Film Reviews - what have you seen lately, what did you think?

TheDouglas78

Founding Member
Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Jun 12, 2014
16,292
14,719
Founding Member
We watched the first Ant-Man tonight in preparation of seeing the sequel this weekend. Liked it a lot, Paul Rudd is perfect in that role. Lots of good laughs and the final fight sequence was fantastic. Only negatives were a blah villain (per usual for Marvel) and the plot was almost identical to the first Iron Man. Looking forward to Ant-Man and Wasp.

Michael Pena is the best part of Ant-man the rest of it, is just Iron Man 2.0.
 

gingerlover

Junior Member
Lifetime Member
Sep 20, 2014
3,923
4,674
Ant-man and the wasp - picks up a few years after Civil War and as mentioned in infinity war he’s on house arrest. This one is much lighter and focuses on Hank and Hope having him help find the original Wasp. They also have others after them as well along with the FBI just dying to catch him. Michael Pena and Randall Park provide most laughs and the others get some good ones in as well.

If you liked the first you will like this one. Stay for the credit scenes. One of them is explains something. 7/10. Safe for young kids as well other than language in a few spots.
 

gingerlover

Junior Member
Lifetime Member
Sep 20, 2014
3,923
4,674
Couple more I’ve watched this week

Roman J Israel esq - Denzel plays an eccentric lawyer with limited people skills. He has a knack though of remembering things like no one else can. He spends most his time helping those less fortunate but when his boss suddenly dies he’s left with the only choice of going to a big firm. From here he starts enjoying nicer things in life until he starts to lose his way.

Not what I expected and took a turn I didn’t see coming. Denzel is darn good in this like most his movies. 7/10

Father Figures - ed helms and Owen Wilson are twins that have never known who their father was. They go off in search through their moms old boyfriends to find him and along the way mend their relationship.

I have to say this one surprised me. Marketed on the funnier side it hit perfectly (in my opinion) between the laughs and drama. The laughs are there but come more naturally as the movie goes on rather than forced comedy which Helms and Wilson can fall victim to. The ending I didn’t see coming and the potential fathers all had their nice amount of time. This is one you and the wife can watch and not feel like you wasted the time, but nothing profound either. 6.5/10

Only the Brave - about the Arizona wild fire crew. This is one of those I don’t remember getting much publicity and the previews felt like it was a throw away movie. I was completely wrong on this one and was hooked. The cast is fantastic and it hits you like a ton of bricks. 8/10
 

Gatordiddy

Member in good standing
Lifetime Member
Jul 23, 2014
11,719
26,477
watched "The Mountain Between Us"... was a high budget Hallmark kind of movie:


tenor.gif
 

Detroitgator

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Jul 15, 2014
28,239
46,749
The Equalizer 2: Just got back, deeply disappointed. Had high hopes given the reunion sequel of Denzel and Fuqua who have made so many really good movies together including the original. Just too many problems from lazy writing to huge plot holes to technical issues (which I can usually overlook)

No need to see in theater... did I mention deeply disappointed?
 

gingerlover

Junior Member
Lifetime Member
Sep 20, 2014
3,923
4,674
The Equalizer 2: Just got back, deeply disappointed. Had high hopes given the reunion sequel of Denzel and Fuqua who have made so many really good movies together including the original. Just too many problems from lazy writing to huge plot holes to technical issues (which I can usually overlook)

No need to see in theater... did I mention deeply disappointed?
That sucks. The first one was pretty good.
 

gingerlover

Junior Member
Lifetime Member
Sep 20, 2014
3,923
4,674
Here are a few more I saw over the last few weeks

Ghost in the shell - caught this on cable. Some cool effects and stuff but wasn’t really into it other than that. Based in a world where people replace parts of their body with machine parts. Of course there is an evil corporation to try and stop. 4/10

Blockers - the one with John Cena where is daughter is in a sex pact. Mostly about parents letting go. Has a few funny moments but at times tries over the top things to force a laughs. Shows it all with the range of parenting from uptight to let them be free with a couple lectures on topics from today. 5/10. Throw away movie if really bored for something new.

Rampage - just turn your brain off and except it for what it is. A movie where big monsters fight. If you do that you’ll find some enjoyment and a couple laughs. If you expect oscars then this isn’t for you. 3/10 with brain on or 6/10 with brain off

Stronger - jake gyllenhall plays a double amputee survivor from the Boston marathon. About his struggle to find peace and start living again. Only problem was that was 99% him being a drunk and 1% after he got back on the horse so to speak. Would have liked to have scene more of his road back so to say. 5/10

Suburbicon- this movie sucks. I don’t even know what they were thinking. Set in the 60s it’s meant to be a dark comedy but forgot most of the comedy. To much going on and subplots, while relevant for the time period, didn’t fit in the movie itself. 3/10

Tag - about the friends who still play tag. A story about friendship and how to keep close with those as you grow apart in life. It was actually descent save for one stunt pulled as a way to save one of them. I just didn’t find that type of comedy funny. Other than that it’s got laughs that aren’t to forced. When it comes out you can rent and not feel like money wasted. 6/10
 

TLB

Just chillin'
Lifetime Member
Jan 6, 2015
13,680
25,358
Following Ginger's lead....movie weekend at home alone started last night:

The Messenger (2015) - Not the Joan of Arc one. This is a british film so slow plodding dialogue laden story where you hope for something interesting. The nut of the plot is a guy (late 20's?) who sees and hears dead people asking him for help (think 6th sense grown up). He's been labelled crazy for awhile, but has to help these folks in order to make them go away. The storyline follows one guy who was killed and staged as suicide just outside the apt where his wife was waiting and Jack is trying to relay a message to her from her husband. If you want supernatural, this aint it. Not a comedy, romance, or date flick. Honestly, aside from the decent acting by the lead...overall waste of time. Only watch if you want to see someone tormented by such a 'gift' as others question if it is real or his imagination. Only females are his aldutering mom in flashbacks and pie faced sister. No boobs, you wouldn't want to see those anyways. 3/10

The Last Witch Hunter (2015) - Vin Diesel is a 1200's warrior with a group that hunts down the witch queen plaguing the populations. As he kills her, she curses him to never die (and rejoin his wife and kids). Fast forward to today, immortal Vin is working with the church to police out of control witches, while the general population has worked a truce with non-evil witchcraft. Michael Caine is his priest handler who spends most of the movie in a death coma. Elijah Wood plays the replacement priest handler pretty weekly. There's an attractive witch who helps Vin, and an actress playing the witch queen who is pretty attractive but you wouldn't know it with the makeup. Fire, swords, and Vin's usual monotone dialogues. Some action, nothing to write home about. No boobs. 5/10

Seventh Son (2014) - Surprising leads of Jeff Bridges as Master Gregory ("Spook"=witch/demon hunter) against Julianne Moore ("Mother Malkin" = witch queen). Bridges is annoying in his role, but I can see that's how he chose to play it. Julianne appears to be a great actress caught in a crap role. There are supporting actors (Ben Barnes as Tom Ward, the 7th son which implies some magic power but it's not really tapped into here; Alicia Vikander as Alice who could be hot but we don't get to see her that way). This is a case of movie yahtzee - mix a few known actors, a title that implies something and a plot that doesn't address it, throw in some special effects, ok sets, and crap dialogue and send it to print praying someone would want to watch it. Probably the best chance at decent boobs for the night, and no...no boobs. 4/10
 

TLB

Just chillin'
Lifetime Member
Jan 6, 2015
13,680
25,358
Black Mass (2015) - Johnny Depp as Boston's notorious gangster. He plays it well, but the film isn't as violent as one would expect. Not as gritty with the FBI enabling him to go from local punk to ruling kingpin. Plenty of crimes references, and yes some violence, but overall not an impactful film. 5/10

Divergent (2014) - Dystopian society where at a certain age you take a test for what faction you should grow up in, then you pick (don't have to go with what the test said. There are some without a faction (homeless). Factions are Erudite (knowledge), Candor (truth), Abnegation (serving others), Amity (peaceful farmers), and Dauntless (brave). We follow one girl who doesn't test well...she shows up takes the test, and it shows her having a tendency to 3 of the 5 factions. She gets a boyfriend, does a lot of thrill seeking, and develops a war with the leader of the knowledge faction who thinks knowledge should rule all.

Insurgent (2015) - sequel to the one above, extends the story and focuses on the lead character using all her multi-factional powers to unlock a message about the remaining population of the society (spoiler - they aren't alone). One shot of almost coulda been extended cleavage, but was shot in the dark and at a bad angle, so still no boobs (perhaps she doesn't have any). Best part of both movies was the soundtrack - not songs you'd know, but sounds that fit the scenes. Other than that, it is easy to see why this series was lost in the wash of Hunger Games and the third book of the trilogy fizzled into a tv movie in hopes of a spin off that also didn't make it. Save your time, look elsewhere for entertainment. 4/10
 

Zambo

Founding Member
Poo Flinger
Lifetime Member
Jun 12, 2014
12,898
32,445
Founding Member
Is there a tv show review thread?
 

Gatorbait25

Founding Member
H.E. Pennypacker, wealthy American industrialist
Lifetime Member
Jun 12, 2014
3,536
5,319
Founding Member
Watched get out last night , and really enjoyed it . I like movies that are different from anything you’ve seen before. This one and a quiet place certainly are . Solid A.
 

gingerlover

Junior Member
Lifetime Member
Sep 20, 2014
3,923
4,674
Death wish (2018) - been a long time since I’ve seen the original so not sure how it stacks up. That being said it’s pretty straight forward. Mans family hurt and he becomes a vigilante. It’s not the greatest but not that bad either. Some pretty gruesome kills in it and everyone played their part well given the limited script from a director that is usually strictly horror. I didn’t expect much so wasn’t that disappointed. If you really want to get picky there is a pretty big plot hole at times. 5/10

Shape of water - not really for me but I can see why it was so well received. It was done really well and things line up for the end if you pay attention. Nudity, fishman sex, and one animal lovers beware scene. I actually was bored during this one but I think this falls into you need to see it to decide for yourself.
 

Gatordiddy

Member in good standing
Lifetime Member
Jul 23, 2014
11,719
26,477
Watched get out last night , and really enjoyed it . I like movies that are different from anything you’ve seen before. This one and a quiet place certainly are . Solid A.

Lol - I watched this last night as well.
Agree - Jordan Peele did a great job on this debut film.
 

TLB

Just chillin'
Lifetime Member
Jan 6, 2015
13,680
25,358
Took the 9 yr old to Antman & Wasp last night. He'd been catching up on the other MCU in series to be ready and knew the first one well enough to be asking about gaps in the second one. Overall, quite a fun romp with Marvel characters. They brought out Michelle Pfiefer for a key role in this...man is she old now. Storyline went well enough, a plot you could follow, characters (new ones too) that you could connect with. Special effects to make fun with the size changing powers was well done and amusing, and as others noted in this thread Michael Pena pretty much was the funny-man throughout (ended up my son's favorite character). No boobs, but family fun if you care about MCU at all. If you don't care for MCU, deduct 2 pts from my 7/10.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Help Users

You haven't joined any rooms.