Topic: Never Ending Movie Marathon (short reviews)

[samuelrichardscott]

Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007) Region 2 United Kingdom

Overview:
Mr Bean is heading to the South of France for a simple holiday in the sun. His voyage from London to the Riviera soon transcends into one of mischief and mayhem! Mr. Bean Inadvertently creates havoc wherever he goes. This culminates in an unscheduled and riotous screening of his own video diary at the Cannes Film Festival.

My Thoughts:
Although I have always enjoyed the Mr Bean television series, I have found it the character to be a bit overrated at times. I caught 1997's Mr. Bean's Disaster Movie years ago and found it to be enjoyable enough but thought the character did struggle a little to make it to the big screen. This second film was made a full ten years later and unfortunately, whilst it had a few funny moments, the feature length setting for the character didn't really work. There were some nice little nods to a few films, and the supporting cast suited their roles well for the majority but it was Willem Defoe that kept me interested here in his limited role as an egotistical Hollywood star/director who is in Cannes. If you're a Bean fan, it is worth watching, but it isn't as funny as you would hope. 2.5/5

[samuelrichardscott]

The Informant! (2009) Region 2 United Kingdom

Overview:
Mark Whitacre is secretly rolling tape during a meeting of corporate honchos who are illegally price fixing. Meeting after meeting, Mark rolls tape after tape. He's sure the tapes will make him a U.S. hero. What went wrong?
Director Steven Soderbergh reteams with one of his Ocean's trilogy stars for a snappy skewering of big business based on the true story of the highest-ranking corporate whistle-blower in U.S. history. Matt Damon portrays Whitaker, whip-smart and immensely likeable even as his schemes become increasingly untethered. Pay attention to the fun and intrigue of The Informant!

My Thoughts:
Steven Soderbergh's The Informant! is (loosely) based on the true story of Mark Whitaker, who becomes a whistleblower against the agricultural giant ADM and their price-fixing activities and kick-backs, whilst at the same time, lying to the FBI, his family and... well... everyone about events along the way. Not only that, but the FBI turn on Whitaker as it comes to fruition that he is also embezzling millions of dollars. Matt Damon is fantastic as Whitaker and Melanie Lynskey puts in a good turn as his wife. They are also joined by a good supporting cast including Scott Bakula, Rick Overton, Ann Dowd and Patton Oswalt. The story is well paced and I really liked the feel that Soderbergh gave the film with regards to the general look. As the story unfolds you wonder just how ridiculous it can get, but Damon pulls off the role so well and so convincingly, nothing will end up surprising you. Recommended. 4/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Ella Enchanted (2004) Region 2 United Kingdom

Overview:
Anne Hathaway, from The Princess Diaries, is Ella in the charming fairy-tale adventure ELLA ENCHANTED. At birth, Ella's Fairy Godmother gave her the gift of obedience, which is also a curse because Ella must do everything she's asked — even if it's bad. So she sets off to return the gift. This simple errand soon turns into an amazing journey filled with ogres, giants, wicked stepsisters and the handsome Prince's evil uncle. Bursting with colourful characters, music and wit, this magical and heartwarming tale will captivate the entire family!

My Thoughts:
Ella Enchanted isn't really what one would expect judging by the overview and the cover. Yes, it does have the typical ending, the prince and the girl storyline and everything else that a fairytale fantasy world would probably have but it also has some clever writing, a lot of nice little nods to other movies and to the fairytale stories it bases itself on and a surprisingly good cast including Anne Hathaway, Cary Elwes, Vivica A. Fox, Joanna Lumley, Lucy Punch, Minnie Driver, Eric Idle, Steve Coogan, Parminder Nagra, Jimi Mistry and Patrick Bergin, all of whom put in above average showings. The story is formulaic like I said, but it's fun and keeps you entertained throughout. It has a few laughs that would appeal to all ages and overall is a surprisingly good film. Don't let your preconceptions put you off. Recommended. 3.5/5

[samuelrichardscott]

The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) Region 2 United Kingdom

Overview:
Samantha Caine (GEENA DAVIS), a suburban school teacher, suffers from amnesia. When her mysterious past begins to haunt her idyllic life, she sets out on a desperate search to discover her true identity.
Aided by Mitch Henessey (SAMUEL L. JACKSON), a dead-beat private detective, she follows a trail of clues into the middle of a terrorist conspiracy in the U.S. Intelligence community. They slowly learn that Caine is much more than a soft spoken teacher. Repressed from her memory is her former life as Charly Baltimore, a highly trained secret agent and killer. But Charly is slowly re-emerging, which spells trouble for the terrorists, and anybody else who gets in her way...

My Thoughts:
When you think of big budget action thrillers, you don't really think of Geena Davis. Yet, here she is, finding her own two feet as a lethal government operative who is suffering from amnesia. OK, she isn't brilliant, but she holds her own with Samuel L. Jackson and she is better than I would have thought in this type of role. The action scenes are completely over the top, but very enjoyable, with dialogue by Shane Black that is cheesy but definately suitable for the genre, even if it isn't as witty as Lethal Weapon. The supporting cast of Craig Bierko, Brian Cox and David Morse are also well selected, even if they are in quite stereotypical roles for them. If you like your action movies to be a little bit mental with the storyline sometimes taking a backseat for explosions and gunfights, this is recommended. A cracking popcorn flick, sometimes overlooked. 4/5

[samuelrichardscott]

30 Minutes or Less (2011) Region Free United Kingdom

Overview:
Nick (Jesse Eisenberg) is a small town pizza delivery guy whose mundane life collides with the big plans of two wannabe criminal masterminds (Danny McBride and Nick Swardson). The volatile duo kidnaps Nick and forces him to rob a bank. With mere hours to pull off the impossible task, Nick enlists the help of his ex-best friend, Chet (Aziz Ansari). As the clock ticks, the two must deal with the police, hired assassins, flamethrowers, and their own tumultuous relationship.

My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed Ruben Fleischer's first feature length non-TV movie, Zombieland, and so have kad kept an eye on this, his next project in which he would reteam with Zombieland star Jesse Eisenberg. He hasn't disappointed. Starring a slew of comedians who improvise a lot of the scenes (from what they say in the extras), 30 Minutes or Less is a fast-moving action-comedy which, although could have been funnier given the situations, manages to keep up a pace which keeps you entertained from beginning to end. Danny McBride and Nick Swardson are the highlight for me here, the way they interact and their dialogue amusing me in each scene they are involved in. The car chase manages to have some good special effects and the bank robbery scene is definately well written, especially the way Aziz Ansari talks to the bank teller. Ruben Fleischer's 30 Minutes or Less isn't excellent, but it is thoroughly entertaining and I can't wait for his next movie The Gangster Squad, a 40's drama about the Mafia in the East starring Sean Penn and Emma Stone. Recommended. 3.5/5

[samuelrichardscott]

The Three Musketeers (2011) Region B United Kingdom

Overview:
The Three Musketeers (Ray Stevenson, Matthew Macfadyen and Luke Evans) are at rock bottom without a cause to fight for when the young and hot-headed D'Artagnan (Logan Lerman) seeks their help. Discovering a conspiracy to overthrow the King they are thrown into a terrifying battle against a beautiful double agent (Milla Jovovich) and her villainous employer (Orlando Bloom), fighting to save the crown and the future of Europe itself. Featuring stunning special effects, director Paul W.S. Anderson brings The Three Musketeers to the screen like never seen before.

My Thoughts:
I've been a fan of Paul Anderson for a little while now, since I first saw Shopping. His films are far from great but I find them to be fun for the most part and his Resident Evil films are generally underappreciated. I had an interest in The Three Musketeers since I heard about it going into development but it was released without as much as a whimper and seemed to get a lot of bad press. Because of this, I decided against a cinema viewing and waited for the opportunity of a rental. Upon viewing, I found it to be a mixed bag. I enjoyed the story and found the opening half hour to be highly entertaining, especially as D'Artganan meets Aramis, Porthos and Athos for the first time. It does get silly and very over the top, but for the most part, the sword fights were enjoyable if not particularly spectacular and the special effects were generally pretty good. The acting is mediocre with all the main cast a bit too hammy for my liking, but Milla Jovavich was better than expected whilst Christoph Waltz and (surprisingly) James Corden were the best of the bunch. Dialogue is a mixed bag. There are some funny lines that come at the right part but I would've preferred the dialogue, and the whole film generally, to be a bit closer to what Dumas had written. Still, the dialogue modernisation doesn't take away too much from the movie. Overall, I enjoyed it, but there were some poor casting decisions and a couple of scenes that didn't really fit. The ending is open for the possibility of a sequel of course, and I have to admit, I hope we get one. Rent it or get it cheap. 3/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Drag Me to Hell (2009) Region 2 United Kingdom

Overview:
Christine Brown (Alison Lohman - Gamer) is an ambitious but kind hearted loan officer with a charming boyfriens (Justin Long - Jeepers Creepers). But when she denies an old lady an extension on her home loan, she has no idea of the terrifying consequences in store. With a powerful curse placed on her by the enraged pensioner, Christine is given just three days before she will apparently be literally dragged to Hell.
As her date with fate approaches, Christine is desperate to break the curse whilst being increasingly plagued by horrifying nightmares and apparitions. Will she escape eternal damnation? There's only one way to find out, in the 'THE SCARIEST MOVIE OF THE DECADE'.

My Thoughts:
Drag Me to Hell is an absolute blast. Sam Raimi goes back to horror, includes his usual comic-like horror visuals and he does well at reversing the roles so that the male lead (Justin Long) is there for support as the female lead (Alison Lohman) goes through hell after having a curse placed on her. Lohman is fantastic as banker Christine who makes a decision to refuse a loan against her usual persona so that she can hopefully become an assistant manager, resulting in being cursed, and Lorna Raver also excels as the giver of the curse, Mrs. Ganush. Yes, the storyline isn't necessarily anything new but the journey there is a lot of fun and I absolutely loved the ending. Highly recommended. 4.5/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Reign Over Me (2007) Region 2 United Kingdom

Overview:
Adam Sandler, Don Cheadle, Liv Tyler and Jada Pinkett Smith star in this heart-rending story about Charlie Fineman (Sandler), a man who has slipped away from reality after the devastating loss of his family in the 9/11 terrorist attack. After a chance encounter with Alan Johnson (Cheadle), his old college room-mate who is torn between the pressures of balancing a successful career and his family, a friendship blossoms and both men emerge enriched and enlightened because of the unbreakable bond between them.

My Thoughts:
Adam Sandler is mostly well known for his comedies, in particular those from the nineties for people like me who were teens in that decade, but in 2002 he showed his true worth as an actor when he starred in PTA's Punch Drunk Love. It came as a shock to many how good Sandler could be outside of his safe zone and that is backed-up by his performance here in Reign Over Me. Sandler and Cheadle both put in great performances in what is a story that is about friends and family and how important they are in life, whilst also looking at dealing with grief following a tragedy (Sandler's family dies in 9/11 as plane passengers). The writing is very good, the subject matter is handled delicately where required and there are some nice little comedic moments to lighten the tone to stop it becoming overly depressing. Recommended and it bugs me Sandler doesn't opt for these roles more often. 4/5

[samuelrichardscott]

The Stepfather (2009) Region 2 United Kingdom

Overview:
When Michael Harding (Penn Badgley, TV's "Gossip Girl") returns home from military school, he finds his mom madly in love with her charming live-in boyfriend David (Dylan Walsh, TV's "Nip/Tuck"). At first, David appears to be the ultimate nice guy and an ideal future husband and stepfather. But when Michael and his girlfriend (Amber Heard, Zombieland) start delving into David's past, they begin to discover a dark and dangerous side to Michael's new "daddy" in this riveting, chilling thriller.

My Thoughts:
As the years go on, we seem to get more and more horror remakes, The Stepfather being a remake of the 1987 cult-favourite starring Terry O'Quinn. As usual, there are some different versions of events between the original and remake to make it seem fresh, and although I did find this 2009 version enjoyable, it wasn't as good as the original and was merely a standard horror film focusing more on tension until the final act. For the most, the cast isn't bad. Sela Ward and Amber Heard are the highlights, but neither excel whilst Penn Badgley is fair and Dylan Walsh, in the main role, is not as good as Terry O'Quinn was, lacking that prescence that made the character so terrifying in the original. The scares are average, with a lot of focus made on loud noises, but the tension did build-up reasonably well. The Stepfather is an average horror remake worthy of a rental or a cheap buy if you're a genre fan. 3/5

[samuelrichardscott]

The Bounty Hunter (2010) Region 2 United Kingdom

Overview:
Milo Boyd (Gerard Butler, 300, The Ugly Truth), a down-on-his-luck bounty hunter, gets his dream job when he is assigned to track down his bail-jumping ex-wife, reporter Nicole Hurly (Jennifer Aniston, TV's "Friends"). Milo expects an easy payday, but nothing is ever easy with him and Nicole. The exes continually one-up each other – until they find themselves on the run for their lives.

My Thoughts:
The Bounty Hunter got absolutely slammed by the critics when it was released, but I gave it a chance and rented it last year and gave it a 2.5/5. I recently picked it up cheap and decided to give it another watch and I feel maybe I was a little harsh on it, because, despite the fact it is average in every single way conceivable, it is still reasonably fun and has some enjoyable moments. Underneath the action-comedy-crime story is actually a romance story, making both Gerard Butler and Jennifer Aniston obvious candidates for this movie. Both put in reasonable showings, but neither are great. In fact for me, it was Christine Baranski who got some of the better moments in her small role as Aniston's mother. The story is also standard stuff and the dialogue isn't great, but it suits the purpose of the movie well and is generally ok. A far far far superior bounty hunter comedy is Midnight Run, but The Bounty Hunter is worth a look for fans of the cast. 3/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Splice (2009)

Overview:
Clive and Elsa are the best scientists in their field. Splicing together the genes of several animals they have managed to bring into existence a new kind of creature, the protein of which could be highly profitable. But experimenting for a large corporate firm doesn’t satisfy their scientific curiosity. After secretly adding human DNA into their formula Clive and Elsa soon realise they may have made a mistake, a big mistake. A mistake that seems to be aging, growing and transforming at an incredible rate. An uncontrollable mistake that’s about to break loose and rip their world apart into tiny pieces.
Directed by celebrated cult director Vincenzo Natali (Cube, Cypher, Nothing, Getting Gilliam) and starring Adrian Brody (King Kong, Predators), Sarah Polley (Existenz, Dawn Of The Dead) and David Hewlett (Stargate: Atlantis), Splice is an unforgettable sci-fi horror like nothing you’ve ever seen before or will ever see again.

My Thoughts:
When I first picked this one up, I didn't recognise the name of the director Vincenzo Natali but I have thoroughly enjoyed what I have seen from him previously; Cube and Cypher. Splice is a science-fiction film about a couple of genetic scientists (who are also romatically linked) who splice together genes from an experiment their company has been working on with human DNA. Because it is illegal, they keep it hidden away from both their bosses and their colleagues/friends but things get completely mental as "Dern" evolves as an animal/human hybrid at an alarming pace. It seems to borrow a little from quite a wide range of sci-fi/horror ventures including Frankenstein and Species but it is certainly out there on it's own. Natali, who finished writing Splice way back in 1998, does a fantastic job at not going for easy scares and silly death scenes, instead opting for all-out suspense with bloodiness used only when required. The CGI looks great, and Sarah Polley and Adrien Brody are very good in their roles, but sometimes the film gets a little to out there for its own good and some very minor plot weaknesses start to show (would David's brother really just take a bit of a sideline, or would he not be very curious hmself?). Still, this is a refreshing, well made, well cast movie I can easily recommend. 4/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Hackers (1995)

Overview:
They can break any code and get Inside any system. They are often still in their teens and already under surveillance by the authorities. They are the hackers. Zero Cool - real name Dade Murphy - is a legend among his peers. In 1988 he single-handedly crashed 1,507 computers on Wall Street and was forbidden by law to touch another keyboard until his 18th birthday. It's been seven years without a byte... and he's hungry. Kate Libby, handle Acid Burns, has a souped up lap-top that can do 0 to 60 on the infobahn in a nanosecond. When the two collide, the battle of the sexes goes into hard drive. But all bets are off when master hacker The Plague frames Dade, Kate and their friends in a diabolical industrial conspiracy. Now they are the only ones who can prevent catastrophe... unlike any the world has ever seen.

My Thoughts:
I'd heard from a lot of people that when it comes to accuracy regarding technology, Hackers is ridiculous and upon viewing, even I can tell it is stupidly over-the-top, and I'm useless when it comes to techie stuff. Still, that didn't stop me from enjoying this fun little computer hacking movie. There are some well-known names in the cast here in early roles in their careers. Matthew Lillard, Jesse Bradford and Jonny Lee Miller are all quite good, but it is a young Angelina Jolie who surprises as Kate Libby. She isn't great, but she is better than average and has a good screen prescence so it is no surprise she is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood today. The story, although completely OTT, is well-paced and well structured, even if the sequence of events, and their outcomes, are obvious from the offset. Music was a good throwback for me to some early 90's dance tracks from my first years in secondary school and suited the movie well. It's no surprise that Hackers never won any awards, but I imagine it is a film I will revisit more than once. Another to add the ever-growing 90's guilty pleasure pile. 3.5/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Trailer Park of Terror (2008)

Overview:
Norma is a Trailer Park Queen – when her boyfriend is killed by the local trailer park bullies, Norma makes a pact with the Devil and takes her revenge.....
Six troubled high school students and their chaperone are returning from a retreat when their bus crashes, stranding them in the middle of Trailer Park Hell ... Literally!
Without warning, Hillbilly Zombes are looking for fun begin slaughtering the teens in gruesome fashion. With a Rockin' Southern-Fried Soundtrack, Top-Notch Special Effects and a devilish sense of humour, Trailer Park of Terror (based on the Imperium Comics Series) is nasty fun for the hardcore horror fan!

My Thoughts:
I'm finding it difficult to make my mind up about Trailer Park of Terror.  There are some very good ideas, and after seeing Norma take a pact after watching her boyfriend killed I was expecting something a bit different to what I got. The cast are generally what you would expect from a b-movie but the special effects by DRAC are surprisingly good at times, even if budget constraints are sometimes obvious. Director Steven Goldmann has made over 200 music videos for the likes of Metallica and his professionalism is obvious as the way shots are set-up are better than we would usually see in low budget horror. Still, the one big flaw unfortunately hits the movie hard. The pacing. For a good 45 minutes, not a lot happens. They try to introduce us to the various characters but didn't set it up well enough and I didn't like any of the characters. The last half is enjoyable, gory, and sometimes darkly tongue in cheek, but I fear many will turn off before getting that far. Low end rent it for horror fans only. 2.5/5

[addicted2dvd]

I am glad I read this. This one is in my unwatched pile and while not expecting much of anything... I been curios about it for a while. Looking at DVD Profiler I recognized a couple names. Of course Priscilla Barnes who was Terri on Three's Company. And then there is Hayley Marie Norman  who I know mainly as one of the models on the game show Deal or No Deal... though I see she has done quite a bit more. Knowing a couple of the names... I think that is pretty good for a low budget horror! 

[samuelrichardscott]

I think you would like it Pete. Just boring from the 15 minute mark to the hour mark. Kind of like they filmed a cracking ending and a good beginning, only to realise they needed another 45 minutes to make a film so tried to flesh it out and failed.