Movie mini reviews

[Mr. Johnson]

Incidentally I watched that a few days ago. The jokes and theme were a bit on the nose, but I did laugh a few times. And yes, it's hard not to make the connection with current politics and especially Trump, which is funny as the book it's based on was published in 2012. Maybe that's where he gets the mustard?

[buzzmong]

Been out watchin' films again.

Star Trek Beyond

It's actually decent! Don't need to give too many details about it because you pretty much know what expect outside of the plot. Not far off the first of the new ones, and much better than the second.

Trailer (just like Ghostbusters) wasn't a good representation. It's actually very Star Trek in terms of its overall themes and feels, which makes it actually seem a bit like a longer big budget episode which has turned out to be quite a good thing. Links back to Enterprise (the series) heavily, which is actually also quite a good thing.

Can't recall anything stand out bad, but nothing which was really amazing either. It's just all round good.

I enjoyed this one a lot.

7.5/10

Suicide Squad

It's got unfairly slated I think. I enjoyed the film and thought it was better than Bats Vs Soops. I know that good chunks of this film were re-shot and the film recut after BvS to make it lighter and more jokey, and to keep more of a theme with the original trailer. I think they made a mistake by doing that. This film would have shined by fully exploring the bad guys being bad, and been a rather nice antithesis to the always positive Marvel films. Instead it skirts the line, and does come off a bit too goodie two-shoes at times considering the cast is meant to be Gotham's baddest.

The film actually revolves around Will Smith's Deadshot, and he does knock it out the park and very much takes a large part in carrying the film. Criminal lack of Jared Leto's Joker (<15 mins), which is a shame as he's positively brilliant and basically steals every scene he's in. Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn is top notch as well. I truly hope the next Batman film involves the three of them.

Bit of character bloat though, and falls into the trap that the Avengers films avoided (by the characters having their own films) in that you know basically nothing about the supporting cast. The only person you really learn a lot about during the film is Deadshot, although Diablo gets a good scene explaining his background. Arguably shame as it bascially makes Diablo seem out of place with the rest of the 'Squad.

Not entirely sure about Killer Croc's writing, he oddly came across as a fairly affable chap in a few places after the little introduction vignettes.

It's enjoyable. Probably not worth a cinema trip. Glad I only paid for 2D and not IMAX 3D as I normally do. If there's ever a directors cut, that might make big difference.

~6/10

[Roman Totale]

If there's ever a directors cut, that might make big difference.

I ended up watching the ULTIMATE EDITION of Batman v Superman the other day. As discussed on Discord I'd heard it gave more background to the goings on and made things clearer. Well, it sort of does, but to the effect it just makes the whole film look even more retarded. I didn't think BvS was too bad when I first saw it, but this has changed my mind a bit. It's just so fucking stupid. I'm not a huge DC fan, but if I was I'd be so pissed off at the great stories and characters that are being wasted to churn these things out.

Still looking forwards to a solo-Batfleck film, but not much else.

Re Jared Leto - if he's only in the film for such a short space of time, why did he go to the extremes he did with his method acting? I've heard conflicting reviews of his performance, but I can't help thinking how irritating it must be to work with someone like that. "I sent you a dead rat in the post, I'm so crazy!", "Shut the fuck up, Jared - we've got to spend the next 4 hours in a chair getting make up applied!". When Daniel Day Lewis does it it actually seems worthwhile, but when someone ponces around like a twat then is only on screen for 15 minutes I'm not that impressed.

[buzzmong]

Regarding Leto, apparently he (and the cast) filmed loads more stuff and it never made it in, he's not happy about it either. Hence my comment on the directors cut.

[Joose]

Just seen Suicide Squad and completely agree with the above; its not amazing but its enjoyable enough, doesnt deserve the slating some people are giving it. I agree that they pulled their punches too much, telling us that these were terrible people but never really showing us anything to make us believe that. I too am looking forward to the probable directors cut.

[Joose]

I know that good chunks of this film were re-shot and the film recut after BvS to make it lighter and more jokey, and to keep more of a theme with the original trailer. I think they made a mistake by doing that.

I've been thinking about this overnight, and come to a conclusion: if the original cut was super dark and gritty with no humour, then they were right to make it lighter and more jokey. The problem is that they went too far. What would have been an excellent fit for this film would be to juxtapose light funny bits with holy-shit dark creepiness. Its the old "light and shade" thing; they started off with just shade and ended up with just light, but a high contrast black and white would have been great (in case its not clear, Im talking thematically here. I dont mean it should literally have been a black and white film). I think the squad should have been made up of unredeemable Joffreys who you downright hate, and endearing psychopaths who you like even though you feel like you shouldn't. Instead we ended up with a bunch of people who Mrs Joose accurately described as "a bit naughty".

[Roman Totale]

Not quite reviews, but I really liked these videos:

Suicide Squad sales pitch

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMNFaAUs2mo[/youtube]


Cinema Sins - Batman vs Superman

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5tSpgU96WY[/youtube]

Plus additional Ultimate edition!

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ryPJTQmgT8[/youtube]


The more I think about BvS the more I get annoyed at actually how stupid the film is.

[Dog Pants]

A couple of films I've seen on Netflix:

Absolutely Anything
A bit like a British remake of Bruce Almighty, with Simon Pegg given godlike powers by a malevolent alien who sounds like John Cleese. Quite funny, entertaining enough.

The Cobbler
Adam Sandler plays a cobbler who, from some convoluted plot device, can look and sound like anyone whose shoes he wears. He gets himself in the shit, naturally. Not brilliant, but it wasn't bad.

[Dog Pants]

Lucy
Scarlett Johansen accidentally takes drugs which let her use increasing amounts of her brain, giving her insight and sort of superpowers. Pretty good I thought, quite gritty and an interesting take on a sort of superhero origin story.

[Dog Pants]

Looper
Not bad grimey sci-fi about hitmen and time travel. The former is fairly light apart from a couple of action sequences, the latter a bit tenuous. Perfectly watchable though.

Joe Dirt
Loser comedy about a redneck stereotype looking for his parents. I liked it, but I like Adam Sandler films, which I'm sure it would have been if he hadn't been too old. He directed it instead.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Utter shit, but in a sort of good way. The plot is stupid, the bad guys are stupid, there are blatant deus ex machina. It's fun watching wisecracking CGI turtles fighting. Maybe one for drinking to.

[Roman Totale]

The Magnificent Seven (2016)

S'alright. Plenty of people have already referred to it as 'The Moderate Seven', which I suppose is fair. I mean the original was no masterpiece either (the original Western that is; Seven Samurai is a god damn masterpiece and if you haven't seen it you're doing yourself an injustice), but it's generally good brainless fun. For some bizarre reason they don't break out the iconic theme tune until the end credits. Solid performances all round.

I really want to watch Seven Samurai again now.


The Girl With All The Gifts

From the book blurb which doesn't give too much away:

"Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class.

When they come for her, Sergeant Parks keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her. She jokes that she won't bite. But they don't laugh."

Really good film, very tense in parts. Paddy Considine excellent as usual, but the titular girl is also very good as well (much better, I thought, than the child actors from Stranger Things who seemed to get an inordinate amount of praise). The music/score is by the same guy that did Utopia on Channel 4 - some bits very familiar.

[buzzmong]

Dr Strange

This is quite a good film and one I really enjoyed.

Having a relatively unknown character has allowed Marvel to go off and make something quite interesting. The overarching plot is your standard story of rebirth and a big bad in the background, but it's got some quite nifty ideas in it, it's paced really well, the dialogue is good, they explain enough stuff so the world and people's actions make sense, got some good comic relief bits in as well. Looks really good too, the FX are top notch.

Pretty sure they've nicked the musical score from the last Star Trek film, and one of the big visual spectacles takes a leaf from Inception and goes wild with it.

Post-credit scene is present but optional, as it's just setting up the next story in this set.

It's not quite GotG, but it's not far off at all, definitely worth an Imax viewing too

[Roman Totale]

I'm having to wait until Sunday to see this

Pretty sure they've nicked the musical score from the last Star Trek film

Every Frame A Painting did a good video about this:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vfqkvwW2fs[/youtube]

[Joose]

I'm having to wait until Sunday to see this

Me also

I was going to put a link to that video, but was too lazy to dig it out. Its not wrong though, the music has got to be the weakest part of the Marvel films. Theres only a couple of tunes from it that I like, the rest of it completely fades into the background and is instantly forgotten. Strangely, its one of the few things that I think Batman Vs Superman did really well. Each of the characters had thier own little theme tune that was easily recognisable reflected thier character. I particularly liked Wonder Womans tune:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw_o7XUX3fg[/youtube]

But Luthors was pretty good as well (although I really didnt like the Luthor character)
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3N-O5BCZSM[/youtube]

for some reason there is a super long build up there. Skip to ~25 seconds if you are getting bored.

[Dog Pants]

I wonder who has the job of uniformly scattering small pieces of debris on set. I bet it's the same bloke who has to sweep it up again.

Trolls
I took Sprog to see this today. You know how a lot of modern kids' films are quite clever and witty, and appeal to adults on a different level? This isn't one of them. What it is, I suspect, is a vessel upon which to sell merchandise.

[TezzRexx]

Trolls
I took Sprog to see this today. You know how a lot of modern kids' films are quite clever and witty, and appeal to adults on a different level? This isn't one of them. What it is, I suspect, is a vessel upon which to sell merchandise.

Ah balls. Supposed to be seeing that next weekend with the Rexxling (although, it is free through work, so I can't complain too much).

[fabyak]

Mrs Fab and I refused to go to that suspecting just that. We went to see Storks instead which was fine. Nothing groundbreaking, not great, not bad, just fine.

[TezzRexx]

Went to see it on Sunday, I actually quite enjoyed it! It was very daft, but it had some bits in for adults which were funny in parts. Son really enjoyed it so I can't complain

[buzzmong]

Arrival

Excellent film. Basically focused on what humanity does when presented with an alien race that's not trying to instantly murder them as per pretty much every other alien film.
It's got some really clever bits, and the climax is a phone call

Can't say much more without giving stuff away.

Go watch. Possible film of 2016.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

I enjoyed this quite a bit.
It does nothing really special or unique on the plot front aside from being topical regarding extinction of animal species, but it's done really well, with the pinch of well, magic, that J K Rowling manages to inject that made the entire Harry Potter books a good read. The cast is pretty much on point the entire way through the film, which makes it a good watch.

There's a fair bit of comedy in it and while it's generally fairly light hearted, there's some dark bits going on, which make it actually quite interesting.

Worth a watch even if you only mildly like magic/fantasy/Harry Potter.

[FatherJack]

Zombie Ass: The Toilet of the Dead

A faecal fiesta!

In continuing my self-inflicted quest to watch every Zombie film around, I take a journey to the bottom. Pun intended.

As the subtitle makes so abundantly clear, this is not a film about sexy Zombie asses wiggling around, but the other things that asses do: those things are blowing off and doing poos. This film has a bit where someone sticks their bum out and it makes a fart noise, so if you think that is comedy genius then you are going to love this film, because that bit happens A LOT.

The reason everyone is so flatulent is a sort of mutant/alient tapeworm that one of the protagonists has purposely ingested as a weight loss aid. They grow very quickly, eat your brain, control you and eventually burst out of your arsehole. The zombie horde in this film shuffle towards you on all-fours, ass-first. The CGI is ploppy and the plot stinks, it's as full of holes as are people's underpants by the end.



Here's is a brief clip which should give you a whiff of the aroma of this film:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrWMWZiMThI[/youtube]

Ultimately it's up to you if you take this film as a silly poo joke that they ran and ran with, or some sort of fetish on the part of the director. Pretty much every male in the film acts like a pervert and the zombies more keen to molest than kill anyone. By the end the worms resemble giant tentacle-like prolapsed colons. They then do battle with them and you don't see that every day.

/10