Monday 19 October 2020

Movies: Birdbox (Netflix 15), The Addams Family (1991) (DVD PG), Fe@rleSS (Netflix PG) & Mulan (1998) (DVD U)

Birdbox (Netflix 15) – I’d heard a lot about this film, well not really the plot but that it was a must see, but I didn’t have Netflix at the time so couldn’t watch it. So I recently gave it a go, I really wasn’t expecting the story to be what it was and it was pretty damn cool. I can’t really say much as I don’t want to spoil it, but if you like survival and stuff about zombies then this will probably be right up your street. If you don’t like stuff that’s a little out there then this probably won’t be a film for you. I really did enjoy it and it was well made to boot.

Rating: ****



The Addams Family (1991) (DVD PG) – I decided to give this one a re-watch as I hadn’t seen it in a bit, I love the Addams family, they are so fun and I loved this one growing up too. If you’ve seen anything about the Addams family and you like it, I’d really give this one a re-watch, it’s just quirky in bits and a little spooky so ideal for this time of year. I’m sure if you have young ones, well not too young, they will like this one too as the characters are just amusing. I think I’ll watch Addams Family Values soon.

Rating: ***


Fe@rleSS (Netflix PG) – I wasn’t sure what this one would be like, but I thought I would give it a go. It was an ok film and the story was ok, but I’m not really a fan of anything that focuses around little kids or babies so that’s why I’m giving it a lower star rating. If you are happy to watch this type of thing or if you have kids then you will probably enjoy watching this with them. Yep the animations are good, the story is ok but oh so predictable, yeah it passed the time really but nothing spectacular.

Rating: **



Mulan (1998) (DVD U)
– I decided to give this one a re-watch as I haven’t seen it in a while, and it really is a classic Disney film. It’s just magical with her companions and the story is just great, it’s filled with some songs but unlike other films it’s not all about the singing, they fit in the right places really and add to the story rather than like ugh not another song. Yep if you would like a smile and a giggle, as this one does have its funny points, then this is probably worth re-watching.

Rating: ****

Sunday 4 October 2020

Movies: The Roads Not Taken (15), The Broken Hearts Gallery (12A) & Bill & Ted Face The Music (PG)

The Roads Not Taken (15) – It’s about a young lady who is taking care of her mentally ill father, it’s kind of about a day in her life. It is done well for the subject matter, it really does capture the essence of mental illness and how it can be for both the person suffering with it and also for the family. This is no way a happy film, and if you aren’t feeling at your best or if you aren’t up for watching a depressing movie then I would give this one a miss. But if you want to watch a real life drama unfold about a very real subject that effects lots of people then this might be for you. I’m only giving it this rating because it’s not my type of film as I go to the cinema to escape from reality, for others they may give it a higher view.

Rating: **



The Broken Hearts Gallery (12A) – Now I’m not really rom-com person they mainly end up really gushy and make me feel like I’m going to barf. This even though classed as a rom-com was pretty funny, it was the typical story of a girl feeling meh and she ends up meeting a guy blah blah blah, it’s also about her friendships though and well it’s pretty quirky and fun. It did make me giggle a few times, which for these type of films is pretty rare, even though the plot was all so predictable it was a pretty good film.

Rating: ***


Bill & Ted Face The Music (PG) – I really wasn’t sure what this was going to be like, I loved the previous movies but when I watched the adverts I thought it looked pretty cringe. Thankfully it wasn’t as bad as I thought, it was done so you had references to the previous movies and it stayed pretty true to the feel and plot of them. It was very much a continuation to the story but there really wasn’t much to it, don’t get me wrong it was ok but yeah it sadly wasn’t fantastic. In honesty here I was pretty tired and one might say a little hungover so I may be being a little harsh on the rating here…or I might be giving truth. Yeah if you liked the previous movies then this is probably worth a watch, if you want to see more of the same.

Rating: ***

Thursday 1 October 2020

Movies: After We Collided (15), UglyDolls (Netflix – U) & Monster House (Netflix – PG)

After We Collided (15) – So I had seen all the other movies at the cinema and thought what the hell might as well go and see this one. What was I thinking? I knew this film wouldn’t be my type of film and it totally wasn’t. The plot had been done so many times before, girl falls for bad boy, they break up and she meets a nice boy but can’t get the bad boy out her head. That’s is basically it, and all this film has to offer, there’s nothing unexpected in this film, just all predictability and lots of pointless sex scenes. Yeah it’s pretty naff.

Rating: *

 

UglyDolls (Netflix – U) – I missed this on its original release at the cinema, mainly because I wasn’t sure on it and the idea behind it. I get it helps to show no matter what arseholes say and put you down, you should say screw what they said and get back up and aim to achieve your dreams. But yeah it did bring back thoughts of being bullied by the popular kids at school and in life, so yeah it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. It was a good film generally for a kid’s film and is worth a look at if you want something to enjoy with your young ones.

Rating: ***

 


Monster House (Netflix – PG) – I hadn’t heard of this before but thought I’d give it a go as it seemed ok from the adverts. Don’t get me wrong it was alright, the story was ok but not really that brilliant, but I’m sure most kids have thought this about the creepy person/house down their street, and come up with some big story behind it. Yeah it’s an ok film, not the best but not the worst, I have to admit I did get a little bored in this one and found myself thinking of other stuff. It might be one the younger ones to watch as spooky season fast approaches but don’t go out your way to see it.

Rating: **



Monday 21 September 2020

Movies: ARQ (Netflix - 15), Replicas (Netflix - 12), Extraction (Netflix - 18), See You Yesterday (Netflix - 15) & The Darkest Dawn (Netflix - 15) & I Kill Giants (Netflix – 12A)

ARQ (Netflix - 15) – I thought I’d give this one a go as it looked like it might be interesting and it said it was sci-fi. It’s basically about a guy and his girlfriend who get stuck in a time loop and have to try to find a way to survive, and guess what the loop keeps repeating. This sadly wasn’t anything new or special, there have been quite a few series’/films that have done a similar thing. It was an ok film to pass the time, if you like a bit of time-related sci-fi then it might be worth looking at but don’t expect anything amazing!

Rating: **


Replicas (Netflix - 12) – This was actually a pretty good movie, it’s about a scientist who is trying to unlock putting a human consciousness into a synthetic body, and whatever he tries it hasn’t successfully worked. He is faced with the real need to harness this power when his project is due to be canned by the company he works for…there’s some other stuff but I’m not going to give spoilers. Yeah if you want to watch something that’s pretty enjoyable and well that’s kind of believable to what might be in the future, then this is probably worth a look.

Rating: ***



Extraction (Netflix - 18) – A mercenary is hired to go in and save a boy who has been kidnapped and is being held to ransom by a drug lords gang. It’s pretty predicable and is pretty much a high-octane movie where you leave your brain at the door and just watch the violence unravel. Yep it’s not really an intelligent movie, and similar things have been done before, but it does good with what it is and is made really well, it’s been one of the better movies I’ve watched lately.

Rating: ****


See You Yesterday (Netflix - 15) – A girl and her best friend invent a time travel device that allows them to go back in time by a day, and after her brother dies she goes back to save him. I felt like this movie had potential, and maybe if you are a teenager or around the kids age in the film it would make this a little more enjoyable, but sadly for me I found myself getting really bored with this one. I’ve seen it all before and there was nothing new or inventive about this sadly. Yeah it might appeal more to the younger generation so if you have teenagers then they might love it.

Rating: **


The Darkest Dawn (Netflix - 15) – This one is a total B-movie, it’s about two sisters trying to survive an alien invasion, they end up meeting others who are also trying to survive and they team up. You know the usual in this type of situation and again sadly there’s been very similar films/TV shows, so it’s nothing new. Its shot like it is being filmed on her handy-cam as her aim is to one day be a journalist. Yeah it’s an ok film but it’s definitely nothing special, if you’ve got nothing else to do and you’ve seen pretty much everything or if you are a lover of B-movies then give this a watch, if not then stay well clear.

Rating: **



I Kill Giants (Netflix – 12A) – I wasn’t sure what this one would be like, I read the description and thought I would give it a go. It’s the story of a young girl who is a little different to everyone else, she lives with her family and also in her escapism, where she must protect the town from giants. This is one of those stories that blends what is real or what could be real, it’s an interesting story of the girl’s life experiences at school and a tale of her friendship. I don’t think it will be everyone’s cup of tea – you’ll either get it or be like meh about it.

Rating: ***



Sunday 20 September 2020

Movies: The Willoughbys (Netflix – PG), The Wandering Earth (Netflix – 15), Princess Mononoke (Netflix – PG), Altered Carbon: Resleeved (Netflix – 15), Megamind (Netflix – PG), I See You (Netflix – 15), Otherlife (Netflix – TV-MA) & Tau (15)


The Willoughby’s (Netflix – PG) – So this is an animated movie about a very odd family, the children are unloved by their parents so they decide to send them away and fend for themselves. It was pretty quirky which was what it was advertised as so it did delivery on that front. It had a few amusing parts but also hit on some subjects which were a little meh (not happy families if you get my meaning). Yep if you want to watch a nice kids film which is a little different then this will be worth looking at, if you are not into animated stuff then give it a miss.
Rating: ***



The Wandering Earth (Netflix – 15) – I tried to watch this once and turned it off after about a minute, I don’t know I just wasn’t in the mood to watch it. I am so glad I decided to watch it fully and stick with it, it was surprisingly a really good story and movie generally once I got into it. If you want to watch something that is completely unbelievable but also quite a possibility then this is probably worth a watch, it’s not really sci-fi but is a bit, kind of a bit of survival or disaster movie as well. Yep give it a chance if you like something a little different.
Rating: ***



Princess Mononoke (Netflix – PG) – I hadn’t seen this in years and I thought I would give it a re-watch. It’s a good story and animated movie, the story is quite touching really and also hits home about how humans treat the world we live in. You see it’s about a boy who gets cursed, he heads off to find a cure for his curse and meets a girl who was raised by wolves, and together their story gets entangled. If you like Studio Ghibli and the magic these films hold, and you haven’t seen this one then it is definitely worth checking out.
Rating: ***



Altered Carbon: Resleeved (Netflix – 15) – I watched this one as it looked interesting, at the time I didn’t realise this is a movie which is a spin off from a TV series. I’d usually watch the TV series first and then the film, but I messed up this time doh. I have the series saved now! Its set in the future where people’s memories are downloaded onto chips and then if their body dies their chips can be put into another body. So it could come to be in the future, who knows, that said as a movie the concept it works really well. I wasn’t sure on the animation style to start with but it does work well with this film and the era it is set in. Yep time now to crack out the series!
Rating: ***



Megamind (Netflix – PG) – I hadn’t seen this in a while so decided to give it a re-watch and I forgot how much I liked this and how funny it is. Yep if you want to watch an animated film, that instead of the normal story – it focuses on the baddie rather than the goodie, then you should watch this. Well this really shows the life of a villain isn’t always fun and never quite goes according to plan, the poor guy. It’s just generally an all-round good film which the whole family will enjoy, it’s got story, fun characters, humour and well good animation. If you haven’t seen it then I would totally check it out.
Rating: ****



I See You (Netflix – 15) – I was recommended to watch this one by my family, they said it’s really creepy – you need to watch it, so I did. Yeah it was a good film, it’s about some odd goings on in a family’s home where things don’t go as expected. I didn’t really find it that creepy or disturbing, maybe you would if you had a big house like they did and things, but it wasn’t scary or anything, it was however quite believable, so maybe that’s where the creep factor comes in. I thought the story was pretty predicable sadly, maybe I’ve just watched too many films. It was though still an entertaining watch, so maybe give it a bash if you like a light horror.
Rating: ***



Otherlife (Netflix – TV-MA) – This one is about a brother and sister, the sister invents a programmed drug which allows users to experience a virtual pre-programmed scenario. You know like experiencing the world in a different way, in a fully immersive experience. I didn’t really know much about this film but it did really draw me in and I really did enjoy it, if you like a bit of sci-fi which is fully believable with some messed up shit that goes on, then this might be the film for you. Yeah I really did enjoy it, don’t know why but it just worked.
Rating: ****



Tau (15) – Again with this one I wasn’t too sure what it was going to be about, I’d watched the trailer and that was about it. It’s basically about a girl that gets kidnapped and forced into helping a technology creator against her will. Its sci-fi, and again I wouldn’t say too far off that it’s unbelievable. It’s quite a good story, and considering there is only really three characters in the most part of it, it works really well. I wouldn’t expect all flash and bang with this one, it is again more of a story driven film but it has an interesting concept. Yep if you want to watch a little bit of sci-fi this is probably worth your time, just again don’t expect to be wowed by it.
Rating: ***


Wednesday 2 September 2020

Movies: Pinocchio (2020) (PG), Babyteeth (15), The Vigil (15), Tenet (12A) & The New Mutants (15)


Pinocchio (2020) (PG) – So I went to see this thinking its Pinocchio, should be good. Well, well, well this was the worst film I have seen since Midsommar – and that’s saying something. How bad this was everyone in the cinema walked out, just leaving me on my lonesome to stick it out. It may have made more sense in the dialogues native language, but its translation into English wasn’t good, it left it with no story really. If I didn’t know the story of Pinocchio I wouldn’t have had a clue what was going on really. Yeah, I would save your time and money and don’t bother with this one.
Rating: *



Babyteeth (15) – This was another international film, this time Australian. I kind of like their humour in things and how they film things differently. This is one of those where you will need tissues, it’s very emotional. It’s also a bit disturbing, as where it’s about a 15 year old girl who befriends (and fancies) a 23 year old druggie, that said nothing happens until she’s 16 but it still creeped me out. It’s a bit of a messed up story but it’s also so normal (that’s not the right word), that its believable, the way it was done made me really feel like I was watching the families lives. If you want to see something story driven and emotional this may be worth checking out.
Rating: ***



The Vigil (15) – I wanted to see this one as I hadn’t seen a horror in the cinema for a bit. Sadly though this wasn’t scary at all, it was a little meh really. It had all the makings of what could be a good film but it just didn’t deliver, I can’t really say much without spoiling it but the pinnacle part was just a complete let down. The only thing that interested me with this was seeing something from a Jewish perspective rather than it being all to do with Catholicism or Christianity so that was a little refreshing. If you want to watch a real light horror, probably a 12 really, then it might be ok, but if you like your horror a little more spooky then maybe give this one a miss.
Rating: **



Tenet (12A) – This has been pretty hyped, maybe more so with the cinemas closing and it waiting in the wings for things to come back online. I thought it might be interesting and cool, but it sadly in my book didn’t meet up to the hype. I was expecting something more but it turned out to sadly be quite predictable and an average time-travel film. I can’t really say much about the plot without spoiling it, so I’m not going to say anything on that. That said it was still good, an enjoyable watch, the action was entertaining and the storyline was pretty interesting, it is worth a watch really, it just didn’t wow me.
Rating: ***



The New Mutants (15) – I’ve been waiting for this for a long while, as we saw the advertisement at Comic Con ages back, but most people know the story of why this was delayed. I’m an X-Men fan and just generally love their universe, so it was good to see another story from it, focusing on some of the other characters. It’s one of those where you can just watch, and you don’t need to know all the backstories or watch the other films. As long as you know a loose bit of information about mutants, then you’ll be able to watch this. It was nice to have a film that wasn’t focused on superheroes too, the way this was done does make it more believable. Yep, if you like the X-Men universe then this may be worth a look, but again just don’t be expected to be blown away.
Rating ***


Thursday 13 August 2020

Movies: Animal Crackers (Netflix – U) & A Quiet Place (DVD – 15)


Animal Crackers (Netflix – U) – I really wasn’t sure what this one was about, I just added it to my list and wanted to watch something easy going, so gave it a bash. It’s about a family who end up inheriting a circus, the uncle tries to find out what the secret is to the magic behind the animals and stops at nothing to try to claim the circus for his own. It’s one of those I think the younger children will love – I could see my nephew who is 10 thinking this is great. It does have a few bits that made me giggle, and the story was alright too. If you want something to relax your brain then this maybe worth a watch but I think three stars maybe being a bit generous but it had enough to keep me entertained and was what I wanted – a nice easy film, just don’t expect anything amazing.

Rating: ***



A Quiet Place (DVD – 15) – I decided to give this a re-watch, mainly because where the new one is due out later on in the year and I really couldn’t remember it properly, as I hadn’t seen it since the cinema. If you don’t know the story, it’s a post-apocalyptic story, where some creatures are hunting and killing humans, it follows a families struggle for survival. It doesn’t really give you much back story to where the creatures come from, or what happened that lead to all the events. It’s kind of more just the present situation, and how they have adapted to live and what they must do to survive. I would class this as a horror but it’s not like really scary – kind of mild horror in my book. It is one of those that you can get really engrossed into, well I did anyway. If you are into your horror type stuff and haven’t seen this then it’s worth checking out, or if you haven’t seen it in a while it maybe worth re-watching before the sequel comes out!

Rating: ****