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Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa (2013)
Average Alan
I agree with a lot of the comments made in the high scoring reviews of this film but not with the scores themselves. I am a big fan of the TV shows and have seen and own the 'Knowing me Knowing you', and 'I'm Alan Partridge' series multiple times, as well as appreciating the Brass eye days. However, this missed the mark for me as did some of the jokes. Lynn and Michael were token parts in a pretty weak film. The premise was good and it did play out as something much more than an extended episode of a TV show. I'm not sure I'd have enjoyed it as much without knowing the character - who seemed different for this film than had been shown in some of the later and darker episodes of 'I'm Alan Partridge'. I'm very sure that Steve Coogan has completely got the AP character in his head fully formed - but this still felt a bit of a washed down Alan. In a British comedy series then there is always a favourite, a second best due to some great highlights, others that are good, and one that misses but is watchable. This film is not the latter in this list but is distinctly average.
R.I.P.D. (2013)
Like MIB? Sure, but I liked MIB and like this
There are a huge amount of parallels to M.I.B. so I watched this as a similar comic book adaptation, light hearted, entertainment film. I wasn't disappointed. It was actually the fourth film of four I watched that day and it still kept me interested. The leads were pleasant enough although Ryan Reynolds does seem to play a similar person with the same sense of humour in every film. I really don't understand the reviews criticizing the CGI or the editing. It's not aiming for Oscars, and I've seen plenty of CGI that was much worse. This was a lot of fun and I would watch it again and recommend a viewing to my friends. There are other films at the box office that did better that I couldn't say this about - but perhaps that is down to the marketing budgets.
Now You See Me (2013)
Transparent and Disappointing
Quite a nice looking premise set up in the trailer regarding a bank robbery elsewhere done by a group of magicians. However, I found a lot of the tricks, and actions taken in the heist very foreseeable - the others were unbelievable (Meaning not realistically possible) The ending was similarly disappointing. I found the acting fine but no one seemed particularly pushed as actors. The four main magicians were pretty unlikeable, and I didn't particularly care about anyone. I don't particularly need a good guy and a bad guy defined for me - but I'd like someone I could empathise with a little. What we have are the usual heist stalwarts: cocky thieves, frustrated detectives, stupid shouty cop's bosses, and a token love interest. This film is as smug as Eisenberg's character. It thinks its a lot cleverer than it is. It can only be compared in the same sentence to The Prestige or Oceans 11 by using the phrase "much worse than.."
As for a planned sequel: Now you saw me...but then you won't
It's a Wonderful Afterlife (2010)
Bit of a mix but nice simple easy watch
Certainly not as bad as other reviews have made out. I knew nothing about the film in advance but had an expectation of a humorous horror. That's what I got. I didn't expect an Oscar winner, or something taxing with multiple subplots, or some subtext relating to Bolshevik Russia - and I wasn't disappointed in this. In terms of horror, comedy, crime thriller, love story, family relationships and everything else thrown into the film I found most aspects were topped by other films. None of these bits rose above the others and none stood out as particularly good. It was therefore a bit mellow and so a pretty simple watch. Some pop stars these days are raved about but I really wouldn't have them as anything other than background music at a dinner party. This warranted a bit more attention than a background film whilst I potter about the house, although I was occasionally tempted to grab a cup of tea and check my phone for emails/messages without pausing it. I am sure was not the wish of the director/producer. However, there was enough to hold me for the whole film. I thought the presentation and acting was as expected with the whole thing being slightly above average - hence the 6/10.
Freight (2010)
Such potential but unbelievably poorly done
I felt obliged to write this review as a) the current 3.8/10 rating is too high, and b) to show that not everyone from West Yorkshire will give this a 10. I expected so much more from this but was highly disappointed with a film with very little redeeming qualities. This is ridiculously over the top and has none of the realism or even semi believability of 'Taken' or anything else you could compare this to. The amount of gun deaths is just stupid for the UK. Characters are not set up or developed and are not helped by poor acting. There is an endless supply of cannon fodder in the competing gangs - which just makes for confusing fight scenes as you don't know who is who. This has a point to make about immigration and the law in the UK which is handled quite well but it just a shame its surrounded by a film of this low calibre.