Tag: Film Review

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.

Lift (2024) Film Review

Rating 12
Length 1h44
Release 12.01.2024
Director F Gary Gray
About A master thief is wooed by his ex-girlfriend and the FBI to pull off an impossible heist with his international crew on a 777 passenger flight from London to Zurich.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: Netflix
Trailer:

The Good

Vincent D’Onofrio is incredible in whatever he is in. However, it’s hard not to love him in Lift when he’s clearly having the time of his life. Being a master of disguise, we get to see a wide range of performances from this great. You cannot fault him.

David Proud gives us typical Brit humour and it is incredible. Not only because he gives us some of the funniest moments, it’s also a long time coming having disabled representation in a film as part of the course. That’s true representation.

The heist aspect of the film is good. I mean, I’m a sucker for a heist movie so it was on to a winner there anyway. While there are aspects that are predictable, there are still aspects to this film that are delving into new and uncharted thievery.

No screaming Kevin Hart. I’ll admit, the film hit the hour mark before I lost that fear he wasn’t right for the role but he was perfect… once the action kicked in.

The Bad

Burn Gorman is one of those actors. He pops up in everything; Hollywood and home grown. His American accents come across to me a little ‘fake’ because I grew up watching him in Torchwood and I know he’s a Brit. However, this time I cannot use that. His Irish accent is not only bad, it’s patchy. There’s a scene upon his character meeting Hart’s he straight up says a line in a London accent.

The film takes a little too long to get going. The second half is much better, but it relies on you staying engaged and invested while it takes it’s slow, baby steps.

The Ugly

Why is Hollywood STILL trying to make Sam Worthington happen?! He adds nothing to any film, let alone this one.

Final Thoughts

It’s a heist film by numbers with a very pretty cast. Honestly though, if you want a good heist with heart? Invest in Leverage, not this.

Role Play (2023) Film Review

Rating 15
Length 1h40
Release 12.01.2024
Director Thomas Vincent
About Emma has a wonderful husband and two kids in the suburbs of New Jersey. She also has a secret life as an assassin for hire, a secret that her husband Dave discovers when the couple decide to spice up their marriage with a little role play.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime
Trailer:

The Good

Kaley Cuoco and Bill Nighy have amazing chemistry. It’s strange because it’s not romantic, in the slightest, but they give us some of the best scenes in the film.

Cuoco actually plays the action really well. From weaponry, to hand to hand she makes for a convincing spy/ gun for hire and I certainly welcome more work like this from her.

There’s some incredible shots, locations and camera work throughout this film. As a director of episodes of the incredible The Bodyguard (2018), Thomas Vincent has shown he’s as good on the big screen. Much like Cuoco, I am looking forward to seeing more from him.

The Bad

The film goes the long way around to set itself up and get to the action, and sometimes it’s about the journey and sometimes it’s about destination. Unfortunately, this film tries to do both and achieves neither.

By extension one of the biggest problems is who the film deems the protagonist. Initially it seems all set up for Kaley Cuoco’s Emma to lead the film as spy whose lies catch up with her. Then it briefly appears as if the film is going for a riff on Date Night (2010), before giving us Dave’s (David Oyelowo) perspective on a potential pretence that Emma has gone missing.
The film really is a Cuoco’s vehicle and could do with a narrative clean up as there’s just a little too much diversion in the middle act that brings the audience out of the film.
While there’s equally an edit in which this film exists as the duo, akin to Date Night. However, for that to work, there needs to be less separation between the couple. Most importantly, for this to be truly coherent film, a decision needs to be made.

The Ugly

The motivation of the mysterious Sovereign, the decisions made and the lengths they go to is left somewhat unexplained. Yes, there’s a connection made to Emma however it’s all centred in the past. There’s no explanation of the future and the ever important… why?

I did not like some of the cuts that made it into this, specifically ones relating to Cuoco. Way too many sad and angry faces when they weren’t necessary. Maybe the director was calling for stoic, but I’m not sure that’s what happened. Just really made me sad seeing such a pretty, and funny, person frowning so much.

Final Thoughts

It’s a decent Friday night watch, but I don’t think it’s going into anyone’s rewatch pile.

The Producers (1967) Film Review

Rating PG
Length 1h28
Release 09.10.1969
Director Mel Brooks
About A Broadway producer decides to get rich by creating the biggest flop of his career.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: BBC IPlayer
Trailer:

The Good

Gene Wilder is incredible. From his opening hysterics to the closing captive audience, he’s outstanding with his comic timing.

It’s a lean 85 minutes and it’s technically not a musical. Having seen the 2005 outing first, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the original is much lighter on the songs.

The Bad

The Nazi play within a film can be misinterpreted. What you have to remember is; this is created by Mel Brooks famous for two things. Mainly the satirical comedy, but the other is that he’s Jewish.
So while there are many at the time of release, and perhaps even now upon a first watch, who saw this film as offensive and missed the point it truly is an amazing feat to take a hated figure and reduce him to a punch line.

The Ugly

I don’t know what it was about the 60s, but it was way too comfortable with its misrepresentation of rape. The Knack … and How to Get It (1965) has a main character running around screaming rape, for anyone she comes across to laugh at her.
The Producers has one of the old broads ask for sex play with Bialystock that is the ‘rape of …’ someone or other. Thankfully, I Think we’ve done away with this trope, much like using asbestos in our buildings. However, it really threw me and I felt like being slapped. No one, and I mean no one, wants to be raped. In fact the phrase is non-sensical.

Final Thoughts

a

Matilda (1996)

Rating PG
Length 1h48
Release 20.12.1996
Director Danny DeVito
About Matilda has a dysfunctional relationship with her parents and brother. At school, she hates the principal for torturing her and a teacher, so she uses her telekinetic abilities to deal with her.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: Now TV
Trailer:

The Good

DeVito is absolutely MVP for this film. His acting; spot on. The narration; perfect. The direction; a more mainstream, child-friendly, Tim Burton. Honestly, I loved this movie the first time I saw it and as I’ve grown, I’ve learned to appreciate DeVito’s style of direction. I adore the use of shadows to create tension, the close ups of characters that are intimidating.

The dancing scene as Matilda learns to control her powers! Gah! It walked so that the Philosopher’s Stone could run. The effects; practical and CGI have aged really well and even in that scene, you’re too engrossed in the joy to notice some of the animation-like quality.

Pam Ferris is as amazing as she is frightening. As an ugly fat person, I admire her dedication to present herself in the way that she does. There’s a skill required to be able to give this character a balance that allows the audience to laugh at her, and be terrified. You can see from this performance why she was cast as Aunt Marge in Potter (although she was always my head cannon for Umbridge though)

The Bad

Dahl, being the problematic sod that he is, has some questionable language within his books and some has made its way into the film. Primarily, the word “pissworm”. What he most likely intended was the traditional meaning ‘individual who is deemed to be small or insignificant’. However there are a few other definitions, including it being a ‘disparaging term for a man’s penis’.
I’m sure most kids would miss it, but I’m telling you now I wouldn’t want to be any parent whose kid catches it and repeats it.

The Ugly

As much as I am certain the plot of Miss Honey is entirely innocent, and was written in a very different time, I’m not entirely comfortable with the whole going to Miss Honey’s home for after school hangs. Add to it a casual break-in, and she’s not the role model we’re met to think she is.
Lets but it this way; put Danny DeVito (Or Mr Poppy, Pam Ferris’ other relation from Nativity) in place of Embeth Davidtz and it doesn’t feel as wholesome; its creepy, its grooming and we’re arresting them.

A slight change in the story; not having them in isolation and perhaps having Violet with Matilda, instead of Honey, during the search for doll would tone down the ick.

Final Thoughts

The ick was nowhere near as bad watching it this time, but it also didn’t bring the joy that it did the first time.

It Came From Outer Space (1953) Film Review

Rating PG
Length 1h21
Release 25.09.1953
Director Jack Arnold
About John Putnam, a stargazer, witnesses a spaceship landing in the Arizona desert, but none of the townsfolk believe him. Horror strikes, when residents begin to disappear.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: Now TV (under Cult Classics)
Trailer:

The Good

The music! I will never not love a good theremin tune and it works really well her to build tension.

How the film presents the alien POV; it’s quite majestic. In fact everything alien works. Particularly when you consider this was made in the early 50s. Not a single bit of CGI in sight.

The Bad

It’s a chilling film that makes use of sound to imply so much about the aliens that land and makes them out to be the scary big bad. In a modern film there’d be a closer resemblance to the xenomorph and people would die to create the scares. However this film is refreshing in that all the chills are implied upon human paranoia.
There’s the added element of chills brought about by the mob that’s formed as the film progresses and actually how real that would be.

The Ugly

I hate the “mock the person who says they’ve seen aliens”. Not believing him is one thing, but outright mocking him in the paper and on the radio?! Technically not this film’s fault, but after half a century of it being the go-to response in movies and me seeing a good chunk of them first, it bugged the hell out of me. Particularly when in-universe its all true.

Final Thoughts

A short and sweet look into 50s sci-fi. If you like the original Invasion of the Bodysnatchers you’ll enjoy this just as much.

Scent of a Woman (1992) Film Review

Rating 15
Length 2h37
Release 12.03.1993
Director Martin Breast
About A prep school student, who is in need of money, agrees to be the caregiver of a man with visual impairment while his family is away. Unbeknownst to him, the colonel has his own agenda for the weekend.
Moon: no moon sighting
Trigger Warning: Suicide plans/ Gun Violence
Where to Watch: More 4
Trailer:

The Good

I remember Al Pacino being rated number one in a list of 100 actors and I really didn’t understand how, or why. I’ll admit, my dislike of the American gangster movie and their epically long run times, means until recently I probably hadn’t seen too much of Pacino.
Now, though?! I get it. He’s not the man with range, but he’s the man who goes all in to provide authenticity and emotional connection.

Frank’s story arc is compelling. His story provides arguments for and against assisted suicide; the struggle, the loneliness both conflict with the confidence and life that’s still fighting within Frank. How the cause of Frank’s blindness, his bitterness and position within his family and his plans for the future are drip fed to us, provides an ever shifting opinion and it makes for quite a beautiful, yet heartbreaking story.

The Bad

I’m not completely sold on Chris O’Donnell in the role, or the development of the character. What got him into the school? He said it was a bursary, but what for? What was his aim? There was mention of Harvard, but not of what he wanted to do there. We’ve got a Roary Gillmore here, but nothing about the character tells me this. Just a few changes to the character; hell, have him hold a book, taking homework with him to his first day with Frank. Something that showed me that he’s having to work harder than everyone else because he’s still having to earn his place.
Then for Chris O’Donnell, the performance is just a little too timid with not enough growth by the end of the film. It feels a little too one-note and wooden for a young man in crisis and thrown into highly tense situation with a clearly depressed man.

The Ugly

You’re trying to tell me that the Principle of that Prep school didn’t recognise those voices on the tannoy? Given that this is what the B-plot hangs one; it’s fucking stupid. I’d have had more respect if the film acknowledged that the Principle knew who it was, but that he needed someone to confirm it.
Or not have the trio so obvious, watching from the window. So much of it points to the boys and it’s frustrating to have the plot play so dumb.

Final Thoughts

Dead Poet’s Society meets About a Boy. It’s certainly a well made film that everyone should watch once in their life, but it’s more cathartic than entertaining.

The Wedding Singer (1998) Film Review

Rating 12
Length 1h37
Release 05.06.1998
Director Frank Coraci
About When Robbie Hart, a wedding singer, meets Julia, a waitress, he promises to sing at her marriage, but unaware of what destiny has in store, the two plan on spending their lives with separate people.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime
Trailer:

The Good

A plot that’s not too dissimilar to Serendipity (2001), a film I absolutely hated, The Wedding Singer shows how you can do a romance film in which both leads are with other people, yet you still root for them to be together.
Firstly, we don’t meet Robbie’s fiancé until she’s left him at the alter. As an audience, we already dislike her. Then, with Julia, we have a more traditional ‘doomed couple’ trope; she airs misgivings right from the get go, there’s outside social pressure, and in case we’re left in any doubt, Glenn is a sleaze ball of epic proportions.
Secondly, the friendship is built up first and we them gradually fall in love. The time spent together never feels date like. It also doesn’t feel cruel that Robbie is helping with Julia’s wedding plans given his employment. I do also really like that Robbie is held accountable by Holly and reminded that Julia is getting married. That doesn’t happen very often in films and all morality and ethics go out the window for the romance of it all.
Finally, there’s chemistry between the two. It’s commented on by a fair few people throughout the film and you can genuinely see the chemistry while the authenticity of them believing they are just friends works, even if others and the audience don’t.

The soundtrack is incredible. The best of the 80s for your listening pleasure. Not to mention the use of a String Quartet playing a pop cover… before it was mainstream. *chef’s kiss*

That final act on the plane is perfect. Funny, wholesome and satisfying. Most importantly. Robbie manages to get the girl without having to resort to telling her about Glenn’s sleazy antics.

The Bad

Fat and ugly jokes. It’s a common joke in Sandler movies. It sucks, but even more so in this because Robbie is a really sweet guy.

Did they really have Julia marry Robbie in the dress that was bought for her marriage with Glenn?! The marriage that caused a lot of heartache?! Come on, I know there’s the expense, but movie romance here…. give Julia another fucking dress!

The Ugly

It is an Adam Sandler shouty film. Not his worst, by any means, but it is the worst thing about this film. It’s early enough in his career so its not all one note, but it gets particularly loud towards the 45 minute mark.

Final Thoughts

A funny and sweet film that I cannot believe I’ve not watched more.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)

Rating PG
Length 1h35
Release 23.11.1990
Director Steve Barron
About A quartet of humanoid turtles, trained by their mentor in ninjitsu, must learn to work together to face the menace of Shredder and the Foot Clan.
Moon: full moon while waiting for pizza delivery
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime
Trailer:

The Good

The puppetry is amazing. Of course it is, it’s Henson productions. The Turtles are only surpassed for me by the full on puppet of Splinter. The characterisation of the team is spot for me.

The Bad

I’m not quite so sure what the plot is?! Shredder ratnaps Splinter, but he doesn’t know who Splinter is? What was the motivation? Why were the Foot stealing random shit? Too many questions about the story arc really and it stops me being entirely invested.

Not a fan of this iteration of April and I never thought I would say there’s a worse choice for one of my favourite characters than Megan Fox.

The Ugly

It’s really dark. Both physically and tonally. While it isn’t the modern ‘so dark you can’t see anything’, there’s still no reason for it to be as dark as it is. It’s probably why, despite this being one of my favourite shows growing up, I have only seen the film once before today.
Add to that, the violence, it does seem to indicate that the creatives weren’t too sure who they were targeting audience wise.

Final Thoughts

Nostalgia is sometimes left in the past. While I’m glad I took a rewatch, I can also see why this was not something that my parent’s allowed me to have on repeat.