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You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment (2024)
Interesting but seems paid for by the processesd vegan food industry.
It started out interesting and informative but quickly became about promoting not so much veganism but the vegan processed food industry. In particular it refuses to addressthe health issues related to this industrial food industry. Do your research and you find heavy use of salt, food dyes, emulsifiers and other things harmful to your health. So yes vegan food is less damaging to the planet but the processed vegan food side is not healthy. Having said that, proper vegan food, ie natural foods and minimally processed food is both healthier for the planet and you.
Iman omnivore, love meat, but also recognise impact on planet and my health. What I got from the show is not to go vegan but to change my relationship with food to be more about feeding my gut not my tastes. Not eating crap tasting food but eating more variety. Trying to keep meat to about a qtr of plate, eating more vegetables but also replacing processed grains (bread pasta, etc) with less processed grains. I now find I'm fuller, my gut health is better and wait slowly coming off.
So change your diet, just don't replace procesed (ie manufactured) meat with processed (manufactured) vegan food.
Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver (2024)
Worse than part 1
Rebel moon part 1 was a mixed bag, over the top and silly but watchable and at times even enjoyable. Part 2 is much worse.
The first hour is just pretentious crap and poor copy of 7 Samurai.
Once the battle starts it picks up for a bit. Yeah, no way anyone would actually fight that way with modern weapons but it has enjoyable moments, silly but watchable. It drags on though and 8s full of scenes you have seen before and pretty much know what will happen. Then the bit on Dreadnaught just carries on as is the modern way and end battle is just a copy of seen in other movies. Its tiresome instead of interesting.
Also the dialogue is awful, worse than Phantom Menace and thats saying something.
The end is mostly predictable too.
In the end this suffers from typical Snyder over kill, poor plotting and extravegance over story and characters.
Is it the worst movie, no but with the budget and acting talent it deserved a much better script.
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (2023)
Lots of fun
The first one was fun and original, while this is less original, its probably more fun, well to me.
The vibe switchs from WW2 prison theme to more of a JamesBond vilan vibe.
So its a typical kid wants to explore the world and parents want to keep them safe while the child pushes against the strictures of home and wants to escape.
From then irs pretty standard, very silly and lots of fun. On the way to finding the new girl, young Molly meets up with another chicken looking for freedom and they are attracted to what seems an idyllic chicken farm.
Of course everything isn't what it seems. Meanwhile Rocky and Ginger seek to rescue their daughter from the farm. So instead of breakingbout they are breaking in. It's just silly and fun hijinks from there.
It and Migration have a lot of similarities but both do their own thing.
Give it a go for a fun family night if you have younish kids, its a great time waster, isn't too long and no terrible singing. Yeah it's nothing new, but what is, its fun.
Dune: Part Two (2024)
Visually stunning, well crafted.
Rate for a sci-fi film these days it's not all action, and allows the story to build and the characters to develop. There is enough intrigue to keep it going and initial reluctance of Paul Atrides is well done. But what are you to do when war become inevitable?
While the first was excellent this is even better. It was more than just a visual wonder.
Also unlike the first film and original film, the religious undertones are full front and centre. The acting is also above normal for the genre.
The ending is a bit truncated given the build up but that too was good, too odten these days the final battle is drawn out to excess.
Will be intriguing to see the next instalment, whenever that is.
I also think the bigger box office this time is thatbmany waited to see the first one on streaming, but seeing how good, wanted to see this in the cinema with the full effect. You actually feel like to are on Dune, not some CGI set piece. Definitely worth seeing in the Cinema, don't wait for it to hit the streamers.
3 Body Problem (2024)
Interesting and thought provoking
Having not read the book prior to watching this is probably an advantage. While it retains many of the cultural revolution parts, the main bits are in the UK. Purists may not like this but I think for western viewers it makes sense.
It is really well shot, the moral and scientific conundrums are good and while Westernised it doesn't have the usual Western tropes of good guys and bad guys, everyone is a bit of each and each has it's own perspective and rationality.
The story goes along at a good pace, and most of the characters are interesting and well acted. The only one so far I have little interest in is Saul.
What helps is both the pacing but also some unexpected turns, well unexpected for me.
It is definitely more cerebral than most sci-fi these days, and as much as I liked the peripheral, this is a lot better.
So I am sure purists won't like some of the transition to the wrst, Incel scifi nerds will do their head in at the multicultural/diverse cast and your average viewer will probably struggle with the fact you have to think and the fact no one is clean skin, it is definitely one of the best new shows of 2024.
Hell it has even got me to buy the books, though I will read after watching, so as not to ruin both with preconceptions.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)
Better the Crystal Skulls but too long
While I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, it is overly long, ponderous for the first hour and begs the question why. Ok maybe something was needed after Crystal Skulls but they could have cut half an hour from the begining.
Ok the bad first.
The opening scene is very Indiana Jones and who doesn't like giving it to the Nazis, but the overeliance on CGI just takes away connection to the characters and some parts just look dumb. The de-aging is well done, but it just felt like an overly long computer game intro scene. The fighter jet scenes make it even worse. It suffers from the same lack of emerssion the Star Wars prequels have. Yeah its well done but it doesn't feel intimate.
The NY scenes are even worse, largely pointless and could have been cut to maybe 10 minutes, if not less. Plus he is in the middle of the teaching semester but then retiring the same day? And the silly African American agent, who, as pretty much the only black character seemed like a diversity character than a real one.
Then there are the badies who are bland Nazis, American Nazis but bland. Give me the Nazis from the Blues Brothers any day over this insipid lot. We know they are nazis as they are blonde and thugs, and thats about the extent of character development.
And Mads has even less to play with here than he did as Grinderwall. Yeah he looks the perfect Nazi, but until almost the end we have no idea what he is doing.
His character needed more development.
The good.
However, the last half elevate the movie just enough to not make it a stinker. Phoebe Waller-Bridge is well cast, and overcomes simple writing and character exposition to make the part her own and centre's the movie more than Harrison, who not quite going through the paces like in The Force Awakens, has limited range. There are good cameos from the past and kid actually does a good job.
The scenes with archimedes are a bit silly but the ending is a good place to end the series. So not great, but it has enough heart to make it passable. But the time for these movies has passed, please do not do another.
Watchable but not memorable.
The Creator (2023)
Not as good 2nd time round, potential unrealised.
I loved The Creator first time around, on 2nd viewing though, it's many holes were more apparent. I think first time I was willing it to succeed at the box office, it's rare to find an inteligent and new idea in movies, particularly sci-fi, such that I overlooked some glaring issues.
It's still good, beautifully shot and with a positive twist on AI, and is mostly well acted. I still love that the Americans aren't the heroes, I still like that it is humanity not AI that is destructive and I still love the Vietnam war overtones.
But, on second viewing the weakneses were more apparent. Particularly the fighting scenes. They make no sense, you have this all conquering spaceship but they still use grunts, then there are the ridiculously oversized tank things that fire these puny missisles, the stupid running bomb bots and it goes on. The AI robots are also pretty dumb and incredibly inaccurate and while I like the Vietnam war overtones, for 2069 the fighting is reflective of that period not the future, hell not even the now. No drones either, despite all the advances in AI. There are also holes in the story big enough to drive a truck through.
It still has heart though and a different take on AI that raises it, it just fails to achieve it's potential.
John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)
Too long but elevated by non Wick actors and ending
Finally finished John Wick 4. Had to watch it 2 bits as too long and kinda tidious until the end.
It's not even a film. It's 3 overly long fight sequences that just drag on to a good ending. Like a video game reaching the big boss ending.
The special bulletproof vests and the fact you know he eill make it to the end means the fight scenes just drag on and on. I actually had to fast forward as the shooting scenes just never end. Some parts are good but even then they go on. There are only so many ways to shoot someone in the head.
What elevates the film are the non John Wick parts. Ian McShane is just brilliant for the part, Donnie Yen was a master stroke in casting as was the Malinois (Belgian Sheppard). Laurence Fishborne is good, as are Bill Skarsgard and the guy that plays the tracker.
There is no story, just how to take 2 and half hours to kill the bad guy.
Wick himself is a forlorne figure, seeking both revenge but also closure through his own demise. He lacks the thing that made the first two films great, purpose. And, well for me at least, I was waiting for it to end and I got the feeling so was Keanu.
As much as the fight scenes are too long, the final showdown is better than expected and also elevates the movie. It would be a 5 out of 10 stars part the other actors and the ending means I add another star.
Ovetall, an ok ending to the series but could do with at least 30 minutes of fight scenes removed.
Renfield (2023)
Patchy but ultimately fun take on Dracula
While patchy in parts, it mostly does things right. Poor old Renfield, Dracula's familiar is down on himself, realising he is in a abusive relationship, seeks solace in a self-help group for those like him. Though, to help them, he finds and feeds their abusers to Dracula, until it all goes wrong. He teams up with a good cop (Akwafina) to take down some bad guys and well it is mayhem from then.
Lots of blood and gore, some funny scenes and good action.
Most of the actors hit their mark.
Nicholas Cage is a bit up and down but mostly good as Dracula, kind of a Elvis Presley Fracula in some parts but does the abusive figure well as well as the maniacal parts, but sometimes over does it as Cage is want to do.
Nicholas Hoult is pefect as the torn Renfield, part pathetic, part hero.
The other cast also mostly get things right mixing humour, gore and violence in a way that is mostly funny, though occaisionaly (for me excessive).
It's a good friday night slasher comedy, not perfect, but just fun enough to warrant your time.
Don't takevit seriously, don't over think it and enjoy the ride for what it is.
Migration (2023)
Lots of family fun, sit back and enjoy
This has to be one of the better kids animations of the year or even a few years. It isn't pretentious and doesn't bang on the drum of morality. Rather its pure fun and hijinks.
It starts off with the dad trying to scare the kids out of ever wanting to leave the pond, but in a very fun and funny opening. All is good for over protective dad until some exotic ducks land for a stop on their migratory flight south and fill the kids and mum with ideas about migrating to Jamaca. Dad tries to stop but is convinced to overcome his fears and take a chance.
And that is the only moral part of the story, take a chance in life and face your fears and prejudices.
From there on it's one rollercoaster of aride with lots of fun bits.
Also, unlike a lot of animations, you aren't playing the game of oh that is such and such voice. The only really recognisable voice is Danny Divitto, who is perfectly cast as grumpy uncle Dan. The kids are relative unknowns but are perfect in timing and emotion.
The animation is colourful but doesn't overwhelm the film either like some animation do.
It also isn't overly long which is great and kids will love it and parents get lots of laughs.
Yes it's not ground breaking but that's not the point.
A perfect family fare, perfect for Christmas/ holidays.
Napoleon (2023)
Like Napolean taking Moscow a long slog that starts strong but ultimately fails.
Joaquin Phoenix is amazing and carries this film like Napolean carried France, but in the end it was not enough.
The first 45 minutes is probably the best. Scott does a great job of showing the French revolutions fall from righteous defeat of the Monarchy into murderous reign of terror into a prideful nation looking for restitution.
The attack on Toulon is a great start, and the scene with Napoleon's horse will shock you into attention. The battle is well presented and shows the brutslity of war in that period. How accurate it is I'm not sure but if like the other battles in the movie it probably melds various elements into one short battle.
The machinations in the French political eatablishment seem well done.
Then comes the first scenes with Josephine as she grabs Napoleon's attention.
From then, for me, it starts to falter.
As attractive as Vanessa Kirby is, like the rest of the actors in the film, she just failed to really grab my interest. For such a powerful petsonality and character in the film and real life, she comes across as nothing more than a spoilt rich kid/pretty girl who just whimpers through her scenese. Unlike the other actors though, her role is almost as central as Napoleon's. She just can't hold a candle to Joaquin and it drags the movie down.
Even for Joaquin, his scenes with her come across as a school boy following his crush not an Emperor and his muse.
And this is the problem, the movie is split between these petulant love quarrels and the action of Napolean as an amazing general.
The Austerlitz battle is well shot, while not really accurate it does pull together the major parts of that battle but does so in a single short battle. Fair enough as the battle was over many hours, but it lacks a bit. History nerds will likely be let down but not as much as the Waterloo scenes.
What the movie in particular lacks is focus on both Napoleon's tactical and strategic prowess and his efforts to reform the French economy and administration. We just know he is a great general because we know he is.
The battle of Waterloo is a bigger mess. Yes I understand you can't have a movie about the whole of Napoleon's life and a proper version of the battle in under 3 hours but as someone who loves that battle (and even lived in Waterloo) it was a let down.
And other than the odd scene by Eduard Philipponant as the Young Russian Czar, the remaining performances are generally lacking and feel like B grade ring ins, particularly the short bits we see of the Duke of Wellington.
Going for it, it is brilliantly shot, and for almost 3 hours it actually keeps going and doesn't felt overdone. If anything it feels underdone.
To succeed, I think it needed to focus on either the relationship with Josephine or his battles, or if doing both, making it longer and turning into two films may have worked. But ultimately, I think it fails because apart from Joaquin (and to a lesser extent Edouard) it needed better actors and stronger performances from its supporting cast, in particular Josephine.
I still enjoyed it but I left feeling not only could it have been better, it should have been better.
X (2022)
More creepy than scary, elevated by performances
At times it feels like a film school project, at times it is really good, but mostly it's creepy more than scary.
Starts off like an 80's porno but lacks real feeling or meaning. It's a mcguffun (a term even mentioned in the film). Ok some pretty hot bodies but it's as sexy as making a porno probably is.
The farmer and his wife are excellently cast and again creepy as F.
Brittany Snow, Jenna Ortega and Mia Goth do great jobs of very archetypal characters with little story. Snow's singing is also impressive.
However the switch into horror/slasher mode lacks scarriness, you know what's going to happen and it lacks suspense. Yeah it has referential scenes like the window in psycho, the "here's Johnny" scene from the Shinning, the lake and pier from Friday the 13th and others, but they are more like signposts than adding anything.
Also the male actors, apart from the farmer, don't add much other than cannon fodder. Again archetypal characters but lacking the depth the girls bring.
And it just gets crepier and well yuck near the end.
The ending has a nice twist though.
So for the performances and parts of the movie it is good but let down by execution, lack of suspense and just being a bit too ick for me. So it's a slasher 80's flick made for our times, a decent time waster but not a classic you will want to watch again and again.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)
Lots of fun, better than expected
D&D can be hard to transfer to the big screen (or the little screen) but somehow this works where other attempts haven't. I think its the mix of good actors, good script and the right amount of fun and jokes without becoming a self parady.
Chris Pine is perfectly cast as the rogue story teller. He gets most the laughs but does so well with mixture of timing and the right amount of smarmy w/o going overboard. He has real heart too. The usual pointless backstory actually has weight but is also brilliantly told in the very funny opening sequence, "should we wait for Jonathan?" where you can't quite tell if he is telling the truth or how much is embelishment.
Hugh Grant is also perfectly cast, and his smarminess is overboard but deliberately so, because that way you know he really is the A-hole of the story.
Michelle Rodriguez is well cast as the dumb barbarian muscle and the other two party members bring something to the table without overdoing their storyline.
The big bad is rather meh, but that is fine because they aren't as central to the movie.
While fun it does generally stick to D&D and it was great to see some of the minor races well represented. It was also fun in that in the part with the Games, kind of like team version of The Hunger Games, one of the teams looks just like the kids D&D animation characters from the 1980's brought to life.
Even at over 2 hours it goes along at a good pace, without dragging things too long.
Yeah it's basic in some ways, the story is predictable but so what, the fun and action makes it worthwhile.
Blue Eye Samurai (2023)
Brilliant in unexpected ways.
You never know with Netflix these days, a lot of crap, even amongst "popular" stuff, but this is an increasingly rare gem, original, captivating, at times unexpected and beautiful.
First, it is drawn beautifully, very Japanese but also universal. I will want to watch this again just to pick up some of the little details.
The story is different than I expected and has great way of meandering to its obvious conclusion.
What I also loved is things don't go as planned, there are setbacks, failures and learning.
It has a clear story about finding and being your true self, of the harm done by trying to be something you are not but also the reality of being a women in those times (regardless of where in the world then). Also about racism, ableism and many other isms.
But while that is central to the story, it's done in a way that doesn't feel too forced.
Then there are the characters that have depth and nuance and dark sides. And the story goes in all kinds of unexpected directions, though the twist reveal about the Blue Eye Samurai was pretty obvious.
So I take this will have 3 seasons, so hopefully the next 2 are as good. Something worth having Netflix for after Stranger Things ends.
The Bad Guys: A Very Bad Holiday (2023)
Unnecessary, 3rd rate with a couple of chuckless.
I thought oh cool a Bad Guys short, kind of what Pixar and does. But no, this is almost Star Wars Christmas bad, though won't be as memorably bad.
So first realisation this wouldn't be good was the animation. It's like some kids got together with a cheap AI using 90's animation.
2nd realisation. Voices, none of the original voice actors. Not even B or C grade, this is your local school musical level.
Then there is the story. To call it a story is stretching things, so basically bad guys love Christmas because they steal while everyone is celebrating but they accidently destroy giant Santa blow up balloon and Christmas is cancelled and so are their plans. So they have to save Christmas so they can steal, or something like that.
It then gets worse, even a pointless song.
It gets 4 because there are the odd funny bits, like their replacement balloon but not enough to make it worth your time. I actually enjoyed the movie, yeah wasn't top notch but was enjoyable. This is not. To be Frank I think AI could do just as bad a job or a bunch of primary school kids.
Babylon 5: The Road Home (2023)
Like a school reunion, enjoyable but no longing for the old days
As a B5 fan I had mixed emotions coming to this. Love to see the old crew, could it bring some joy, but god do we have to go with the whole multiverse thing?
I enjoyed it, the story was good, if predictable, it was nice to hear old voices and the animations were mostly good (particularly the Shadow ship eyes).
But the replaced voices didn't work for me, those voices were so iconic to the roles, only Delenn's came close, and it ruined the atmosphete. As soon as I heard Londo's voice I laughed with joy, like meeting an old friend, but G'Kar didn't sound right and lacked the gravity needed, and others the same. One time I would have liked AI recreation to be honest.
And while story was good it was predictable and lacked real emotion.
So it was like a school reunion, nice to see old friends, but equally makes you realise that period of your life has ended long ago and no need to remiss too long. So if I want a B5 fix, I'll watch the old stuff, like flicking through an old school yearbook, but I don't need more new B5 like I don't need to be back at high school.
65 (2023)
Jurassic Park meets A Quiet Place
Hollywood just has no idea how to market Sci fi that isn't a franchise. The advertising, at least for me, missed what this move was about and how to target audience. And I think thats one reaon, why it didn't live up to attempts to hype it.
For one, it's not really a scifi film, yeah has spaceships, but that about it. It's a survivor film, with dinosaurs and 2 people trying to get to escape ship. That simple.
The acting is good, Driver definitely shows his acting ability, and the slow burn hetween him and the other sole survivor is good. The use of language as a barrier definitely helps.
The special effects are great and the dinosaurs scarry and well done.
What lets it down, for me, is slow start and predictability.
Maybe it would have been better if a few others survived the initial crash, that way there would be some suspense about who would be killed next and how. With only 2 characters you know will survive, its just about how they survive and that takes out some drama.
Also at the begining we have no real idea of who the others in the ship are, so we don't care when they die, they are just cargo. So the begining lacks suspense and care factor, which means the middle part is about drawing the 2 survivors together.
They could have created more suspense if they had spent the begining creating more characters you cared about and then killing some off, that would have added suspense and drama.
Still, a good film, worth watching but also not a must see. Will probably play ok on streamers as a time filler. And that is probably the other reason it didn't do so well, with cinema prices so high, people tend to, well I do, limit what they watch at cinema, movies not sure about, like this, wait until on streamer.
7 out of 10 mostly for the acting and cool and scarry dinosaurs, but could have been better marketed.
Halo (2022)
Ep 1 cliched and devoid of feeling.
I get it can be hard to act against CGI baddies but others have done in a way that doesn't feel so jarring., the battles against the aliens is like watching someone else play a video game. Some may like it, just not me.
The acting in the first episode goes from average to cringeworthy and the characters are all very 1 dimensional, which, spoiler alert - doesn't mean much as all but 1 of the colonists die in futile battle against the Aliens, and since there was no real backstop anyway, I really didn't care if they died. And why Colonists in the future speak with current Scottish or Chinese accents is beyond me. One of many things The Expanse does better, creating distinct worlds and cultures of the future rather than copy and paste poorly from today.
It also was a mishmash of so many dystopia sci-fi elements it lacked any identity of its own.
Listen there are clearly those that like it and maybe it gets better once Din and Grogu, sorry space marine who doesn't take off his helmet and he orphan he must now look after do their bonding and both growing thing. For me I see no reason to invest further.
I was late to see this as so many more interesting options, but thought I'd give it a go. But one episode and I'm out. Not for me, those that like can enjoy it but won't be taking up more of my time.
The Mandalorian: Chapter 22: Guns for Hire (2023)
Poorly written, silly and bad ending
Lets be clear the cameos were far from the worse part, though Lizzo was atrocious and Jack Black well was clearly just same Jack Black as anything he does.
Spoilers
The begining does not get things off well. We get a stupid romance between a Mon Calmari and a Quaan that is a poor romeo and juliet shout out and just reeks of look I can reference Clone Wars. And its not like it has anything else to do with the story other than to say Bo Katan's former team are just guns for hire.
Then we move to this cool planet with Domes bit can't help get feels of 70's and 80's Sci fi films.
We then get this weird dinner setting where Din, Bo and Grogu are invited and look as perplexed as most viewers would be feeling. Grogu just becomes the equivalent of one of those monkeys in a suit. Yikes.
Then we are told there is a problem with the repurposed droids (not just imperial but also from the sepwraist war). This could have been a cool idea and fits in with earlier episodes setting up that underground forces are trying to destroy the New Republic from within. But it is so badly done.
So Din and Bo have to solve the problem in exchange with recognition of new independent Mandalore.
So how to figure this out. They are told to go down. They find out from Ugnaughts that something is wrong (but only after Din shows how to speak with Ugnaught). Somehow they just know where the next bad robot will be. How they know this is ignored.
To figure this out Din just starts kicking droids until one reacts. Seriously. So 0ne goes running off until they catch it and shoot it dead. But all is ok because oh look here is a chit to a droid bar. Yes for some reason a droid needs a chit to go to a bar and yes we have droid bars now. And oh here it is so easy to find. Seen better clue garhering in a Nancy Drew book.
So go to the bar, where Din goes around threating a droid bar tender. Bo says that won't work but of course it does as the bar tender needs to get it off his chest and spills that there is something in the fluid the drouds get, oh yeah and we get some speech that the roids want to help their humans because they feel for themThe only good thing about this part is it plays on New Hope where the bar tender says of R2D2 and C3PO "we don't serve their kind" and most of us thinking why and what you serve droids.
So now we have the next clue as they discover all the bad droids only had this one oil the others didn't get.
So now lets investigate the oil. And 2 seconds later afyer yaking to a tech oh look the responsible person has left their digital fingerprint. Seriously.
So with next clue lets go to the culprit who admits all but says its because he's a separist and thinks the new republic is as bad as the old or something like that. Oh yeah and the new utopian world isn't because its made everyone lazy because droids do it all.
My god.
Thankfully this crap is over and off they go get Bo's fleet back. A fight occours to determine who should get the ships. Fine very Mandalorian and of course Bo wins. Ok fair enough.
But the defeated guy says Bo can't be the ruler because she doesn't have th Darksabre. Oh good we get the battle for the darksabre where Bo and Din must face off. But no. Lets steal a storyline from Harry Potter where the Elder Wand/Darksabre actually really belongs to Bo because Din lost it when he got captured and she used it to defeat the thing that defeated Din so just like the Elder Wand it really now belongs to Bo. WTF! Oh and everyone goes, yeah that makes sense, she can now reclaim Mandalore without the difficult issue of fighting Din.
It is such childish writing and smells of the Boss has written this so no one raise its actually crap.
The Consultant (2023)
Asks moral questions but ending left me deflated
Finished The Consultant on Amazon Prime.
For the most part ot is a great show, with three really great main chatacters. It poses a lot of moral questions and the nature of corporate morality. Watching Christopher Waltz test people's morality is great.
But for me all the good work is undone in the final episode. The good part about the final episode is it does turn your expectations on its head. However, it ends where the person who is most willing to sacrifice their morals reaches the top and that doing bad things for personal gain is the reward.
And all the bad things that Wentz does is all for the good because the company prospers, Mr Song gets his "imortality" and momma Song gets her money and new life.
I get it turns things on its head and in many ways reflects american society (particularly the film industry) it is deeply unsetling because the initial attraction, for me, was that there are consequences to our decisions and that in seeking what we want people can do things they wouldn't think in order to get to the top.
But in the end that type of behaviour is rewarded, it left me more than a bit deflated.
Interceptor (2022)
Cliched, silly premise, poor lead but once gets going watchable
I'm a fan of Matthew Reilly's books, though his early work better than his latest material, including this.
Let's get the crap out of the way. The premise is stupid, full of holes and not in the least bit believable. Pataky is out of her depth as a lead and the sexual assault back story lacks the punch it should have. The first half is a bit slow and way too much exposition, much of it unconvincing. And well you know where the story goes and there are no surprises.
However, once the exposition is out of the way and the action and psychological warfare begins it isn't too bad.
Luke Bracey as Kessel is good to watch and makes a great bad guy, elevating the pretty average dialogue and silly story. Hemsworth's cameo is great. Baker and Har characters do well with little material given. Collin Friels does a terrible American accent but good job as her dad.
So it's not great, but not terrible, and if Australian government gets its way with Netflix having to make Australian content, is the average crap we can expect to come from that. Only watch if bored and don't want your brain taxed.
Monster Family 2 (2021)
Below average fair, poorly written and strangely animated
It looks OK in the short but the actual movie if quite forgettable, with a few genuine life's.
First thing first, the animation is very weird, may have been top shelf ten years ago but lacks real feel. In part I blame the eyes, they just giant discs that take away any feeling.
Furthermore, many of the characters looked lifted from other animations. Mila looks like the bad guy from The Incredibles just turned into a female.
Then there is the story, most of which we have seen done better elswhere, is staid and travels at a mediocre pace with no surprises.
The voice acting is pretty average and clearly c grade talent.
As bad as it it isn't so bad as to be terrible either, it's just terribly average. Young children will probably enjoy it to a degree but it won't be a favourite either.
So if desperate for something to keep kids under 10 amused without adult supervision it may pass but parents will want to bang their head against a wall if they have to sit through it.
So for me 4 stars out of 10.
The Lost City (2022)
Predictable but fun, kind of Romancing the Stone modernised
This is lots of fun, silly, funny and enjoyable.
Mostly predictable but lots of fun. Was expecting a modernised Romancing the Stone and that is apt. The parts are perfectly cast and good to see Sandra Bullock back in the type of character she does so well. Channing Tatumn is fun as the hunk and Brad Pitt who would have once played the Tatum role is hilarious in his bit part.
It's a good Friday night escape the world movie. Yeah it's not the most original or best shot film, but that's missing the point. I actually found it a lot funnier than expected but having moderate expectations helps.
Have a few drinks, don't expect much and enjoy the fun.
DC League of Super-Pets (2022)
Best DC film in years - fun for all
Got to say went to see this with my daughter mostly for her. The ads made it look reasonably fun but nothing special, so I was 50/50 on watch at movies or wait for it to stream.
Glad I saw at the theatre. It's an explosion of colour, action and one- liners.
Yeah the basic concept is nothing new and voice over actors have done similar films before. Yet despite this by the numbers approach, I loved it and laughed out loud more than any movie in recent history. As an adult there are funny bits the kids won't get, which is always good.
Just give into It's charm and you will have a great time.
Everyone one in it is great, there are no real let downs in that department and the colour palet is vivid. Best of all it goes along at a good pace and no mid movie drag that often beset these types of movies. It's got a good storyline about friendship and knowing when you need help but it doesn't become sacarine as too many Disney films do.
So yeah I Ioved it, though I'm sure DC will then kill the fun with weak sequels, but that is for then.
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
Lacks real emotional connection
There is just something that feels off with this latest Thor iteration. Thor: Ragnarok got the mix of comedy, story and playfulness just right. This one goes too far on the parody side, and makes fun of itself too much. Worse, the comic side does not mesh with certain parts that are meant to give weight to the story. It just feels off and some of the comic elements just don't work.
It's not terrible, it's just not good either.
The good bits.
Christian Bale is amazing, much of the time you forget it's him. Gorr the Godslayer is actually an interesting bad guy, with pathos and reasoning behind his actions.
Hemsworth is good and has fun, I particularly enjoyed the emotional issues between him and his axe. However, at times he plays it too light and it just becomes one long self reverential joke that you are sick of half way.
Korg is fun, but could have done with some paring back. He begins to grate as it goes on.
The bad
Russell Crow as Zeus with awful Greek accent that is more racist than anything. I mean Thor doesn't speak with a Scandinavian accent nor do any of the other Gods. Doesn't help the part is pretty crap anyway.
The goats. Funny for maybe 30 seconds, after that I wanted them in a stew.
The mediocre
Postman's issues as an actor rear there head, she's ok but vacuous and unconvincing as lady Thor
I loved Valkyrie in Ragnarok, but she is often under used in this and lacks the park in the previous movie.
Goes on too long, could have been paired back.
So in the end it's not a terrible movie, has some fun but ultimately just feels a bit off and too self reverential. I think the gloss on Waititi is finally wearing off and he is doing too much, and a lot of the same.