Pagalala Reviews

Road House (2024)

Road House *HOOK KICKS OPEN ALL THE DOORS*

[7/10 · 26 March 2024]

Big fan of Jake and had been looking forward to this film for around a year since I heard it was in pre-production... it did not disappoint.

Its not a remake but a 'reimagining' of the classic and tells a very different story (which was a bit naff to be honest) but the whole reason you watch a movie like Road House is for the absolutely mega XXL fight scenes which were both brutal and plentiful.

I actually thought McGregor's version of unhinged baddie 'Knox' was brilliant, he plays him well, and looked like he had a lot of fun playing the role.

My roommate and I have been fully appreciative of the fact this film aided the revival of the famous Road House Family Guy bit and have been enjoying kicking doors open and the dishwasher shut (and occasionally, if we're feeling brave, each other) around the house while yelling ROAD HOUSE!!! Hahaha we loved this film.

You should 100% watch it if you want a fun time.

The Santa Clauses (2022–2023)

Magical nostalgic christmas series

[8/10 · 23 October 2023]

I'm in my 30s and absolutely love The Santa Clause, it reminds me of my childhood Christmases.

This show isn't to be taken seriously, it's the perfect thing to put on telly when you're cosy in bed, surrounded by pillows with your candles on and hot water bottle when its dark and cold outside. It's light, silly and nostalgic and a nice little escapism from the real world as an adult. It also makes me super excited for Christmas!!

I like the occasional nods to the original movies and love that people my age have been with Tim Allen on his journey to becoming and eventually embracing the role of Santa which started 28 years ago, and now were coming back to real life with him after all that time. Really cute.

Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre (2023)

Classic Guy Ritchie

[7/10 · 10 April 2023]

I've watched this film twice in as many days and it's definitely re-watchable like another reviewer said.

It's got all the signature GR staples- nice shoes, nicer cars and gorgeous set pieces/locations and is packed head to toe with action and those witty back and forths/memorable one liners from the star studded cast.

I really like that he included Aubrey Plaza in the centre cast because usually his movies are heavily men focussed (not an issue but nice to see a bad ass female included this time round!)

Really enjoyed this one. Not as funny as The Gentlemen but definitely still a lot of fun. Also, I absolutely love Hugh Grant as a baddie. He's brilliant.

Inside (I) (2023)

Castaway.... Indoors!

[7/10 · 6 April 2023]

I really enjoyed this film. It's definitely not for everyone, especially those who prefer action, but I thought it was a clever and intriguing take on survival instincts and how the brain works under duress.

It follows Nemo, who is trapped in a high tech apartment with no way out following an art heist gone wrong. With no one due to visit, the heating malfunctioning, no water or electricity and only a small ration of food he must work out how to survive using the tools around him while attempting to free himself, while trying to avoid the ever looming decent into madness.

I don't know if anyone else noticed but he 'accidentally' replicates a whole bunch of famous art pieces in the process! (As well as his actual own sketches)

My Policeman (2022)

This could have been good

[5/10 · 5 January 2023]

This could have been a beautiful, poignant, tale of forbidden love in the 50's, however it was a contrived mess where all the main characters are just horrible people.

Tom continuously lies to his wife, and not only that, he completely gaslights her (makes her question her own reality) which is a form of abuse.

Patrick is a predator that forces himself on Tom repeatedly despite his first words always being 'no, please'. If this was a het couple there would be uproar.

Marion is a possessive, invidious SOB that destroyed the careers/lives of two people she cared deeply for out of jealousy.

Due to the above, I couldn't relate to nor care for any of the characters. The acting felt wooden and void of emotion. Even the sex scenes felt strained.

I watched Call Me By Your Name a few years ago which has a similar theme; that was acted, scripted and set beautifully.

My policeman falls flat, which is a real shame. Also, I really am rooting for Harry Styles to become a good actor although sadly I think he's going to end up the 'Elvis' of our era.

1923 (2022–2023)

Taylor Sheridan delivers another solid show

[9/10 · 5 January 2023]

Big fan of Yellowstone and 1883 so was expecting great things from 1923; so far so good!

1883 had the western vibe, with a romantic, dreamy narrative, which I loved.

Yellowstone is outstanding for a plethora of reasons (Kelly Reilly is queen!), but mainly I enjoyed how they've woven current time city problems & the old, generational country cowboy lifestyle.

1923 has an entirely different feel to it to both of the above and still somehow manages to keep Yellowstone fans excited. I love how we've ventured from the ranch/Montana into new surroundings (Africa) with the wonderful Brandon Sklenar to give us a bit of a respite from the fields and mountains (although breathtaking) and to keep things interesting.

So far, very excited for the rest of the season and can't wait to see what Taylor Sheridan comes up with next for the Dutton family!

Barbarian (2022)

Sub-context

[8/10 · 30 October 2022]

I actually really liked this. It would seem to the untrained eye like there were plenty of plot-holes like other reviewers have mentioned, however I felt that these were done deliberately to throw us off.

I am an avid lover of horror. I haven't seen a decent horror movie this year, having seen both 'The Black Phone' and 'Smile' and feeling let down by both.

This movie was original and refreshing and very unpredictable. I hate to admit I'm one of those annoying people during movies that announces what is going to happen next when it's predictable. However, I was pleasantly surprised (and embarrassed) to have been wrong most times on this one.

I was convinced several times that something was going to happen, and it didn't... and I think that's all part of the intelligence of this movie.

I really enjoyed it, albeit the ending was abrupt.

I would definitely avoid all spoilers for this like I did and go in blind to be pleasantly surprised.

It's creepy, gory, full of suspense and has the shock factor. Overall, I give it an 8/10.

Smile (V) (2022)

Gutted

[3/10 · 9 October 2022]

I had been looking forward to this horror movie since seeing the trailer months ago and had booked 3 tickets for me and my family.

First off, I have never in my life walked out of a movie but I came damn close here. It was BORING. For the first two acts, literally nothing happens (nothing you didn't already see in the trailer, anyway!). One of my party left. The other fell asleep. I was so bored I couldn't even tell you how it ends cause I was tracing the Emergency Exit sign in the theatre with my eyes over and over so I didn't have to watch this snoozefest.

So so so disappointing. I LOVE a decent horror but nothing about this was good. How the hell did it get 7.0 on IMDB??????

Don't Worry Darling (I) (2022)

Surprisingly good

[7/10 · 30 September 2022]

This film was actually pretty exciting. I'd already accidentally heard the twist which was annoying as I think I'd have probably enjoyed it more had I not seen it coming.

It's a quick run time, and some people have said it felt rushed, but I felt like the story was reasonably paced and moved swiftly along - wait - barring all of the drawn out, supposed to be kissing but 'might just open my mouth near your mouth and then close it repeatedly in an attempt to be sexy' scenes between Pugh & Styles. God those were annoying. I passed the time during some of these painful moments wondering if Chris Pine might have had filler in his lips... still not sure.

Anyway aside from that I actually quite enjoyed it. Sets and wardrobe were beautiful, as many have already said, and the concept was fairly original, albeit various elements plucked from pre-existing cinema- I will not name the movies as that'll spoil it for you. (But if you have read this far into IMDB, I fear my efforts may have been fruitless. SO many spoilers for this film).

Fall (I) (2022)

Impossible to believe

[2/10 · 23 September 2022]

There were some tense moments and nice shots but the whole story was impossible to believe. These women are expected to be super human.

There are many completely unbelievable scenes that would absolutely never happen in real life (they're stuck atop this 3000ft tower in the blistering sunshine in the middle of the desert for 3 days and neither of them has sunburn or thirst for starters) but the particular scene for me was how one of them shimmied up a 30 ft pole, charged a drone for 45 minutes and was attacked by a bald eagle and still managed to hold on.

If an owl could have killed Kathleen Peterson... god knows how were supposed to believe this.

This is nuts.

Monster (2022–2024)

Creepy as hell

[9/10 · 22 September 2022]

I've been waiting for something since Mind-Hunter got cancelled that would fill it's sinister void, and this new limited series by story-telling legend Ryan Murphy is IT!!

Absolutely loved Crime Story & AHS so I knew this would be to the same high standard of acting and production - I wasn't wrong.

Evan Peters is chilling at Jeff Dahmer. I read somewhere that Peters has to take long breaks after filming with Murphy as the characters he often plays are so dark, twisted & vile.... And boy, he plays them so well.

He'll probably have to take a year off after this one... the first episode alone was terrifying!!

Really looking forward to binging the rest of this one.

***update*** now on episode 6 and well and truly invested in this show, it is GRIPPING. Bravo to Ryan Murphy for casting real Deaf actors in this episode. They were incredible :)

Pinocchio (I) (2022)

Weird.

[2/10 · 8 September 2022]

Not really sure about this. They've PC'd it up to heck (which isn't always a bad thing) but the iconic scenes at Pleasure Island with Pinoke smoking a big fat cigar and drinking a huge stein of larger are definitely long gone lol.

It's not really fully live action as the majority of the characters/aspects are still full CGI - and weird CGI - with the goldfish and cat stuck in mind.

Tom Hanks is and always will be an absolute legend and plays a sweet Gepeto and JGL does a good voice over on Jiminy . Michael-Key as Honest John was probably the funniest character, but again, weird, creepy CGI.

Because the story has been so glossed over, it didn't really feel like it was getting the message across. I mean I didn't really like the original, in fact, as a kid it actually terrified me! But I thought that was the point? Don't lie, don't steal, don't smoke, swear or drink, or you'll turn into an Ass!

Anyway, it's alright. Not great. Definitely not the best live action remake. Probably not going to be the worst either, given Disneys slow decline into the ordinary. Sigh.

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019)

'Once upon a time' indeed.

[9/10 · 2 August 2022]

It seems a lot of people missed the point of this final Tarantino instalment and either loved it because it's Tarantino or hated it because they thought it was long and pointless or graphically brutal.

These people are the ones that don't know the original story of the terrifying Manson Family murders and how it truly tragically ended for Sharon Tate and her friends.

Knowing all about Charlie Manson and his sinister, twisted cult, I was immediately excited when QT announced this movie, but imagine my surprise when he completely changed the ending from the truth...Clue was in the name, doh!

Quentin Tarantino took a tragic story and glossed it over with a happy, Hollywood ending, and boy... I wish it really had gone down that way.

I rewatched this movie again recently to catch a glimpse of all the brilliant actors I'd missed the first time round, including Austin Butler, who I'd completely forgotten had a role.

This movie is, in true QT fashion, a masterpiece. Every actor is extremely talented, the story is great fun and the backdrops are cool.

I'd rewatch if I were you :)

Elvis (2022)

Made for the cinema!!!

[10/10 · 12 July 2022]

Honestly, it took every ounce of my might not to stand up and clap at the end of this movie!! (Some people still did, haha!)

It was colourful, vibrant, fun, had an excellent soundtrack (between the Elvis classics) and was both utterly compelling and completely tragic.

Take a bow Austin Butler - he played The King and then some!! Hanks is always on form (even if the accent of his character was a little confusing) and everyone else on this movie did a grand job.

It's a 3 hour film and I couldn't believe it was over already when it ended. It takes a lot to hold my attention for that long, but Baz Luhrmann did it again.👑👏🏽

If you do one thing this year, go see this movie on the big screen. You will not be disappointed.

Yellowstone (2018– )

A masterpiece

[10/10 · 10 July 2022]

I'd heard good things and seen the rave reviews about Yellowstone long ago but had been unable to watch it in the UK on any streaming service until the arrival of Paramount+ recently and my goodness it was worth the wait!

Everything from the epic backdrops, casting, writing, story etc is flawless. It's written so well that you're never really sure who are the good guys and constantly leaves you questioning morals, yet you can relate in some way to all of the characters so still empathise heavily with them.

I haven't been this invested in a series in a long time and I'm very excited for the next season.

The Northman (2022)

Didn't want to watch this...

[7/10 · 5 June 2022]

I put off watching this film for ages cause the plot didn't appeal to me - lots of brutal, bloody murders and loud noises combined with trippy, hallucinogenic scenes based on Norse mythology and history. I was surprised when I actually quite enjoyed this.

I thought the ending was a bit of an anticlimax, but felt the whole story was pretty good and reasonably paced. Some fairly gruesome battle/fight scenes that left me feeling a bit squeamish (Nose guy. No spoilers) but all in all an entertaining watch.

Also, Alex Skarsgård is IN SHAPE. I'd give this movie an additional star just for the dedication and effort it must have taken for him to build himself up like that for a role. Bravo.

Stranger Things (2016–2025)

Season 4 pt 1 Best one yet!!

[9/10 · 31 May 2022]

Just finished the first 7 episodes of Stranger Things season 4 and WOAH!!!!

First season was good, second one lost it's way a little, third season kind of brought it back but WHAM season 4 knocks it right out of the park!!

They way they've tied up all the stories so far is outstanding, some excellent writing. Not to mention the fact that the horror elements in this new one are actually pretty scary for the rating... and the TWISTS!!! I feel like this show is growing with the viewers, which I like; it's definitely darker now it's more established.

Held my hand over my mouth the whole duration of episode 7. Excellent entertainment. Very excited to see how they finish this one off in part 2...I feel some main character deaths coming on *bites nails*!!!

Prehistoric Planet (2022–2023)

Incredible!!

[10/10 · 25 May 2022]

Is there anything better than settling in with a cup of tea and a nature show narrated by David Attenborough?!??? YES. Yes there is.

A DINOSAUR nature show narrated by David Attenborough.

'Nuf said.

CODA (2021)

BEAUTIFUL.

[10/10 · 15 May 2022]

What a wonderful, wholesome movie with some truly precious scenes.

I'm deaf (I'm 29) and I honestly can't believe how underrepresented the Deaf are on TV so thank goodness for this beautiful film.

People pity those with a 'disability', and there's this old fashioned notion that the Deaf are humourless, old and incapable. So unbelievably not true, and I'm so glad this movie demonstrates all of that.

Thanks to the director for fighting hard to cast real deaf actors, they were incredible.

My favourite film of the year.

Severance (2022– )

WHAT AN ENDING

[9/10 · 10 May 2022]

NO SPOILERS: I was so gripped all the way through this. I honestly can't believe *THAT* nail biting ending and that we won't get another series until next year!

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)

so so funny

[9/10 · 27 April 2022]

Honestly Pedro Pascal and Nick Cage might be the bromance of the season😂 never thought I'd say those words.

I won't say too much, but the whole movie is not what you'd expect. The LSD scene had me and the entire cinema CRYING. I can't remember laughing that much at a movie ever!!

Really entertaining, highly recommend.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)

I really hope there's another!!!

[10/10 · 12 April 2022]

Harry Potter book fans will know the story of Grindelwald & Dumbledore far better than any of the fans of the movie franchise or those who aren't.

Those who are saying this movie is 'woke'...it's been known that the relationship between both wizards was more than just close friends. They were always in love!!

It's a truly brilliant story which ends with a HUGE (and tragic) wizard fight to end all fights.

I was sad to hear that there was no screenplay in the works to finish the story and that Warner Bros. Were waiting to see how people reacted to this movie first before creating 4 & 5.

It's a shame because this movie is what I call a 'filler' movie... there's very little action because it's paving the way and setting the scene in order to make the ending all that more brilliant and dramatic... kind of like Harry Potter and the deathly hallows pt. 1... not much happens in that one action wise and yet it was utterly important to move the story along.

I truly hope that people will go see this movie so the story can be finished, because it is EPIC.

Moon Knight (2022)

Enjoyable

[8/10 · 6 April 2022]

I have absolutely no prior knowledge of Moon Knight, I'd never heard of it until I saw it on Disney+ and decided to watch, so my review is based solely on the two episodes I've seen.

Firstly it's worth mentioning I'm not a big Marvel fan. My idea of a good superhero instalment would be 'The Boys' - which kind of pokes fun at the superhero franchise (100% recommend).

However I've really enjoyed this so far. Oscar Isaac nails his version of a bumbling British history nerd (voice not dissimilar to Lou, Andy Pipkins carer in Little Britain lol), who is living with two other personalities inside his head and who occasionally take 'control' of him.

Cool concept. Big budget. Interesting characters (well acted) so far. Looking forward to seeing where this goes.

The Bubble (2022)

Daft comedy

[6/10 · 2 April 2022]

I for one am glad I watched this. I laughed out loud a lot (lots of the humour is British, so may fall on deaf ears over seas) and it's been years since we've had an easy watch comedy on our screens. It's a nice respite from the world news at the minute and the many dark, artistic dramas we've had released lately that are grappling for academy awards.

Is this movie going to win an Oscar? No. But it's funny and silly, with a new story and a great cast, many of which are playing roles outside their usual remit which is highly entertaining.

Give it a watch and let yourself enjoy it. :)

Turning Red (2022)

A movie about periods, not pandas

[6/10 · 14 March 2022]

Movie is called 'turning red' and is about a teenage girl experiencing hormonal changes during her first menstrual cycle. If you didn't get that right from the off, you are clearly a man, lol.

A mix of classic Pixar animation mixed with cartoon style anime.. something I didn't love.

Didn't really enjoy the storyline either, although I appreciate that it's original, unspoken of and sends a good message. However, too 'teenagery' for me.