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Reviews
Air (2023)
A simple, yet fresh and enjoyable story
It amazing to think that such an enormous empire was built on such shaky beginnings. Air tells the story of how Sonny Varcano convinces his colleagues to take a punt on an unknown and risky venture which goes on to deliver for Nike on un unprecedented scale. The movie has a great 80's soundtrack and has a mixed cast of some individuals who you wouldn't normally see in a true story. Chris Tucker and Wayans play 2 decent parts and Affleck is hilarious in some of his 80's costumes. Jason Bateman is also great. Damon steals the show as the overweight yet incredibly shrewd businessman Varcano. The story is interesting while not being over egged and had my attention for the full movie. A solid 7.5.
Expend4bles (2023)
A Tiresome Snoozefest. Lacking the Expendables Appeal
A lack lustre storyline which given how basic the plot needs to be is quite the feat. As soon as I seen Megan Fox on the cast list I knew it was going to be terrible. Jason Statham , who lets be honest isn't really in the high echelons of acting prowess normally is able to make relatively simple action movies enjoyable as he is likeable and a bit rough round the edges. E4 relies on him heavily to drag you through a terrible movie. Iko Uwais as the bad guy sums up the whole movie. A mediocre actor who was in the god awful Wu Assassins joins a number of other b listers in delivering a stupid plot with terrible digital work and badly done over the top stunt sequences. Megan Fox's presence is purely to bring a bit of plastic eye candy and nothing more. Tony Jaa is undoubtedly a decent martial artist. But again he couldn't act his way out a paper bag. And 50 cents contribution is as exciting as when you say " Oh look its 50 cent" For the rest of the team. There is no heart and no nostalgia for them like we got in previous movies. Think it may be the End of the saga. 3.
Fallout (2024)
Made by a true fan. Excellent
First if all it looks absolutely perfect. It's so accurate to the games and the characters are as surreal as the games. The storyline although not in line with any of the game plots is brilliantly conceived and suits the fallout universe. I can't wait for the next season to see what it brings. The thing I love about the series is the way that they utilise the choices made by each of the characters. Just like in the game there are decisions made that go against the obvious storyline and take the characters in an unusual but still viable direction. The Ghoul played by Walton Goggins is a great addition. And his back story has been really good. Hoping we find out more as the story progressess. Overall. Its up there with the best Game based conversions. But on its own stands up as a modern and fresh series that delivers on multiple fronts. Funny. Full of suspense. Multi faceted plot lines. Loved it.
War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
More superb action and sci fi storytelling
A non stop excellent addition to the series. The 9th film of the POTA universe brings with it fantastic visuals. Depth in the story and ensures the franchise is alive and kicking. Special Mention to Woody Harrelson who brings us a complex and interesting foe for ceaser to pit his wits against. The movie is not only harrowing in its depiction of the brutality of war in a survival setting. It is also uplifting in its message regards humanity. And it is shown both through at least 1 character from each species of ape and through the human character played by Freya Allen as Nova. Without spoiling the end. I was satisfied if a little dissappinted that this part of the story had run its course. Am hoping that Kingdom sparks new life and we see a few more movies which show a more evolved ape society. Keep them coming. Excellent entertainment.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
A brilliant continuation of the POTA rebirth
The 2nd in the most recent reboot and the 8th movie overall is action packed and backed up with a great storyline. By this point the CGI is now just expected, so the quality of the storytelling becomes far more important to make the movie stand up. It doesn't dissapoint. With far more in common with the original series. We see internal power struggles and begin to see how the similarities of both races are undeniable. Hate, fear and survival are now inherent in both species. The cityscape and civilisations are more attuned to the post apocalyptic essence of the original and this only makes for a genuine and captivating watch. The movie looks amazing and the characters are believable, which helps to immerse you into what is a pretty fantastical premise. A great watch.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
A terrific return to form. Best since the original
A reintroduction to a well loved series that has seen a few terrible entries. No more so than the Burton debacle. Rise is an extraordinary piece of modern cinema. Utilising CGI in a way that doesn't depend on the technology to be the main attraction. Superb retelling of the inception of the saga with an excellent plot and is thoroughly enjoyable. Serkis is a joy as Ceasar and provides a character which is undoubtedly likeable. You are driven to root for the new order as they strive to escape their human overlords and embark on their free existence. The action scenes are spectacular with the showdown on the Bridge being a particular highlight. Given the car crash that the 2000 movie was. I wasn't expecting much. But Rise takes dead franchise and completely revitalises it. A brilliant movie.
Planet of the Apes (2001)
So much freedom to do something amazing with a reimagining and utterly fails
It's just too blockbuster. It's supposed to be about the substance of a thought provoking story. It was more like watching Stargate than POTA. Cheesy. Over egged at every turn and nothing like the classic original. I know they created some car crashes in the original 4 sequels but it was the early 70's. This had all the resources of the 21st century, yet it concentrated on the set design more than making the story any good. Humans should have been mute. Bar Leo. I'd have preferred an atmospheric dystopia with very little dialogue over the hammed up, obvious man vs beast rubbish we are exposed too. Giamatti's character was like a star wars droid merchant. Supposed to be funny. But was out of place and sort of ridiculed the lore of the saga by just existing. Also the not so subtle sexual attraction between Bonham Carter and Whalberg was just plain weird. These elements twinned with a plethora of awful acting from a normally decent group make for a pretty dire affair. Also the much maligned ending just caps it off. It just makes no sense no matter what timeline your in. A sad and unfortunate blot on the cinematic landscape. At least it warned future producers not to let Burton crap all over any other sacred Sci fi. 3 is the most I can muster. Worst Movie in the entire catalogue.
Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)
A tired end to a drawn out series
It's not as bad as beneath and in my opinion comes in second to last in the series. The story just isn't as good and even though it is called Battle. It's just a big battle for the most part which isn't what you want from a POTA movie. The story is weak and the characters are just not as captivating. I found the human society to be pretty pathetic and the leader was just a fat mess of a guy that nobody in their right mind would elect to be the leader of the last remnants of the human race. Conquest was also quite light on plot. But finished well and that can't be said about Battle. It just sort of fizzles out. Definitely time to call it a day. And we can all look forward to The Mark Whalberg disaster. 5 max.
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)
Hints of Orwell, lashings of social commentary. Not in the same league as the original.
Perhaps for me the biggest disappointment is the vast majority of the acting. As it includes a much larger human cast of characters. They bring with them limited acting prowess, with only a couple achieving pass marks. The story is simple and a real sordid reflection of humanity. There is a real orwellian feel as media coverage is manipulated and the apes are conditioned into servitude by the recorded voices demanding compliance. The uniforms are almost nazi like in style which is intentional. Also the comparisons which are drawn with the civil rights movement are obvious and must have been extremely close to the bone at the time of release. Overall its watchable and relatively thought provoking but not in the same league as the classic first movie. 6 is fair.
Justified (2010)
A brilliant twist on the western genre that doesn't dissapoint.
Timothy Olyphant borders of typecastjng himself as the quintessential cowboy. But if your gonna do 1 thing then do it right. Believable. Likeable and continually cool. The plot lines are superb and the environment is delightfully rustic. The supporting cast bring an eclectic mix of superb characters. With The Crowders and Bennets bringing a plethora of likeable scumbags. Ava's growth as a character is enjoyable and others such as Wynn, Dickie, Dewey and Ellen May amongst others all bring something unique. But for me the character of Boyd Crowder is the best thing about the show. He is menacing, and unavoidably common. But he is oozing intelligence, guile and an almost psychotic devotion to Ava. Often hilarious and regularly brutal. Justified was a joy from start to finish. Loved it.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)
Does the bustin universe proud.
Ghostbusters is a simple formula. It has to be funny. It has to be a bit off the wall. It should exist in a fantastical universe where its o.k for the unbelievable to be acceptable. People who watch this movie and take its contents too seriously require a swift boot in the chuckies. It should be slightly scary and it should have a clever supernatural plot line. All the good GB movies have had these elements and Frozen Empire does the formula well. The reason the 3rd movie failed was because it had no connection with the original cast. The inclusion of Aykroyd, Murray and the rest of the old school members only makes it all the more enjoyable. The newer busters are also fun and add to the world. The Firemaster character is really great and had me laughing a few times. The plot is well thought out and it never gets too complex. One thing I loved is that although the movie was a smorgasbord of ethnicities there was nothing racial about any if the storylines. It was just a given thing the people were people and they co existed without a need to be overly woke and focus on a modern identity or sensibility. A real breath of fresh air as so many releases are trying to hard to address the 2020's need to appear inclusive thay it has ruined certain presentations. A solid 7.5. Fun, funny and genuinely enjoyable.
Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)
A Return to form. Although A vastly different style
Beneath was a little disappointing and the 3rd in the saga did fill me with a little trepidation that it would follow suit and offer a sub standard take on the original. What we get instead is an altogether different style of movie, due to the locale. We see a lot of " Boot on the other foot " sub stories where we can draw comparisons with how the Apes treat Taylor and Brent vs how the Humans treat Zira and Cornelious which gives an interesting premise. Ricardo Montalban is excellently eccentric and Roddy MacDowell is a welcome return as Cornelius. Hasslien as a character is enjoyably menacing while being reflective of his ape counterparts in the first 2 movies. Overall an enjoyable return to the POTA universe.
Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)
Just a continuation.
It would be hard to follow such an iconic original movie with a solid follow up. There is very few sagas that manage to achieve equal or more success with the sequel. BTPOTA is unfortunately nowhere near its predecessor. If movies had additional downloadable content like modern computer games this would fit into that category. Feels like an update or an add on as oppossed to a stand alone movie and this isn't just reflected in the length which is almost a half hour less. But the first half of the movie is a rehash of the original, even starting with a 10 minute section of the first movie. The second part becomes more original with the story line but unfortunately it's a bit late by that point. Reeks a little of a cash grab. Not terrible but a little lazy all round. 5 at a push.
Planet of the Apes (1968)
An excellent and unique movie.
The book is great and the original movie goes a long way to doing it justice. The sets are great to look at and even for such primitive technology from the late 60's being used. It is done with a lots of care to try and create a realistic world. Heston's character can be a little annoying, but that's more about him than the movie itself. His over dramatic acting is a little hard to swallow. Roddy MacDowell and the actress who played Zira are brilliant and although the costumes are pretty basic. I think they make the most of them and they look genuinely like another species. The story is wonderful Sci fi and the ending is so iconic that even though I've seen it 100 times. I still love it. Bar Hestons pinnacle of overacting in the final scene. It's dated now. But a true icon of cinema. 8 out of ten.
The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
Nothing that merits a rewatch. Too much action and not enough substance
Again. Not good enough to justify more than 6.5. It was more frantic running about and more corruption and unfortunately the ending never provided anything particularly note worthy either. No big reveal or significant new information. There was a minor reveal. But it wasn't exactly anything that was fundamental to the "story". Overall the whole series was the same stuff done over and over again. I do struggle to see the attraction of intense music and a constant hunt for a fugitive. It just gets boring for me. Not by any means a bad movie. Just not a particularly thought provoking or cerebral series. Assassin guy evades capture for 8 hours. That's the gist of it. If that's your bag, then it will tick the box for you. I just don't find constant regurgitation of super spy amnesia guy worthy of 3 films worth of attention span A big twist might have made it better. 6.5 max. Extra Long Action. Extra Shaky Camera work. Disappointing ending.
Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991)
A Mostly Triumphant Sequel.
Funny and ridiculous as ever. The grim reaper is an excellent addition to the world of Bill and Ted and the evil robots have provided me with one of the best catchphrases of all time which I have used for decades since "Ive got a full on Robot Chubby" has been utilised on many occasions to express my satisfaction in life. A silly yet enjoyable story provides many laughs and the ending with the band finally coming good and actually being able to play lives long in the memory. Great tune also. Lacks a bit of depth from the original as the historical characters bring so much in the first movie and I also felt like the ending comes along a little too abruptly and seems a bit rushed. Still a lot of fun and deserved of a 7.
The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
More Frantic Surviving from Matt Damon
Camera work is a little nausea inducing. More of the same running and hiding. Not a bad movie, but like the first I found it to be a bit too much action and thin on content. We get he has amnesia. We get he is hard as nails. We get the company are corrupt and he just wants to be left alone. After a while of the same stuff I get a little bored. Everyone kill Bourne so we can hide our indiscretions is pretty much the premise and even though the fight scenes and car chases are impressive, I would like less of the action, running,hiding, spying etc and a lot more depth in the back story. Hopefully the third movie will provide more of this which will make the whole saga worthwhile. So far Identity and Supremacy have left me a little disappointed and 6.5 is the most I can offer.
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
A Most Triumphantly Unique Movie
No words can overstate just how much I love Bill and Ted. Stupid, massively 80's but unique and heartwarming. Bill and Ted themselves are loveable fools and their stupidity is what defines them. Its the other characters in the Movie that make it for me. Socrates and Genghis Khan are hilarious and Napoleon is so obnoxious that you cant help but love and hate him at the same time. The mall scene is by far my favourite bit of the movie as we are treated to the groups OTT interactions with modern San Dimas. The soundtrack is really great too and makes the most of the rock and roll theme throughout the movie. A superbly fun and unmatched in originality since its release. Brilliant.
The Bourne Identity (2002)
A decent action thriller that leaves you wanting more
All in all its watchable and in no way a bad movie. Cool spy thriller with some classy scenes which are well made and believable. Enjoyed the story and enjoyed the performances. What I wasn't, was blown away. It had lots of elements that I have seen before in similar movies in the same genre and it didn't really bring anything new. The whole amnesia bit was interesting and set it apart from other spy thrillers but it wasn't particularly original as a whole. I will certainly tune in for the next 2 in the trilogy and hopefully by the end of the saga it will feel a little more complete and demonstrate more depth. As a stand alone movie it struggles to bring enough to justify more than 6.5.
True Lies (1994)
90's Over the Top Arnie Extravaganza.
There is no doubting that True Lies is well made. Some of the action scenes are superb and are entertaining in their own right. Arnie is Arnie. You either can't stand the "acting" and his awful one liners. Or you love the simplicity and wholesomeness that he brings. Jamie Lee Curtis is a believable and likeable heroine and Malik plays the psycho terrorist well. There is nothing too complex and it's a funny affair. The stuntwork and high octane scenes are what make it worth a watch. Just when you think it can't get more mental it cranks up another notch. Enjoyable and ridiculous at the same time. Not quite a 7 but not far off. 6.5.
Bad Company (2002)
Squeaky Rock Meets Miscast Hopkins
A bit naff in truth. Hopkins just doesn't cut it as a CIA guy and the chemistry between Rock and him is pretty chronic. There just isn't any. They are a total mismatch and not in a funny and likeable way. It feels awkward, especially when they try and portray that's there is any sort of connection there. The story is also pretty flimsy and the comedic sections border on farcical. Just lots of high pitched shouting from rock and feeble attempts at comedy. Hopkins on the other hand should stick to more serious roles. He just wasn't believable as a CIA agent. It was was too shallow for someone of his calibre and It showed in his performance. An attempt to put two actors who were hot property at the time together with less than mediocre results. 4.
V for Vendetta (2005)
Orwellian vision modernised and given some punch
A cleverly put together story which is probably difficult for politicians to watch as it does not hold back on highlighting their weaknesses as human beings. Some real throwbacks to 1984 and casting John Hurt as the overlord was a clever touch. Weaving, Porter and Hurt all give great performaces. Stephen fry also is great in his role as the TV talk show host. Exciting and controversial. V for vendetta offers a look at a well tread genre of totalitarianism in film. With the added realism of being quite believable in terms of the possibility of the plot actually happening. Not with the bizarre character of V. But the premise is not totally unbelievable. Well made. Excellent twists and turns and thought provoking. Solid 8.
The Last of the Mohicans (1992)
One of the best finales to a movie ever
First of all the soundtrack is excellent. Absolutely perfect mix of suspense and epicness. Day Lewis is brilliant. Wes Studi as Mugua is the show stealer. Menacing. Hard as nails and a real brilliant character. Undoubtedly one of the bad guys. But his motivation for his role is unquestionably one of revenge and redemption for the horrors he has suffered. Genuinely tossed up between rooting for him and hoping he doesn't get his way. The supporting xast were amazing also. Russell Means plays Day Lewis's adopted father excellently and is a real treat. The finale to Last of the Mohocans is absolutely epic. Genuinely a rollercoaster of emotions and could not be more perfect. A really solid 8.5 out of 10.
Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959)
A good all round movie which puts the remake to shame
Very much of the time. JTTCOTE is a great story. It has Romance. Adventure. Comedy. Murder. Mystery and a number of giant Iguana's. Arlene Dahl is stunning and steals the show as the plucky , capable and beautiful female lead. James Mason is great in the lead role and their partnership works well. There are in 2024 some outdated sensibilities. But we can't hold the movie to modern standards. In fact it is quite daring for the time by creating a female character who fights for her rights as an equal. The story has funny moments and like most of the era, a random sing song here and there which is something that is sadly missed in modern filmaking. It's a little cheesy here and there. The special effects although 65 years old are decent. I am not sure the Iguana abuse would go down too well today. But again, it was 1959. Not an out and put classic. But worthy of a 7.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993)
Should have stopped after the first outing
The kids of the time probably loved it. The 3rd outing for me reeks of a cash grab. I feel a little betrayed as my hero's from my childhood are commercialised so much. There was reference to a number of other movies which I found a little desperate. Trying to get some second hand laughs at the expense of Wayne's World, Bill and Ted. There was even two references to The Terminator series. It's a flimsy story and although the first 2 movies rely on the comedy if the 4 main dudes to carry it through. It all feels a little old and tired by the time they get to Fuedal Japan. The Animatronics are almost unsettling as well. They regularly look possessed and are quite distracting. A poor effort whicbnknlh just pips the previous entry as it doesn't have vanilla Ice in it. 4 max.