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Damaged (2024)
Don't get excited
This movie has so many possibilities but poor direction and some editing flaws the overall experience. It is a perfect example where a "big name" is used just to boost a story or production. I feel for Samuel Jackson here, as he should be awarded for his tenacity and perseverance during this stumbling-along story
Don't get me wrong - there are other notable performances too, but they don't get the credit they deserve - it is all about using SJ's persona. It is a real pity, but this is not the only movie that has used this trait
As for the story itself - well written and executed although the surprise element was a little obvious towards the middle of the movie. The storyline could have done with some punch here and there to counter the slow burning and sometimes awkward watching experience (I fell asleep twice)
For the editing - well, this trait of leaving some scenes hanging for three or four seconds longer than necessary is not doing the experience any good. When a scene tells its story, MOVE ON!
The directing is OK although some scenes make you wonder why? Perhaps creating goofs on purpose? The murder scenes are rather irritating from a factual point of view. They are TOO obviously fake and the prop guys could have done so much more to make the scenes more accurate and believable. Using SJ they could have learnt from "7even" a bit
Overall just a popcorn-Saturday-rainy-night movie.
Argylle (2024)
Pinewood Studios Demo Reel
This is indeed a mixed bag of everything thrown in. There is a plot - somewhere... and a story behind it, with another story behind that and it all amalgamates into a fun, slap-stick, typical American comedy show. If you understand all that you might just enjoy the movie to its fullest intent
Looking at the cast list you will be excused to say WOW! But the reality is Henry was used. He looked more like a dashing young college sophomore with the new hairdo than a serious Bond contender - which is what Mathew Vaughn tried to achieve making a short Bond demo reel for Henry. Thanks, but no thanks - did not work! Rather use his footage from The Man From UNCLE for that
The opening few minutes mentally puts one in a certain frame of mind of what to expect for the duration of the movie. Then the demo reel ends and you are stuck with a somewhat sloppy (perhaps plausible) story that is a suitcase full of silliness that just goes on and on and on and..... Oh, wait! There is a superimposed Henry again... A man with such talent had to be marginalized to screen flashes. I get the analogy, but it was not quite well done. Somewhere there should be a sign-off for an artist to agree that he / she is happy the way they are portrayed. Henry most certainly would have signed under duress. Sorry, mate!
Sam Rockwell did his normal stuff, sometimes a bit overbearing, but it worked. Bryce Dallas Howard does OK flipping between an introverted writer and wannabe spy and also comedian but gets too much to do from a spy side of things. As for Dua Lipa : stunning! And I see producers flocking their emails to her agent for contracts... and she did not even have to sing
All in, it is a fun ride but too long and too over-the-top at times for me. Perhaps Mr Vaughn could revisit his earlier works and find a solid footpath before he slips off into making slapstick stuff. Take the popcorn and don't expect a serious spy movie. This is not that movie.
Land of Bad (2024)
New take on a known plot
Special Ops, foreign country, rescue someone... we have seen it a few times. But what makes this one different is that (a) it puts you right in the middle of the action and (b) gives you a true sense of how armed drones are becoming a vertebra in the military spine
The direction is well executed, the script seems to drag things out at stages (pity) and the editing let a few things slip here and there, but nothing that would upset the flow of the movie or negatively affect the viewing
Audience is kept engaged throughout - barring a few drawn out scenes - with a few cliffhangers spread along the timeline
The acting was professional, engaging and convincing with two of the Hemsworth siblings playing off one another and perhaps deserves a 6.8. Yes, there is blood. Remember this is an Ops mission that did not go according to plan....
A personal gripe is Russel Crowe. I realise he cannot stay Maximus and fight off the lions and other gladiators forever. He ages like we all do. Of late I found that his on-screen overweight persona has dipped well below his limelight years and his presence was probably more for anchoring the movie than anything else, and to push it up to a respectable 6.8. Still, for other viewers Crowe plays a fair role and brings some energy to the experience
I appreciated the word play with Crowe... His character's name is "Eddie Grimm" and the drone used in the movie is a General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper
Grimm + Reaper... get it? So they nicknamed him "Reaper". Something for the books
An honest conclusion would best be described as cliché after cliché after cliché... For viewers who just want some action while chomping on some popcorn on a rainy Saturday... this will actually go down very well and will feel it was time spent well.
Red Right Hand (2024)
Oh, Orlando... WHY!!
It is one thing to have a very good cast of stars (Bloom, McDowel,Dillahunt) to attracts viewers to your movie. It is another challenge to have a sensible, workable and engaging script that the viewer can follow with intent and delight. It is yet another aspect to have a production, directing and editing crew that ensures an engaging element to the viewing experience
Sadly, in this case, only the first aspect is present - great cast, thus the question : "Oh, Orlando... WHY!" It is heartbreaking to see such talent wasted on this triviality only for the crew to say "we had Mr Bloom in our movie!". Shame on you
It was with painful admission that I could not continue my viewing past the hour mark. It was that unhinged, uninteresting and quite simply BORING. With better directing (and editing) this movie could well have been a great 7.5. It is not about the story (we have seen this too many times) but the senselessness of wasted screen time where just nothing happens.... or the opposite to what humans normally do to be of assistance to family
As for that... if you want Mr Dillahunt to go through bottles of hard tac, then at least GIVE him some real stuff so that he can actually BE drunk and not sometimes appear quite sober after a few shots
It took me a few days to go back to see the second half.... I could not stay for the end.... Perhaps Mr Bloom's agents were a bit over eager to sign him up for this one. I am sure there are much better offers out there who would be able to work with this talented actor
Final statement : rather go watch Sesame Street with your popcorn.
Fast Charlie (2023)
GETTING ON WITH GETTING ON IN LIFE....
As mercurial and suave as ever, Pierce Brosnan sails through this movie with all his old charm from his heydays, although slightly stiffer in the joints here and there. He still has it all - the charm, the calm, the cool and the comedy. The Bond in him will never die and the allure of his secret service persona is what drives his audience for more
What a nice surprise to see Deadpool's wife in such a convincing role here as Marcie the taxidermist. Great to see Morena Baccarin's calming effect on the storyline and keeping some suspense on the griller. The two leads balanced and played off one another superbly in this movie
As for the rest, it is the normal action packed killing-off-the-baddies, but done in a professional Bond way... not the gory mass demolition of gangsters we sometimes see. Also with a good dash of humor, which drowns out any possible unwanted gore, but the little gore that is there is mostly a chuckle and a grin
As for getting on, Pierce Brosnan as the senior lead in the movie somehow bows to a 100-year old James Caan in his last movie before his death, which was a bit strange...... Charlie's presence in the movie is strong enough to draw the audience into a dominant and commanding lead.... not needing a superseding role. RIP Mr Caan
On another note : WHY can producers and directors not leave (foreign) actors to be themselves. Naturally. If you want someone to have an accent like the Deep South, then get an actor from there. You cannot take a (British) actor and make the sound like a Boloxian! It is terrible. The worst one I think was Daniel Craig as a Texan in Knives Out. THAT was bad
Back to Charlie : fun, light hearted, pacey and entertaining. Good action with a surreptitious streak, some tongue-in-cheek chuckles and good for an evening's watch. Can pass for a 7/10 without the nostalgia.
Locked In (2023)
Movie of two halves
Oh, Famke, how your star has fallen..... The first half of the movie treads water as characters are built and makes you wonder if your are watching the right movie. Famke is nowhere near her best and the injuries from the accident (in the movie) does a good job of hiding some of her unfortunate experiences (in real life) with facial enhancement experiments that left her fans disillusioned a few years ago
Halfway through there is a flame that lights up the movie and the nurse becomes the centre of it all. Pay careful attention to what is going on, or you might miss quite a bit. The second half of the show is the saver for this one. Still enjoyable after all is said and done.
Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose (2023)
Something to do while eating your popcorn...
The positives are the quirkiness, slight humor, tell-tale untruths and Simon. From the onset it was clear that the script writing was initially forced. While Anne reads to Fodor and in the subsequent meeting with Dr Price, the storyline (from Frodor's perspective) goes from "boredom" to "exuberance" in a flash based on an obvious trickery of a talking mongoose
Once past that, the movie troddles along with a nice pace, creating smiles and some laughter at the innocuous gullibility of the 1930's era. Today we just smile... I particularly enjoyed the cave part. It was sooooo obvious, but still worthy of a smile. The Irvings must have had a real joyride out of their constructed story (or should that be concocted)
Cinematography was good, acting above par (although I think Simon should stick to the REAL Impossible Missions). Filming was good, as well at the locations. Nice touch personally to see Clive Lloyd there in perhaps one of his last performances. Always enjoy Ms Driver as well
Kudos to the initial thinker of bringing this story to the screen. There are two nice endings..... before and after the credits.