Topic: Never Ending Movie Marathon (short reviews)

[samuelrichardscott]

A little catch-up here from the last week... I'm totally out of the loop on here right now, and I'll also get to the quiz again eventually.

South of the Border (2010)
Documentary that shows how overly right-wing US media is in regards to South America, whilst being overly-left in its aproach. It brings up some interesting points and there are some great interviews, but it's a very one-sided feature. 2.5/5

Spring Breakers (2012)
Yes, it's a totally visceral viewing experience, and yes, I did enjoy it to some degree, but the repeating dialogue started to annoy me by the end and I honestly don't think this would've gotten so much praise had it not been for some clever casting of ex-Disney actresses in roles that are far more risque than what they are known for. I hoped for better, but was still happy to see it. 3/5

Mugabe and the White African (2009)
The Campbell family share their incredible ups and downs as they try to keep their farm from being unfairly taken from them by the Zimbabwean government. We see the family members, friends and workers beaten and threatened as their court case in the International Court is postponed numerous times. At times, a very distressing doucmentary, but one every person should see once to see just how racist and unforgiveable Mugabe really is. 4.5/5

Warm Bodies (2013)
This probably won't satisfy the hardcore zombie fans looking for an all out horror movie, but this was an interesting and enjoyable take on the genre. Loved the opening five minute inner-dialogue of main zombie R, played by Nicholas Hault, and although it was sometimes a little uneven, the strong cast lift it up above average. John Malkovich and Rob Corddry were great in their supporting roles. 3.5/5

Olympus Has Fallen (2013)
I didn't come into this film wanting a deep social/political commentary, or wanting to think, and I left happy. Gerard Butler isn't perhaps the best action star, and I preferred him in Law Abiding Citizen, but he still works within the contents of this brainless popcorn actioner that is suprisingly violent. To be honest, this is everything that Die Hard 5 should have been. 3.5/5

Fire in the Night: The Piper Alpha Disaster (2013)
Great documentary that provides many accounts of survivors and rescue workers of that fateful day. There are many heartwrenching interviews and a good mix of archive footage, reconstructions and interviews. Could've been improved upon by perhaps spending more time on the events that caused the disaster and it would've also been nice to get some more depth on how this changed the health and safety requirements for the rigs, but it's certainly worth tracking down and viewing. 4/5

Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008)
Brendan Fraser uses his vocabulary skills to do his best impression of Brian Blessed by shouting EVERY WORD OF DIALOGUE, probably in an attempt to take away from the often poor looking CGI. Still, all is not lost and there is some meaningless fun to be had. Josh Hutcherson is okay, but the casting of Anita Breim was a pleasant surprise. It was never going to win any awards, but will entertain its target audience. 2.5/5

Monsters vs Aliens (2009)
DreamWorks Animation never get the same praise that Pixar do for their efforts (and rightly so) but that hasn't stopped them from producing some damn good movies. Unfortunately, whilst Monsters vs Aliens is fun, it isn't great. It might have plenty of charm, but it's missing soul and is overly predictable - though I do believe the voice cast has been unfairly criticised. It's not a bad way to waste 90 minutes, but DreamWorks are certainly capable of better. 3/5

Black Swan (2010)
A lot of praise has been given to this film since it's cinema release, mostly for the performances of Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis. This praise certainly isn't unwarranted but it has unfortunately meant two other great performances, by Barbara Hershey and Vincent Cassel, have been pushed aside and not talked about as much. Well, they are just as good as Portman and Kunis in my opinion and deserve a little recognition. The story itself is one where horror sneaks in fantastically well as Nina becomes more and more insane, right through to the excellent climax. Aronofsky's visuals help add to the atmospheric terror and the build-up is perfectly paced. Overall, this film is worth all the praise it received. Highly recommended. 5/5

Black Swan: Metamorphosis (2011)
This is a documentary that takes a look at the making of Aronofsky's 2010 movie, Black Swan. At a reasonable 48 minutes in length, there is a surprising amount of depth to this, with interviews with various members of the cast and crew and plenty of behind the scenes footage. Worth a watch, especially for fans of the film or those interested in the technical aspects of filmmaking.

Big Boys Gone Bananas!* (2012)
This is a follow-up to the documentary "Bananas!*" which showed what was happening at the Dole banana plantation in Nicaragua including the use of an illegal pesticide and a court case against them from workers. What most don't know, is that Dole blocked the film in the USA and tried to smear it at all costs around the world. This film looks at the David and Goliath fight between a small Swedish film company and a large US multi-national and what happened in the aftermath of the first film. Fascinating, but ultimately one-sided, it's worth a watch, especially if you've seen "Bananas!*". 3.5/5

Little White Lies (2010)
When a film is over two hours long (154 minutes in this case), then it has to try twice as hard to keep the attention of the viewer. This long runtime almost stops Little White Lies in its tracks, but for those who can get past the sometimes dull middle, the ending is more than satisfying thanks to a superb cast. 3.5/5

Unearthed (2007)
Low budget monster movie which has hilariously bad CGI, but some gore that wasn't bad. There are a couple of known names in the cast including Luke Goss and Emmanuelle Vaugier, but there are no good performances here. There are better films from the "After Dark Horrorfest" range out there, so I suggest skipping this poor effort. 1.5/5

Barbershop (2002)
Forget about the shoddy ATM sideplot that happens to bring the storyline full circle, and enjoy the comraderie in the barber shop between those who work there and the local customers. Funny, but not laugh out loud, Barbershop is worth a watch and has held up reasonably well. 3/5

Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2004)
More of the same but this time the dialogue isn't quite as sharp. Cedric the Entertainer is generally someone I find very hard to watch, yet in both Barbershop films he is unarguably the best character. Most of the original cast return, and Queen Latifah joins the cast with her beauty shop (which itself was a movie) but the additional of Kenan Thompson leaves a lot to be desired. Rent it if you enjoyed the first one. 2.5/5

Beauty Shop (2005)
A spin-off if you were of the Ice Cube starring Barbershop, Beauty Shop is essentially quite similar but aimed more at a female audience. Despite this, I found there was still some enjoyment here and thought Queen Latifah, Alicia Silverstone, Andie McDowell and Mena Suvari all did well in their roles. However, it was Kevin Bacon's character that really made this watchable for me. Rent it. 2.5/5

The White Ribbon (2009)
Hauntingly brilliant, the loose ending works in the films favour. Haneke continues to impress as a varied and skilled director and the tone he has found here is perfectly appropriate for the story. The casting is exceptional to boot. 4.5/5

Hancock (2008)
Among my friends, I seem to be the only one that enjoyed this movie. Will Smith and Charlize Theron are both very good, but Jason Bateman gives an underrated performance as usual. There's some great special effects, some cracking (if generic) action sequences and some good humour, as well as a half decent plotline to string it together. 3.5/5

Knocked Up (2007)
I really enjoy Apatow's improv style of comedy, allowing the various cast members to really come up some with laugh out loud dialogue. Because some cast members have worked together in similar situations before (Rudd and Rogen in The 40-Year Old Virgin), they riff off each other particularly well. Surprised Heigl got the female lead as she isn't the type you would normally find outside of your standard rom-com, but her casting also paid off. 4/5

Then She Found Me (2007)
Although sometimes overly melodramatic, Then She Found Me is a good effort by Helen Hunt for a feature length directorial debut. The cast range from above average (Colin Firth) to horribly annoying (Bette Midler) and the dialogue is uncomplicated and straightforward, but it's a solid enough movie to warrant a rental or a cheap purchase. 3/5

In Old Chicago (1938)
Well, this was a disappointment. Nominated for best picture at the Academy Awards, In Old Chicago was the most expensive movie ever made at the time. Whilst the final twenty minutes revolving around the fire are very well shot and enjoyable, everything leading up to this moment was so boring I had kind of lost interest. I watched the theatrical version which did feel as though it had been poorly edited - something which I imagine is fixed in the 15 minute longer Roadshow version. Maybe I'll view it one day, but I'm in no rush. 2/5

Assault on Wall Street (2013)
There is no doubt about it, Uwe Boll is not a great director - at all. However, he continues to release films and whilst it may be 'cool' to hate on the guy, he does not deserve to be dumped on as much as he does. Assault on Wall Street is likely the best film I've seen of his to date and although it is mindless and formulaic, I had fun. The acting is of a higher standard than usual (still not above mediocre though), and overall it feels more polished than his previous movies. Give it a chance, there is hope for Mr. Boll yet. 3/5

Frostbite (2012)
This movie is exactly where I'd like to be. Beneath Katherine Isabelle. Make no mistake about it, this is not a great movie, but it isn't quite as bad as it should be. The cast is below average, but passable, the story revolves around saving a waxing salon and the dialogue is often laughable for the wrong reasons - but I've seen plenty worse in this genre/budget range. 2/5

Hummingbird (2013)
This is a nice change of pace for Jason Statham and more of a serious role. As a fan of his popcorn action movies, I have to admit that I was actually a little surprised that Statham managed to pull this role off. Steven Knight is reasonably well known as a very capable writer, with screenplays for Dirty Pretty Things and Eastern Promises under his belt, and this directorial debut has now put his forthcoming "Locke" on my radar. "Hummingbird" is another notch in the good column for British cinema, but it's a shame they gave the film such a a generic title as "Redemption" in other localities. 3.5/5

Robot and Frank (2012)
Okay, so it might be a little 'too' sentimental, but the script is witty, and the supporting cast is excellent. It's very endearing, and well worth a watch. 4/5

Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
I'd been putting this one off for some time, and I think it was because it had been hyped so much that I really didn't want to be disappointed. Well, I'm kicking myself now as this was an excellent movie. Bradley Cooper is really starting to impress me (this, The Words, The Place Beyond the Pines), and it was great to see De Niro in a role where he isn't a parody of his former self. The two hour runtime flew past, the dialogue was great, and the casting perfect all round. Brilliant. 5/5

Atlantic Rim (2013)
The Asylum sometimes get a bit of a bum wrap. It seems that people often complain about their CGI, plotlines and the level of quality of the people they cast. Now plotlines and other things are fixable, but folks forget that their movies don't have the $100m+ budgets of the films they are ripping off and so they do have budget limitations. That said, this is still shit - just not as shit as most people will say it is. This has got to be worth a 1/5, rather than the 0.5/5 that it will receive from 90% of viewers. On a sidenote, the main bird is pretty banging. 1/5

High School High (1996)
Okay, so it isn't the best parody out there, but it is certainly better than some of the more recent efforts such as Suck It, Date Movie and Epic Movie. Jon Lovitz and Tia Carrere work together surprisingly well, the story at least has some sort of structure to it (a rarity in the genre these days), and although the jokes are hit and miss, they do hit 50% of the time. This is middle of the road stuff, and not a bad a way to waste 90 minutes. 3/5

The Invention of Lying (2009)
I'm a fan of Ricky Gervais so it was no surprise to me that I found this to be quite funny. I thought the idea behind the movie was a very good one, and although the story could be conceived as a little flaky, I really liked the direction of the lie being a little dig at religion. The cast is great, and there are a few enjoyable cameos to look out for, with Ed Norton's being the best. 3.5/5

The Dawn of Lying (2009)
This short film preceeds The Invention of Lying and basically retells the story as if it was a caveman that told the first lie. It isn't a bad short, but it just felt like a quick retread, filmed last minute to include as an extra feature on dvds and blu-rays of The Invention of Lying. 2.5/5

Jeff, Who Lives at Home (2011)
I find Ed Helms and Jason Segal to be bearable but limited actors, but both manage to impress here along with a great supporting cast that includes Susan Sarandon. The Duplass brothers manage to find themselves delivering a movie that may seem a little goofy at first glance, but actually has a lot of heart that sneaks up on you from nowhere. Recommended. 4/5

[samuelrichardscott]

.45 (2006)
Average low budget thriller that has been well cast. Angus McFadyen is generally below par in his movies, but here, he suits his role to a tee. The plot is quite formulaic but moves at a good pace, and I never found my mind wondering. It might not be original and it certainly isn't award worthy, but if you're a fan of any of the cast members then it's worth a watch. One thing to note though, is during Milla Jovovich's nude lesbian scene, it is impossible not to notice how huge her nipples are. 3/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Fast and Furious 6 (2013)

I go to F&F films for one thing and one thing only. To have fun. This 6th installment was great fun, some cracking action sequences, and they continue to tie up loose ends from the 3rd movie very well. The ending that links the two though? Wow. I can't wait for F&F7. 4.5/5

[Piffi]

Ah, after both yours and Marie's review of FF. I cant wait for it! Wich one is your favorite so far?

[Dragonfire]

I do like the bit that tied back to the third movie - even though I haven't watched that one yet.     But I will at some point.

(click to show/hide)

Statham in the next one is going to be freaking awesome.

[samuelrichardscott]

You need to watch all the movies Dragonfire. There were so many nice little touches all the way through the 6th that point back to all 5 previous films.

[samuelrichardscott]

Ah, after both yours and Marie's review of FF. I cant wait for it! Wich one is your favorite so far?

I think this is certainly up there. I gave both this and F&F1 4.5/5, though they are completely different genres IMO. I pre-ordered the blu-ray last night.

[samuelrichardscott]

Terminator Salvation (2009)
I've never understood the hate this movie or Christian Bale received here. This is a solid sci-fi actioner, with some pretty good action sequences (love the bikes) and a storyline that suited the series well. I look forward to the 5th movie and the return of Arnie. 4/5

[Piffi]

Only a few months left!

[samuelrichardscott]

Batman: Gotham Knight (2008)

I'm not a comic book fan, yet have thoroughly enjoyed and loved the majority of the recent comic book based movies. I haven't really delved into the animated movies too much yet, but this one wasn't that enjoyable in my opinion. I liked the idea of six short stories, each with different animation styles, but they just didn't gel together as much as I had hoped and I ended my viewing feeling disappointed.

Anyone have any recommendations as to the better animated comic book movies out there?

[Tom]

The following of the recent DC comic book movies I really enjoyed: "Wonder Woman", "Superman: Doomsday" and "Superman/Batman: Apocalypse"

[samuelrichardscott]

Thanks Tom. Seems the only blu-rays for them are USA but over the customs limit. I've put a low price watch on them and will pick them up if they ever get stupidly cheap (I'm unsure about them now after this one).

[samuelrichardscott]

Scream 4 (2011)

Overview:
In Scream 4, Sidney Prescott, now the author of a self-help book, returns home to Woodsboro on the last stop of her book tour. There she reconnects with Sheriff Dewey and Gale, who are now married, as well as her cousin Jill (played by Emma Roberts) and her Aunt Kate (Mary McDonnell). Unfortunately Sidney’s appearance also brings about the return of Ghost Face, putting Sidney, Gale, and Dewey, along with Jill, her friends, and the whole town of Woodsboro in danger.

My Thoughts:
It has been eleven years since Scream 3 and Sidney has released her own book whilst Gale and Dewey have been married for a decade with him now Sheriff and her trying to write a novel. With them all back in Woodsboro on the anniversary of the events from the first movie it's obvious there is a need for someone dressed as Ghostface to be killing again. With another great cast including Emma Roberts, Rory Culkin, Hayden Panettiere and Anthony Anderson and some solid writing, Scream 4 is another fun entry into the series. A lot of nods to more recent horror movies like the Saw franchise and filled with plenty of great dialogue poking fun at genre cliches, I have to recommend it to fans of the series. 3.5/5

Just rewatched this one.

[samuelrichardscott]

Toy Story 2 (1999)

Toy Story 2 is, at time of writing, my least favourite in the series, but when your least favourite still scores 4/5, then it shows it's worth all the praise it receives. Great characters, some brilliant jokes for kids and adults alike, and animation that although is a little dated has managed to stand up nearly 15 years later, I recommend Toy Story 2 to the biggest of kids. 4/5

[samuelrichardscott]

The Omega Man (1971)
The world has been obliterated after a biological war and there are very very few survivors, but there are quite a few 'walking dead' who have been infected with a plague in the aftermath. Heston spends his time avoiding and fighting these people but some of the best scenes actually come from Heston talking to himself, like when he is watching Woodstock in a deserted cinema. The story takes a turn when he meets Lisa who is looking after some healthy children and it revives his human passion and emotion for life in order to help them. The empty streets look great, Heston is a good choice for the lead and it is well paced. Recommended. 3.5/5