thomastobutt Reviews

Saw (2004)

75%

[7/10 · 12 April 2021]

PROS:

• Saw completely changed the horror genre, it is a very unique movie which includes many things which you see in movies nowadays.

• When riddles/games are involved with horror movies it is always fun, but when it's executed well to this point, it's very enjoyable.

• there is a lot of elements in this movie which just feel so shocking, whether that is choices characters are forced to make or just the violence and hire itself.

• The tension is high throughout this whole movie, and it cleverly makes the two characters trying to escape hold information from each other, so there isn't that trust between them.

CONS:

• some of the editing feels quite over the top and I don't feel like that part of this movie has aged too well.

Saw II (2005)

65%

[6/10 · 12 April 2021]

PROS:

• A solid follow up to Saw.

• We get some great new traps and scenarios which allow for some real gory and hard to watch scenes.

• Tobin Ball as Jigsaw is more present than in Saw and we really get to see how psychotic he truly is.

• There are a few clever little twists which make this movie entertaining.

CONS:

• The acting is pretty poor, so it makes it hard to care about them or any consequences they may face.

• There isn't as much of a mystery surrounding this sequel compared to the original which makes the tone very different.

• Just like Saw, I hated the editing where it would have so many cuts in between intense scenes.

A Fistful of Fingers (1995)

62%

[6/10 · 12 April 2021]

PROS:

• It is a fun watch knowing that is the directorial debut of Edgar Wright.

• You could really see their was passion behind this and it is very self-aware. Overall it's a fun, low budget parody from Edgar Wright.

• I did find myself laughing at how over the top it was quite a bit.

• Given a minuscule budget the set, costume, etc. Look quite good.

CONS:

• Understandably it lacks much professionalism and the acting isn't fantastic as it pretty much is a student made film.

Mortal Kombat (1995)

54%

[5/10 · 12 April 2021]

PROS:

• To be fair to this movie it stays faithful to the video games, it delivers nice fan service on that front.

• Depending on the mindset you have going into this movie, it can be a fun watch.

CONS:

• The action looks very staged and therefore the choreography is quite poor.

• The special effects are awful, especially with the actors having no idea what is happening in front of them. They didn't have the resources to pull off the amount of CGI things they attempted successfully.

• It is very campy and cheesy.

• As it has a PG-13 rating, there is nowhere near as much violence as the games contain.

Judas and the Black Messiah (2021)

84%

[8/10 · 17 February 2021]

✅Both Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield were absolutely brilliant, some of the best performances of their lives, worthy of awards. Everyone was good but these were the two main characters and stood out.

✅The storytelling is superb, it constantly keeps you engaged. It really had an impact on me as a viewer.

✅It is executed well in all the departments, the look, the tone, the pacing and overall how it was directed.

✅Daniel Kaluuya's character Fred Hampton leads many many inspiring speeches and monologues.

✅Many movies in this past year have been movies which were mostly eyeing to be on a streaming service, and a lot of the time those movies aren't as good in quality as ones which would be theatrically released. It really gave me this feeling of watching a new release which I haven't had in a very long time. I was fully invested.

✅This movie overall has potential to take home many awards.

Willy's Wonderland (2021)

57%

[5/10 · 17 February 2021]

✅a fun time, definitely what you would expect with how over the top it is.

✅Every time the movie would pause and zoom in on Cage's face had me laughing

✅Given my expectations I was actually surprised to see how good the animatronics looked. Obviously they were never going to blow you away but it was pretty solid, especially with the fight scenes, there were not too many cuts away.

❌this movie drags in Nicolas Cage, the perfect casting for a purposely over the top movie, and they kind of restrain him as he doesn't speak much at all, I was expecting a lot of one liners that would make me laugh.

❌This brought great disappointment to me because even though you're not expecting an awards contender the concept sounds very fun, which it is but it feels slightly disappointing we didn't see Nicolas Cage go full berserk.

❌It is fully what I expected going into this movie, and because I expected it didn't really bother me but the acting and poor decisions from characters may annoy some.

Fear of Rain (2021)

61%

[6/10 · 17 February 2021]

✅It's one of those movies where it constantly has you guessing what's real and not, it cleverly has some twists which are in plain sight but unexpected as they distract you with other things.

❌Straight away this movie becomes instantly boring, it doesn't live up to its expectations. I wish it explored more of the plot line with the neighbour.

❌It takes a while to get to the point and once it does it pushes it to the side to prioritise the stuff between Rain and Caleb.

300 (2006)

64%

[6/10 · 17 February 2021]

✅The actors do well in this movie, especially Michael Fassbender and Gerard Butler.

✅The action isn't afraid to get bloody and graphic which is what you would want from a ruthless movie like this.

❌I really dislike the colours used here, it feels too dark and makes it feel a lot less real for me. That also combined with some poor CGI at times, and very visible green screens.

❌You are pretty much guaranteed to get it in any Zack Snyder movie but the overuse of slow motion in many scenes is exhausting and doesn't benefit any of the movies he's made.

❌The movie overall is repetitive and quite boring.

The IT Crowd (2006–2013)

LOWKEY GENIUS!!!

[9/10 · 27 December 2019]

Whereas American sitcoms like Friends and How I Met Your Mother are known well wide, there are many great British sitcoms too, not too known outside of Britain. Whether it is because they wouldn't understand but this goes for the IT Crowd.

In the majority of sitcoms there are always two main characters who you really want to get together because of the romantic tension or chemistry between them. Not in the IT Crowd. The three main characters Roy, Moss and Jen are mostly only shown at work and don't really show much evidence about hanging a lot outside of work. Not that they don't chemistry, but they all have great chemistry for work colleagues, the only romance is involved with characters we haven't seen. The absence of romance between main characters actually makes it better, any romance there would of felt forced.

The characters are all lovable and realistic. The humour is dealt in a realistic way which is relatable and could happen any day, which makes it so enjoyable.

American Pie Presents: Beta House (2007 Video)

NOT GOOD BUT ENTERTAINING!

[5/10 · 27 December 2019]

As addressed in the headline, this is not a well made movie, but considering it is a teenage movie, it is quite entertaining and relatable to some teenagers at times.

Everything is so exaggerated, for example, the Greek Olympiad which takes place towards the movies end, or just the parties themselves feel very over the top, that is the idea though.

The movies ambition isn't to change film history, just a teenage comedy which is just entertaining and could pull in some money due to it being connected to American Pie.

Joker (I) (2019)

WELL TOLD COMPELLING DARK STORY!

[9/10 · 24 December 2019]

Coming into this film, the majority of people knew what the result of Arthur Fleck would be by the end of the film, despite their being no mystery to it, it doesn't prevent the ending from being shocking and compelling.

The audience is fully aware that Arthur will turn evil but from what we see in the film, what he goes through and how society treats him, you kind of support him and want him to pursue his beliefs. In the long run when he finally feels free, it makes you feel happy for him.

Joaquin Phoenix's portrayal as the Joker is Oscar-worthy, as he perfectly describes his descent into madness.

American Pie Presents: Band Camp (2005 Video)

QUITE PAINFUL TO WATCH!

[4/10 · 23 December 2019]

First of all, Eugene Levy's character, Mr Levenstein, was such an iconic character from the original American Pie movies (American Pie, American Pie 2, American Wedding & American Reunion) is being unnecessarily forced into these spin offs and it is damaging his reputation.

Although we get the impression that Matt is related to Steve Stiffler, all the jokes and humour is very cringy and painful to watch, also at times (especially the camera fiasco) the creepiness of a Stifler is too far for the main character, someone who you're meant to like.

The characters who dislike Matt drastically change their opinion on him, despite everything he does. There is little chemistry between any of the characters and that makes it hard to care about any decisions that go against them.

The Night Before (II) (2015)

SURPRISINGLY VERY ENJOYABLE!

[6/10 · 23 December 2019]

Going into this film I had never heard of it, I just assumed it would be an embarrassing comedy with no ambition, I was wrong. I wouldn't say it was a great comedy film, but very enjoyable and also surprisingly handles real human problems and emotions pretty well.

As previously said, this film isn't amazing but compared to a lot of modern comedies, it is quite entertaining, as well as Seth Rogen roaming through NYC off his head.

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (2019)

WAY TOO MUCH IS HAPPENING!

[6/10 · 23 December 2019]

The Rise of Skywalker follows on from The Last Jedi, a film which left many disappointed. When following on from a disappointed film, mending the mistakes is often what drags the film down. The final entry in the Skywalker saga feels like its own spin off story including the main characters. As said in the headline, there is way too many things happening within this film, therefore feels very rushed and crammed.

The Star Wars universe is one of the most fun environments to see on screen, so that does not disappoint and it was fun to see all the different types of terrain on all the different planets that are visited throughout the film.

The film itself was pretty enjoyable, however it doesn't feel like it has concluded a saga which has been going on for 40+ years.

It (I) (2017)

GREAT BILL SKARSGARD!!!

[7/10 · 14 December 2019]

Where most horror films fail is where they chuck in an extreme change of sound and make something jump onto the screen and rely on that for the whole film, It does include those jump scares but earns them from a good story and compelling acting. The kids in this film all represent certain types of people in society and all feel accurate and realistic. Bill Skarsgard's performance as Pennywise is something special. A lot of the creepy aspects of Pennywise, the laugh, eye movement, smile, voice was all from Skarsgard with no special effects or anything.

I must say, when the members of the Losers Club encounter their individual fears, a lot of the creatures look silly and fake, for me personally the only scenes that scared me were the ones featuring Pennywise.

This film doesn't give many jump scares compared to other horror films, but does give you a good story and a creepy villain.

Jojo Rabbit (2019)

REFRESHING FILM!

[9/10 · 14 December 2019]

This comedy/drama of World War II is very refreshing with a great film debut from young Roman Griffin Davis as Jojo, a young boy striving to be a Nazi.

Taika Waititi, who both directs and plays a imaginary friend to Jojo version of Hitler, adds an distinct and independent feel to all the films he's involved in (eg. Thor: Ragnarok).

Not only does this film have compelling characters, but it also has a large amount of comedy which is all very enjoyable and not lame. I haven't felt like this about many films but Jojo Rabbit compelled me for the whole duration of the film witnessing its funny humour and very deep moments with his mother. A very beautiful and refreshing film!

Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)

GOOD FOLLOW UP TO T1 & T2!

[6/10 · 12 December 2019]

Whereas Terminator: Salvation and Terminator: Genisys explored different realities, Terminator: Dark Fate comes as a sequel to Terminator: Judgement Day.

Immediately we are taken to a new location where we can see Terminator action in different environments. With a new location, we are introduced to a new 'main character' who would impact the future, but she is utilised as a side character with Grace, Sarah Connor and the T-800 feeling like the only main characters.

The CGI in this movie is amazing, it has never looked better in the Terminator movies, and we see some new fighting techniques used from both the Terminator and the humans.

Linda Hamilton returning as Sarah Connor is very enjoyable and feels like a very accurate version of her many years after the events of the first Terminator movie. Her conflicts with the T-800 is very entertaining as well, and is not over exaggerated.

Knives Out (2019)

GREAT FUN AND MYSTERY!

[8/10 · 12 December 2019]

This film became very attractive before release as soon as they announced the cast, and it did not disappoint. The cast make the characters very likable and the film wouldn't be as good without them.

The first half of this film appears to be a classic murder mystery, but then it takes a big twist. Because of this twist we are lead to believe that the majority of the movie, there is no murderer. But then takes another turn and it turns out there is. Coming to the conclusion of the movie when revealing the killer, multiple twists happen again.

You are lead to doubt yourself the whole movie as it could take a turn at any moment, which makes it so entertaining. It did not feel like a normal murder mystery.

Gemini Man (2019)

POOR DIALOGUE, GOOD ACTION!

[5/10 · 12 December 2019]

Immediately it is made available that the dialogue in this film is very poor and the humour is not funny. Gemini Man gives off a 90's movie vibe and has some good aspects about it. Will Smith always gives you a good performance no matter the films actual quality, he is one of the best things about this film, the best thing for sure is Will Smith being de-aged, it looks amazing and very realistic.

The action is actually pretty entertaining but can be very predictable, it definitely has your attention though.

Doctor Sleep (2019)

SURPRISINGLY VERY SATISFYING!

[8/10 · 12 December 2019]

A sequel to a classic (The Shining) is always a risky move, even riskier when it is released nearly 40 years after the Shining.

Doctor Sleep focuses on Danny Torrance, the little boy and son of Jack Torrance from The Shining who possesses psychic powers, which is briefly touched upon in the original. With most sequels to a very popular classic, where they go wrong is they either rehash for use most of the things right from the first film and use it in the sequel, sort of relying on it, whereas in Doctor Sleep, the plot is all about a deeper look into Danny's abilities, called the shining, and I wider look around the world where other people posses the same ability.

No recalls back to The Shining feels forced, it is all used in the correct amount, only when necessary. This film is a good sequel which could go down as one of the best modern day sequel adaptations of a classic film.

Sharknado (2013 TV Movie)

LIKE ACID TO THE EYES!

[2/10 · 5 December 2019]

There is not much to say about this, the title itself kind of explains it. The idea of sharks morphing with a tornado does not sound like a good idea at all.

Not only was the concept and idea bad, the dialogue is shocking and painful, none of the acting is redeemable and OH MY GOD does the CGI put the nail in the coffin. Really nothing more to say about this, just extremely painful to watch and very bad.

Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015)

GOT MORE HATE THAN DESERVED!

[6/10 · 5 December 2019]

Most horror film sequels cannot live up to anywhere near the level of the first installment in the franchise, however Insidious Chapter 3 is not as good as Insidious, it isn't a bad sequel (well technically prequel) and gets a lot more hate than deserved.

It immediately interested me knowing it was a prequel, not just because it was set before Insidious and Insidious Chapter 2 but because it focuses on a different family.

Whereas the first film has no reason to suspect anything paranormal, the film begins with a teenage girl named Quinn turning up at Elise's (the psychic from the other Insidious films) house, asking if she could contact her deceased mother. When things start to go bad for Quinn, getting hit by a car and tormented by something strange she immediately suspects something paranormal.

The film has some cliche jump scares and the really loud music compared to the dialogue is very opposite and can cause a cheap jump scare, but it also contains some creepy scenery (the waving man in the beginning for example) and some jump scares land.

Not a great film, but a decent prequel to Insidious which for me ranks above Insidious Chapter 2

Annabelle Comes Home (2019)

NOT THE WORST CU FILM, BUT NOT GREAT!

[6/10 · 1 December 2019]

As said in the headline, I personally didn't think it was the worst in the Conjuring Universe *cough cough The Nun*, but it still wasn't that great of a film.

The concept of Annabelle getting free from her containment and possessing all of the Warren's artefacts is actually quite interesting. Sequences with the bridal dress were perhaps the best scares amongst the film, whereas the Hellhound felt a bit silly and would probably need its own film to feel effective.

Gary Dauberman's first directed film is nonetheless solid and contains some suspense moments were you expect a jump scare but don't get one. Also the rotating colour light in Judy's room where Annabelle's shadow size increases is a very cool visual.

The whole plot line of Mary Ellen's love interest, Bob is extremely unnecessary, you would think he would add something to the plot, considering he lives across from the Warren's, in truth all he adds is more screen time for the Hellhound.

Zombieland: Double Tap (2019)

ENTERTAINING SEQUEL!

[7/10 · 30 November 2019]

This film was a very entertaining sequel 10 years after Zombieland. Not as good as the first film but a very enjoyable sequel, which pleases the fans.

The thing that bothered me about this film (although it is a comedy) is that the first film took place about a year after the beginning of the apocalypse, and only a few people were seen around but in this film which is based many years after the firs film, there were a lot more people seen. You'd probably think there would be more people around in the beginning than many years later.

Anyways it is a relatively satisfying sequel to the first film.

Angel Has Fallen (2019)

DIFFERENT TO OTHERS IN FRANCHISE, PRETTY GENERIC!

[5/10 · 30 November 2019]

This film takes a whole new approach to the franchise, very different to the main plot line of the past two 'Has Fallen' films.

Within this franchise it is an interesting storyline because it sticks with a lot of the characters we have seen used in the same format in the past two films, but if this was just a one off film with characters we hadn't seen before, it would be pretty generic and quite boring, and to be honest it is quite predictable. Also the fight scenes in this film is very good.