Yes, there was a Tamagotchi. However, I’ve seen them for sale recently so that didn’t stand as a marker. There was also Barney on TV. While I know Paw Patrol is the cartoon of choice, that does not mean Barney is not watched around the world?!)
I’m still uncertain about Ralph Fiennes as M but that might be my dislike of Spectre.
Naomie Harris deserved so much more from this franchise. She is utterly wasted as Moneypenny.
I don’t like the legacy storylines. Yes, our way of consuming media has changed and now lends itself to over arcing storylines. However, I miss the self contained story. I love Bond, I didn’t like Spectre so I’ve only seen it the once. However, this instalment required a refresher (my own fault to be fair, a kid I was teaching did tell me this and even gave me a recommended Youtube video so I was up to speed) to really keep up with the story. I had convinced myself that the gravitas of Christoph Waltz, that he was from a much earlier film but couldn’t quite place him. It distracted me quite a bit, and I feel it would do the same for other viewers.
The Ugly
I know Bond has always been full of clichés, but I really had hoped the problematic ones would be vanquished by now. I’m of course talking about disfigurement and disabilities being used to signify an antagonist, villain or henchman. No Time to Die gives us two; Lyutsifer Safin and Primo (who is also credited as ‘Cyclops’).
Safin is brandished with scars (more on his shitness as an antagonist later); a bit of research *after* the film informs me these were caused by a bioweapon used to kill his family. The very fact that I missed the sole line that gives us this knowledge shows how gratuitous it is.
Cyclops is given the name for a reason; he has one eye. One he can see out of at least. While I understand the purpose of the bionic eye as a plotting device later in the film it’s this disables = other that’s problematic. Plus, the GCI on that bulging Stargate-glow eye is shit.
James Bond, on the other hand, should look like human swiss cheese yet all I saw was what might be Daniel Craig’s appendix scar. What the fuck, is the franchise literally telling us scars = bad person?! Fuck off!
There is such a dependence on CGI in this outing. Most will not have noticed, but it really isn’t going to stand up to repeated viewings. Looking at the location list makes me wonder why this is the cast too; many sequences look like they’ve taken place on a green screen studio set.
The nanobots confuse the fuck out of me for two reasons:
If Madeline was related to Blofeld, why didn’t the nanobots given to her kill her? We’d seen how they reacted to the other dude’s family at the funeral. Also, why we’re on that, how thoughtless and callous was that scene given the current climate?! Who the fuck kisses the corpse of someone who died of a contagion? Hell, who has an open casket?!
I know there needed to be a no known ‘cure’ for the plot, but what about the EMP?! Surely that could have neutralised the nanotech?! I know, I know, both are theoretical inventions so they have artistic licence, but fucking use logic on them (one kills electric, one *runs* on electric). Also, Q tells James to us the EMP and then wonders why they’ve lost radio connection?! I have these questions and I went in with my brain switched OFF!
Safin is a shit bad guy! Like, literally the worst. Don’t get me wrong; Rami Malik does a grand job with what he has to work with, and he creeps the fuck out of me. HOWEVER;
Killing members of Spectre, I get. Wanting to kill Blofeld; get it. Global rollout; why now?! Money? Revenge? Thanos Fan boy? Give me something that explains why. Honestly, I’d have had him only plan as far as killing Blofeld then have him either auction off the product, or have the mad scientist take control.
Why the fuck did Safin save Madeline in the flashback, not kill her when he sends her to assassinate her father to then kidnap her? It feels all so convoluted and … bullshit!
Final Thoughts
It’s not the best, but it is by no means the worst.
Rating 12a Length 2h13 Release 27.8.2021 Director Cate Shortland About Natasha Romanoff, a former KGB spy, is shocked to find out that her ex handler, General Dreykov, is still alive. While evading capture by Taskmaster, she is forced to confront her dark past. Moon: no moon sighting Where to Watch: Disney Plus Trailer:
First Thoughts
I’ve now watched this film three times and I really have struggled to put down my thoughts. I’m glad I didn’t do it after my first, or second, watch. There are things I’m still very unhappy about, but …. well you’ll see from my review.
The Good
Florence Pugh as Yelena is what saves this film. She is a breath of fresh air as this young woman using humour as her guard. Her interaction with both Nat and her ‘father’ are pitched perfectly. Most importantly, her persona leaves me begging for Yelena to have interactions with Ant Man, Peter Parker and Nebula. It is going to be so much fun see her have verbal duels with some of these heroes.
David Harbour was always going to be a plus for me. I was a little worried; I’ve heard some of his attempts at accents, and they’re not always pretty. However, his Russian isn’t too bad. You can tell that Harbour is enjoying every minute of playing this Red State answer to Captain America. It’s brilliant to see a hero that has already had his time and is perhaps someone who should be sitting out of the fights. Then, you see him fight and realise; he’s still got it.
The relationship/ family dynamic of the OG Black Widow family is something I took for granted the first time I watched, but I really enjoyed this different type of dysfunction. The “time of the month” scene, for example was a stroke of genius. In that short interaction, you got to see Guardian’s ignorance, Yalana’s dark humour and Nat’s leadership skills.
The action, as always is spot on and well placed within the story structure. This film almost mimics a Bond movie with its exotic locations (the safe house in Budapest looks so similar to the last act of Craig’s Casino Royale), motor vehicle chases and a lair final showdown.
The Bad
The story is underwhelming. Being placed where it was in the timeline and release schedule means the story had to be somewhat self contained. Not only that, but there was a sense of retcon in order to make this work. The biggest thing of that I felt was ‘Budapest’. I’ll be honest, the Mouse House had a hard job on their hands with that. When you mention something so vague; you set of about a million plot bunnies. Nothing will live up to what’s been imagined in the heads of many geek’s in the years since it was first mentioned.
My issue with Taskmaster is the way the gender of them was hidden. It was deliberate and I’m pretty certain the person inside the Taskmaster suit prior to the reveal was male. It’s not clever, it doesn’t make the reveal more shocking. It just really makes them just another really weak antagonist.
Dreykov was badly cast. You do not cast Ray Winstone as a Russian. That man cannot do an accent to save his life and it ruins the character. Instead of him being this formidable leader, he comes across as a cheap panto villain.
O-T Fagbenle is wasted as Rick Mason. How are we only just being introduced to him now? This is such a shame as not only did I love the character, I loved his interaction with both Nat and Yalana.
Not the fault of the film itself, but the way in which trailers are made needs to change. It was heavily implied that Rachel Weisz’ character, Melina, had died. It is certainly a shock to both Yelena and Nat that she’s not and I think it’s meant to be a shock for us too. That’s hard for the audience to do though, seeing as she appears heavily in the trailer.
The Ugly
Black Widow deserved better. There, I said it.
This is a film that has almost zero impact upon the universe, mainly because it was tagged on to Phase 3 and added out of sequence. Had the film been released prior to Infinity War and Endgame, there would have at least been a slight element of jeopardy. As it stands, we know Nat can’t be killed and it narrative loses any tension. Not only that, but placing this film before Nat’s sacrifice? Jesus, that adds so much weight. Don’t have the same punch after the fact, but in the right order Nat is sacrificing herself for two families.
Not a single Avenger comes to help. Yes, I know that this is happening mid Civil War, but Disney, Buba, she’s been the wing woman to all these boy’s ‘adventures’ and you can’t even get one scene? Hell, you couldn’t even get Jeremy Renner in for the flashbacks? Do you not realise quite how shitty that is?!
It’s not Nat’s film. Not really. The only way this works, in terms of impact, is that it is a film that introduces Yelena Belova to the Avengers Universe. Yet, even this feels like an afterthought based upon fan reaction to the amazing Florence Pugh.
Final Thoughts
An underwhelming addition to the Marvel Universe that does not do Nat, or Scarlett Johannsen, justice.
Rating PG Length 1h 43 Release 15.9.2021 Director David Yarovesky About Scary story fan Alex must tell a spine-tingling tale every night, or stay trapped with his new friend in a wicked witch’s magical apartment forever. Moon: no moon sighting Where to Watch: Netflix Trailer:
Trick
The opening of the film is really off putting. It throws you in the deep end, for the purpose of a payoff later in the film. It doesn’t work for me and makes me a little detached from the protagonist.
The theme of abuse and trauma is a little too on the nose for what should be a children’s film. To also contain it in such a way in a fantasy film is a little problematic when a lot of children are made to believe everything they experience is in their own head.
It’s really dark, and scary. Which, yay, its Halloween. However, this is not a family affair and it will scare little ones.
Treat
Krysten Ritter was born for the role she plays, if not a little too young looking for the role. The fear and the horror comes from her unpredictability and clashing sugary sweet look.
The way in which Alex’s stories are told really is awesome. The stylised approach really allows to make a distinction between Alex’s stories and Alex’s experiences.
Final Thoughts
Its not too sure on its target audience, so be aware if you intend to watch with little horrors.
Rating 18 Length 2h23 Release 26.4.2012 Director Joss Whedon About Nick Fury is compelled to launch the Avengers Initiative when Loki poses a threat to planet Earth. His squad of superheroes Moon: no moon sighting Where to Watch: In cinemas and on some home streaming platforms Trailer:
Trick
It can’t keep the momentum of the first of this timeline and it certainly doesn’t hit the bar in terms of quality.
There are almost too many character threads being followed. In a similar way to Halloween II (1981), Laurie is hospital bound and has little to do, there’s Anthony Michael Hall’s Tommy and a few other returning characters from the 1978 original, but how they’re used makes their inclusion too much like fan service than a need for them in the story; almost as if casting and characters were prioritised over telling the story.
In a similar sense, this instalment feels like a set up to the next film. They knew how they were starting, they knew there were two more sequels and how this was going to end, the rest just feels like padding.
I really hate the immortality aspect of The Shape/ Michael Myers. It’s fucking stupid because that is part of the legend of him and undermines the believability of a mob mentality.
Treat
The body count and kills are unrelenting and imaginative. From the first responders, to the final showdown this film really earns its 18 rating.
Jamie Lee Curtis will always be impeccable in everything she does. Ever since seeing her in A Fish Called Wanda, I’ve trusted that anything she’s in will be something I’ll enjoy.
Anthony Michael Hall as Tommy is quite a genius bit of casting and characterisation. To see how those 40 years have gone for Tommy, how much it’s effected him is not something I’ve really thought about. His ability to move and motivate a crowd into a mob is incredible, and something I’m not certain Joseph Gordon Levitt would have been able to pull off.
There are Call backs and Easter eggs to many of the other films in the franchise. I particularly loved the nod to the third film that didn’t even feature Michael Myers.
The scariest thing out of all of the violence is the mob. Michael Myers, due to his apparent immortality, and known volatile tendencies doesn’t have the same shock and horror as the group of ordinary people; doctors, citizens and police who are all but frothing at the mouth at the thought of killing Michael. It’s all within the realms of possibility and the fact that they all ignore the harm they do to others and actively ignore the voice of logic and reason is the sole bit of this film that chilled me to the bone.
Final Thoughts
I found aspects of the film interesting, but it just didn’t quite live up to the expectations the 2018 offering gave me.
Rating PG Length 52m Release 8.10.2021 Director Kirk R Thatcher About On Halloween night, Gonzo is challenged to spend one night in The Haunted Mansion. Moon: Full Moon sighted just before Gonzo enters the mansion. Where to Watch: Disney Plus Trailer:
Trick
Kermit’s new voice is not quite right for me. At first, I thought it was that Kermit had a pig nose on his face and they were adding an effect. However, additional scenes proved otherwise. Whoever they picked is a few octaves lower than previous voice actors and not only is it noticeable, it changes the whole character.
Treat
Wil Arnett is perhaps the perfect human companion after Jason Segel. He has the adaptability to play the sort of characters Muppets needs. Arnett looks in his element throughout and it lifts up the performance of everyone involved.
Move over Animal, Pepe is my new favourite Muppet. He’s charming and funny. Not only that, he works well alongside fan favourite, Gonzo.
The songs are used sparingly, which I’m grateful for.
The humour, the charm and the meta-ness of the plot is all on brand and well written throughout.
It’s the perfect length for a family-friendly film. Especially for those days when no one has the attention for anything longer.
Final Thoughts
Muppets doing what Muppets do best, what’s not to love?
Rating PG Length 1h33 Release 8.10.2021 Director Conrad Vernon and Greg Tieman About Hoping to get closer as a family, Gomez, Morticia and the rest of the Addams clan embark on an adventurous road trip in a hideous and humongous camper. Moon: Starts off as a crescent, going into a full moon Where to Watch: Cinemas nationwide Trailer:
Trick
Finn Wolfhard didn’t return. Honestly, I’m gutted because the person they got to replace him was so different.
It had a very Simpsons feel, in the sense that nothing from the first film had any standing in this one. A shame really, as I loved the characters we met in the first film and it would have been quite easy to intergrade them into the story.
What happened to having Kitty as the MGM lion?! (Side bar: I got very upset at the youngling who insisted, repeatedly, that the MGM logo showed a TIGER! Don’t worry readers, I did not heckle)
Treat
There’s some excellent horror movie Easter eggs throughout the film for eagle eyed adults.
The story is pretty decent; for both kids and adults. Elements may be predictable, but it is a cartoon.
The comedy is as standard as the first outing, which gags for kids and ones for adults. Some of the location gags are just brilliant.
While there are arguments that this film is not in keeping with the live action or tv offerings, I must disagree. I have found both offerings well within the spirit of the Addams Family.
Snoop Dogg is perfect as Cousin Itt. I do want to play his lines backwards to see if he does indeed say what the characters say he does. (Thank you Red Dwarf for enabling me to identify backward tracks)
Final Thoughts
Its a decent kids film with a fun plot and a wonderful story arc for Wednesday. While I doubt the box office will see a third outing green-lit, if we do I would love to see Pugsley have a bigger role. Even with, sigh, the new voice actor.
Rating 15 Length 1h43 Release 17.9.2021 Director Sion Sono About In the treacherous frontier city of Samurai Town, a ruthless bank robber gets sprung from jail by a wealthy warlord whose adopted granddaughter has gone missing. He offers the prisoner his freedom in exchange for retrieving the runaway. Strapped into a leather suit that will self-destruct in five days, the bandit sets off on a journey to find the young woman — and his own path to redemption. Moon: no moon sighting Where to Watch: Online rental Trailer:
The Good
Nic Cage is at his most bat-shit in this Escape from New York/ Mad Max mashup. I don’t know about anyone else, but if I’m watching a Nic Cage film I need to see him howling to the moon in a way only he can do.
It is a beautiful film. The aesthetics of East and West cultures colliding is nothing new, however the way in which they are consistently and visually at odds with each other somehow works.
The Bad
Sofia Boutella is wasted in the role. A third of the film she’s placed in unflattering geisha make-up and another third she’d left catatonic. You have this beautiful, well trained actress. Use that. Perhaps its due to last minute casting, but she is much better than the role she was given.
The Ugly
Its not quite coherent enough and is certainly more style over substance. Biggest problem for me is the number of flashbacks. It adds nothing to the story to have so many. Especially those scenes that revolve around the opening scene. Because the reveals in the flashbacks are so heavily implied anyway it just bloats the film.
It really does seem that the director is trying too hard to hide the inspirations behind the film. To the point that the story is lost completely. The characters are not ones you sympathise with, or get to know in any way beyond the superficial.
Final Thoughts
Honestly, if you press play and make it to the end; kudos.
Rating 12 Length 1h31 Release 27.8.2021 Director Nina DaCosta About In present day, a decade after the last of the Cabrini towers were torn down, Anthony and his partner move into a loft in the now gentrified Cabrini. A chance encounter with an old-timer exposes Anthony to the true story behind Candyman. Anxious to use these macabre details in his studio as fresh grist for paintings, he unknowingly opens a door to a complex past that unravels his own sanity and unleashes a terrifying wave of violence. Moon: no moon sighting Where to Watch: Playing in Cinemas now Trailer:
The Good
The cinematography is absolutely stunning. Not only in of itself, but in the parallels from the original. Its artistic, its complimentary and its beautiful.
The shadow puppets used to tell the myth and legend of Candyman are perfect use of storytelling.
The story convincingly weaves in the narrative from the 1992 film, while ensuring those who come to this film without seeing the precursor won’t feel excluded. While a sequel, it does work as a stand-alone
The cast is diverse. Not only do we have a gay couple, we have an interracial gay couple. There is comments in reviews stating that it is only white people that are killed in this film. Well, I urge them to take a second watch.
The Bad
There’s a b-plot storyline surrounding the protagonist’s girlfriend; played beautifully by Teyonna Paris. The plot thread fits in really well and certainly gives the audience and opportunity to understand and sympathise with Brianna. However, its dropped as quickly as it was brought up. It’s almost as if a scene or two were cut and they would have made it more than this filler story.
I do find it odd that the one thing that didn’t carry over from the original, was the protagonist being arrested, or even questioned by the police. With all the clever parallels, it’s a shame this one was missed.
The Ugly
The reviews outside trying to say this is a racist movie. From “its too political” to “Only white people die”. God, you can just feel the white privilege oozing off the reviews. This movie is telling the same story that was told in 1992. Only bloody difference is that the protagonist was white and provided an almost smokescreen to viewers. This *is* a political movie. It is a black movie, it always was. The story’s origins come from Liverpool and the class divide there. As soon as the story’s movie moved from the UK to USA, Chicago in particular, the race divide was much more acute. Gentrification in the USA was about race. However, it is still about class divide. Both then, and now. To boil it down and go ‘urg, too political’ does a disservice to everyone involved. Be honest, just say ‘it made me uncomfortable’ because that’s what you really mean.
The other aspect of ‘too political’, could perhaps be the final act in which the police shoot someone without due cause, much in the same way Candyman was imprisoned. Yes, it might hit home a little different in the wake of George Floyd. However, to think this ending was put in *because* of George Floyd shows you’re part of the problem. The protests, the outrage, the lingering memory of his name is not because he was an isolated incident but because it was so frequent. The easiest way to put this argument to bed? This film was due for a June 2020 release. George Floyd was killed 25th May 2020. This film was wrapped and in the can way before then, so that ending was already filmed.
Final Thoughts
A little cleaner, much more clear cut than its direct predecessor. The final act, in the wake of George Floyd , may make some feel uncomfortable. Hell, some people will go so far as to say it’s ‘too political’. Well, isn’t that because you feel guilty? For me, that means this film has most definitely done its job.
Rating 15 Length 2h12 Release 30.7.2021 Director James Gunn About The government sends the most dangerous supervillains in the world — Bloodsport, Peacemaker, King Shark, Harley Quinn and others — to the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese. Armed with high-tech weapons, they trek through the dangerous jungle on a search-and-destroy mission, with only Col. Rick Flag on the ground to make them behave. Moon: We get a waxing crescent moon right at the beginning. Where to Watch: Most cinemas Trailer:
The Good
How does James Gunn curate the perfect soundtrack?! The Suicide Squad is no exception. From the legendary Johnny Cash to the earworm indie rock band The Fratellis; on paper they stand at odds with each other. However, on the screen, they enhance the story and become the album I must have on my phone.
The dialogue is to die for. The quick witted humour is perfect for those who love the work of Kevin Smith and Dan Harmon. It’s still on brand for James Gunn, but the Disney reigns have been removed. There will be times when you’d laugh in that ‘I cannot believe they got away with this’ way. It is joyous.
Idris Elba and Viola Davis being in the movie astounds me from the get go. Seeing them in a scene together and going toe to toe made me so very fucking happy. These are two actors that I will forever make time for. They’re powerhouses and our generation of Actors. Yet, here they are, having the time of their lives and playing cops and robbers. It takes a certain calibre of talent that can do that.
There’s some stunning cinematography in this outing. It’s not something that Franqois Truffant is going to cream himself over because it’s not ‘high brow’ enough, but it certainly got my attention. There’s a scene in which we watch a bulk of it via a reflection and it is made this film geek happy. Now, it might not age well and in 20 years it might look cheap as fuck, however right now it is just beautiful.
My two MVPs are King Shark and Sebastian. Both have this conceit of being absolutely adorable and murderous bastards. King Shark provides this childlike joy and humour and I love that he’s voiced by Stallone. Sebastian, on the other hand, gave me so much cute. Yup, I ‘awwww’d’ about 4 or 5 times at that god-damn rat. That rat, that mute, expressive and charming rat stole my heart and might have even had me choke up. Fucking James Gunn man. First a tree and a trash panda, now a anthropomophic shark and a rat. Genius! Mad, evil, genius.
The Bad
It’s a little on the long side. About 30 minutes too long for me. It does try to keep the pace, but there’s a clunky, choppy flow to the narrative that I don’t think will allow this film to hold up to repeated viewings.
The Ugly
The violence is hardcore. It’s a blend of surreal and real which I personally love, however it may be too much for some viewers and I would certainly argue that this film’s violence warrants and 18 rating.
Final Thoughts
A DC film using the Marvel playbook. Its a good watch for someone uninvested, so I’d imagine someone who is loving the DCMU (I’m a DC TVU girl) will be very happy with the outcome.
Rating 12 Length 2h07 Release 30.7.2021 DirectorJaume Collet-Serra About Dr. Lily Houghton enlists the aid of wisecracking skipper Frank Wolff to take her down the Amazon in his ramshackle boat. Together, they search for an ancient tree that holds the power to heal — a discovery that will change the future of medicine. Moon: Waxing crescent (I think) that is part of the plot Where to Watch: Cinema and Premire Access on Disney Plus Trailer:
The Good
The Rock is owning this role. He’s hamming it up like he does in Jumanji, but with a little Disney flare. His chemistry with Emily Blunt is on a par with Fraser and Weis in The Mummy (1999) and I’ve not enjoyed a romance plot as much in a long while.
The effects are quite impressive. More so when you compare them to that of Pirates of the Caribbean.
There are some zinger lines and funny puns to keep all entertained, or groaning in their seat.
The film’s score plays like a love letter to all the films that came before. I think it was about half way through I’d have sworn it was composed by the great John Williams. You know, if it wasn’t for the fact that the film was utter nonsense.
The Bad
The plot is as if a computer programme had been fed Indiana Jones, George of the Jungle, The Mummy, National Treasure and Pirates of the Caribbean to spit out… this. The shame of it really is the fact that there’s a good film in here. Somewhere.
The Ugly
Jack Whitehall. He’s one note and insincere to the core. The only nice thing I can say about his presence is that at least it wasn’t James Corden.
Staying on the problematic Whitehall and his character MacGregor; I normally have no issue when it comes to straight men taking on gay roles I do find this choice dumbfounding. If it’s a box checking exercise, that only *really* works if the representation is on AND off the screen. As it stands, the story required the character to be gay, the audience are presented with a rather poor stereotype.
Final Thoughts
It’s a hot mess of a film, saved by the chemistry of Emily Blunt and The Rock. It’s not going to be top of anyone’s list of rewatch films, however you can’t leave it unwatched.
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