What a truly delightful film. It's not winning an award for originality however it excels because the voice actors and animation blend together to make ember and wade so likeable the film moves at fair pace and this feels like Pixar of old where we had great buddy characters that we cheered on in their predicament. There's a lot of live action romance and rom coms that would kill for this kind of chemistry between their characters. A great way to spend a afternoon. Little kids won't get all the themes of the film but it's so lovely to look they won't notice. Catherine O'Hara is also a bright and cheery surprise as Wades mum with her distinctive voice.
Reviews
6 Reviews
Poker Face
(2023– )
Familiar yet brand shiny new.
4 July 2023
If you grew up in the 80's as I did you're familiar with columbo, murder she wrote, miss marple, hercule poirot, the Rockford files, quincy etc those fabulous tv detectives with their quirks and weekly mysteries that offer up a new batch of oddball characters every week and Rian Johnson has brought this genre bang up to date with Poker Face. The pacing is superb, the writing is quick, the production design and costumes all add to the texture and vibrancy of the characters and their lives when we drop in on them. Lyonne is brilliantly cast as Charlie and excels in this role. Honestly, could watch seasons of her roaming round the USA meeting people and solving crimes like a roving Jessica Fletcher away from Cabot Cove but with the same swagger as Columbo with the grunge rock chick vibe that suits her to her t. A longer arc is running thru I write this mid way thru season 1 so that's interesting too and not too heavy handed that it spoils the fun of the weekly stories. There hasn't been a weak story and guest actors are all utterly brilliant. It's basically movie standards every week. As someone who grew up on this genre in the uk with the Americans finest offerings and the British tv best with morse, taggert, rebus etc this is glorious fun and the best tradition of its predecessors. (Didn't give it full marks as I'm not all the way thru the season so can't comment on conclusion of story arc)
Not as quirky & charming as previous outings.
17 May 2023
Paul Rudd is endlessly likeable and Micheal Douglas in this film almost steals the show as the most entertaining character giving him a "hero" moment. However those two actors can't help a film that suffers from feeling like you're not really invested due to all the visual effects sure it's in the Quantum Realm a place that doesn't exist but what made Ant-Man quirky and interesting was his grounding in San Francisco with his mates being a low level earth bound hero this film relies too heavily on special effects with an irritation that his mates have been sacrificed for new characters that do little to help us enjoy this story. Perhaps a balance needed to be struck with some of the action between Earth and the quantum realm or less stunt casting for parts that aren't actually necessary. The relationship between Scott and Cassie is fine but most of the time it's Hank that's got the best lines. It won't be one I'll be watching again which seems to be a familiar pattern since Endgame. Their TV shows have been more interesting. It's watchable for Rudd and Douglas but miss the quirky.
Ten Pound Poms
(2023– )
A star per episode. Uneven.
15 May 2023
This is a very uneven season (not sure if it's a series) because far too much is thrown into 6 episodes. This would have benefited from 8 episodes or less story. A bit like when someone says look in a mirror before you leave and take off one accessory. I feel like we didn't get to know the characters as well as we should have done the more promising or interesting ones were left with little story development or left high and dry mid way thru. There's good performances from the leads with what they have to work with but overall the show won't leave you wanting a second season. I can't comment on the historical accuracy but as this is a drama entertainment show I'll presume it's loosely based on history so I'll lean heavily on the entertainment side of things. It's passes the time but is easily missable.
Triangle of Sadness
(2022)
A total surprise best watched without snacks!
27 March 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I laughed out loud several times during this film. Perhaps because we are post pandemic and I worked throughout in a supermarket I can appreciate some of the points this film was making but by god was it funny, gross, sharp sure a tad overlong but for me one of best films I've seen this year. The ambiguous ending will not please everyone but do not let spoil some brilliant performances from earlier the characters wouldn't go amiss in some sort of Agatha Christie storyline a motley bunch of oddballs who under normal circumstances would never meet. Anyone who does have a phobia of vomiting best watch out for the captains dinner scene.
Vacation Friends
(2021)
Enjoyable fun for an evening.
28 August 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Look this isn't an Oscar winner by any stretch of the imagination but it does have some laugh out loud moments. We have all met those folks on vacation we never wanna see ever again but are great for hanging out with on vacation because it's it a limited time. But what if they just turn up in your ordinary life? I enjoyed this. Moved along a fair pace with a different cast it could've been greater but it does work.
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