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

[gingerlover]

Rough Night - This film is a female version that is a mix of the hangover, weekend at bernies and very bad things. Has Scarlet Johanson, a couple other people you are supposed to think are funny. Basically they are all college friends and get together in Miami for a bachelorette weekend before Black Widow gets married. One of them hires a stripper and during his dance he knocks him over in the chair where he hits his head and dies. Rather than call the cops for the accident they try to hide the body and hilarity ensues when parts of weekend at bernies starts happening. It gets even more crazy when the real stripper shows up.

At the end of the day there are very few laughs in this movie. It's just not very good or thought out. You have one person running around pretending to be from New Zealand and over acting, two girls that can't act that much, and Scarlet just looks out of place in this movie. Of course to try and get the most laughs it always has them do the most absurd things possible. Some of the funnier parts involve her fiance who is driving all night there because he thinks she's leaving him. Has some bit parts from people you know (phil from modern family and the allstate mayhem guy).

Some people might like this. I think a large part is whether you find a few of the actresses funny or not with their over the top take on the roles. Wasn't really my cup of tea, but better than a sharp stick in the eye if nothing else on. Despite its flaws it still functions better than Nuss's offense. 4/10.

 

[Swamp Queen]

Transformers 5 - to start things off you don't watch these movies expecting some profound acting or Oscar performance all around. You watch these to turn you brain off, sit back, and watch some cool stuff happen on the screen. I've always had a soft spot for these as transformers was my favorite as a kid. Despite how much the source material has been crapped on I still come back.

So it picks up a few years after number 4. They have been banned from earth (other than Cuba) and are just trying to survive. Optimus is still floating in space and Marky mark is still the tough guy human. The story follows as they are looking for the descendants of Merlin and King Arthur to help stop the world from ending. The new baddie brainwashes prime to help her. They tell him they love him and all is well for the end fight. Hopkins, while accused of the money grab, actually looks like he had fun making this one as the guardian of the secrets.

Most the good guys from the last one and a few from the first couple return. There are some new bad guys as well, but non are memorable and don't get much time. The effects are cool and the new lead chick is hot (no boob). A couple new good guy robots, one is pretty funny and the other is completely different from his source material and worthless.

Basically it's everything you expect from these. Plot isn't that great but action scenes are. 5/10.

I've never seen any of the Transformer movies, but I'd have a very slight interest in seeing this one because I watched them film a scene from my hotel room when I was up in Detroit last summer. That's the only thing I'd be interested in seeing

 

[TLB]

Transformers 5 - to start things off you don't watch these movies expecting some profound acting or Oscar performance all around. You watch these to turn you brain off, sit back, and watch some cool stuff happen on the screen. I've always had a soft spot for these as transformers was my favorite as a kid. Despite how much the source material has been crapped on I still come back.

Transformers was after my time, so I'm not burdened by the character back stories, or any real expectations beyond "brain off, sit back, watch cool stuff". With that, I am hoping to catch this one soon, and have seen the others and got exactly what I was after "brain off, sit back, watch cool stuff".

 

[gingerlover]

I've never seen any of the Transformer movies, but I'd have a very slight interest in seeing this one because I watched them film a scene from my hotel room when I was up in Detroit last summer. That's the only thing I'd be interested in seeing

They are your quintessential summer blockbuster of today (would you expect anything else from Bay). Poor script, poor casting in some main roles, destroying source material but lots of explosions and special effects that make you say "cool". Marvel at least tries to make a good script and casting choices even if not all work out. Don't get me wrong This one, the first and third actually have some good moments in them. The second and forth not so much, but they always seem to get an Amazing actor to steel the show in a supporting role. Guys like Anthony Hopkins, Stanley Tucci, and such. Somewhere along the way these movies are the perfect example of making movies just to get a large over seas payday.

 

[TheDouglas78]

Transformers 5 - to start things off you don't watch these movies expecting some profound acting or Oscar performance all around. You watch these to turn you brain off, sit back, and watch some cool stuff happen on the screen. I've always had a soft spot for these as transformers was my favorite as a kid. Despite how much the source material has been crapped on I still come back.

So it picks up a few years after number 4. They have been banned from earth (other than Cuba) and are just trying to survive. Optimus is still floating in space and Marky mark is still the tough guy human. The story follows as they are looking for the descendants of Merlin and King Arthur to help stop the world from ending. The new baddie brainwashes prime to help her. They tell him they love him and all is well for the end fight. Hopkins, while accused of the money grab, actually looks like he had fun making this one as the guardian of the secrets.

Most the good guys from the last one and a few from the first couple return. There are some new bad guys as well, but non are memorable and don't get much time. The effects are cool and the new lead chick is hot (no boob). A couple new good guy robots, one is pretty funny and the other is completely different from his source material and worthless.

Basically it's everything you expect from these. Plot isn't that great but action scenes are. 5/10.

I haven't been able to watch one of those since the second one.

 

[gingerlover]

I haven't been able to watch one of those since the second one.

Yeah. 2 wasn't very good. 3 and 5 are ok but 4 is the worst by far.

 

[TLB]

Ok, catching up from the weekend of time on my own while the wife took the kids to her mom's. We'll kick it off with a double feature at a local megaplex.


Kingsman 2 - The Golden Circle

Any fans of the original get more of the same. An over the top James Bond-ish movie of super spies vs super villains, all a little over the top and campy, with several cameos thrown in. Fans of the original will appreciate the reprise from our lead and his mentor, but nearly all the rest of the cast is changed over as part of the plot. There is the early twist that this English club has an American counterpart upon which they can lean as needed. This brings in a lead American super spy to team up with them, and while there is some predictable twists with meh dialogue, there are a ton of explosions and quite a few nifty gadgets. My personal issue with the film is with the American team member, as I'm in season 3 of Narcos and the actor is the same as a lead from that show - my mind couldn't accept the exact same face and mustache delivering a poor Texas hokum accent after so much decent Columbian spanish.

Our villain is a done well by Julian Moore, and she's captured Elton John as her private puppet - a surprising role given his recent demise, and he looks in good health for all they asked him to do in this film. Yes, I know it was filmed before his death, but it's a bit unsettling not seeing him or hearing anything about him since he died, and yet here he is alive and all over the place. Our hero team from the states has several familiar faces, even if they aren't major roles, and I must say Halle Barry continues to look amazing for her age.

Bottom line - decent cast, good cameos. Decent plot and dialogue, lost of explosions, chase scenes, and gadgets. I'll give it 7/10. No boobs.

 

[TLB]

Second film, same night and same theater BUT as a disclaimer I will state you all guilted me into paying for the second film as opposed to sneaking across the hall. The cop by the ticket taker had no influence on my decision whatsoever.

It - Chapter One

Holee Fk! I'll admit, I grew up a huge Stephen King fan and have read nearly all his books up until about 10 yrs ago when I lost my time to read anything. Timing for that oddly coincides with having kids, go figure. So, I've read the story a few times, and was a fan of the Tim Curry version though admit only watching it once or twice as it scared the bejeezus out of me. I still have issues walking near street sewer drains. Like most remakes, you figure they can't stack up to the original, and no film ever can compare to the book. So, I hadn't done much homework on this one with reading reviews or reveals or anything, just going in blind with my history from the book and original.

Started off well, the filming totally felt late 80's and the small town feel of kids on their bikes doing their things in a small New England town. Then they had me 20min in with the fat kid getting chased through the library. Chills like I hadn't felt in years. They caught me a few more times with the chills, and never let my attention wander. The new Pennywise wasn't better or worse that Curry, just different and still very effective. The kids were great as I never felt like any were just actors or someone learning the craft - they pulled me in and kept me in for the duration. I especially liked the casting of the girl as Beverly, and the Molly Ringwald comment was exactly what was in my mind at the time.

Overall trueness no the book and original film....well, you know there are changes. Times changes, and the sense of what is 'acceptable' changes to where modern directors might push limits further, or avoid certain topics given today's social climate. I picked up on both, but with that said, the film totally stands well on it's own without leaving you feeling shorted or that you've had some agenda shoved down your throat. You come for the suspense, the terror, the chills....and that's exactly what you get. I am looking forward greatly to the second part being released and will look for a means of re-watching this one before going into part two.

Bottom line, 10/10 with no boobs. Highly recommend it.

 

[TLB]

Sunday matinee, and a local cheap theater shows movies for FREE on Sat and Sun at 2PM with the expectation he makes his money on concessions and you can't bring in outside food or drink. Great deal by me, $6 on coke, popcorn, and milkduds and I'm in for the showing.

Transformers 5 - The Last Knight

As discussed earlier in the film, the franchise is hit or miss but you have to go in with expectations of big booms and small plot. Film delivers. I'll say there are some nice cleavage shots on our lead female which certainly won't hurt a movie review. But coming to the main characters - Marky Mark is what we want and expect of him in this role. While the story line is painting him as a bit better human being than most of us are, he carries it ok and doesn't come off as such...he just comes off as being true to himself. For the Transformer characters....the main ones you know are right up to where you are used to seeing them. There are a few others rolled in, most of the Decepticons are introduced and subsequently smashed shortly thereafter so not much storyline for them. The good guys bring in a few new ones, especially a mentally unstable butler for Mr. Hopkins. All in all, a good showing all the way through.

Film doesn't push boundaries or ask you to imagine much beyond what would be acceptable in a world where they exist. Story moves well enough and delivers on the expected no-thinking-required screen explosions. Bottom line- 6/10 with good cleavage.

 

[gingerlover]

Ok, catching up from the weekend of time on my own while the wife took the kids to her mom's. We'll kick it off with a double feature at a local megaplex.


Kingsman 2 - The Golden Circle

Any fans of the original get more of the same. An over the top James Bond-ish movie of super spies vs super villains, all a little over the top and campy, with several cameos thrown in. Fans of the original will appreciate the reprise from our lead and his mentor, but nearly all the rest of the cast is changed over as part of the plot. There is the early twist that this English club has an American counterpart upon which they can lean as needed. This brings in a lead American super spy to team up with them, and while there is some predictable twists with meh dialogue, there are a ton of explosions and quite a few nifty gadgets. My personal issue with the film is with the American team member, as I'm in season 3 of Narcos and the actor is the same as a lead from that show - my mind couldn't accept the exact same face and mustache delivering a poor Texas hokum accent after so much decent Columbian spanish.

Our villain is a done well by Julian Moore, and she's captured Elton John as her private puppet - a surprising role given his recent demise, and he looks in good health for all they asked him to do in this film. Yes, I know it was filmed before his death, but it's a bit unsettling not seeing him or hearing anything about him since he died, and yet here he is alive and all over the place. Our hero team from the states has several familiar faces, even if they aren't major roles, and I must say Halle Barry continues to look amazing for her age.

Bottom line - decent cast, good cameos. Decent plot and dialogue, lost of explosions, chase scenes, and gadgets. I'll give it 7/10. No boobs.

When did Elton John die? Did I miss something?

 

[TLB]

When did Elton John die? Did I miss something?

Bwahahahaa....my bad. For some reason I had it my head he died earlier this year. Well, that's good news, that he's still alive, ain't it!?!?!

 

[gingerlover]

Bwahahahaa....my bad. For some reason I had it my head he died earlier this year. Well, that's good news, that he's still alive, ain't it!?!?!

You had me for a second. I had to look it up and couldn't believe I missed something like that.

 

[Captain Sasquatch]

Quiz Show (1994). Fantastic film about the gameshow scandal in the 50's. Awesome performances all around in a film that was overshadowed by the big three that also came out that year (Forrest Gump, Pulp Fiction, Shawshank Redemption).

 

[gingerlover]

The Promise - Oscar Issac, Christian Bale, and some french girl star. Focuses on the Armenian genocide at the start of WWI at the hands of the Turks. Oscar works in his village and is trying to save money for medical school and promises himself to the daughter of a wealthy villager to pay for school. He goes off to school and falls in love with the girlfriend of the American journalist (Bale) and all are close friends and she takes care of many of the orphans. When the war breaks out they start rounding people up for labor and he is captured. From there it goes to his escape, return to his village, forced marriage, and the start of the genocide, and escape of some of them to live better lives in America and other countries. Unfortunately to explain what all happens beyond this it gets into spoiler territory of what all happens. At the end it goes through the account of the surviving characters and how long they survived after the events.

The first half of the movie is very slow and at times tedious to watch. Focuses a lot on the love triangle and events around the start of the genocide. After he escapes the prison camp things pick up a little as they are on the run and trying to defend their village from the attack. Many of those you expect to make it don't and although you don't see the brutality it is stated some of the things that they did to them.

This is a decent movie if you can make it through the first hour. It's also new as I haven't seen many movies that focus on this part of history before and I'm not sure many people are aware of. 6.5/10 and no boobs. minimal cleavage.

 

[Detroitgator]

American Made - just got back to hotel after watching it. It's the story of drug/arms smuggler Barry Seal based on his true story. Unlike most "based on" movies, and not withstanding the fact that Tom Cruise is much fitter and better looking than Barry (and his movie wife is a smokin hottie) the movie actually pretty much follows the real story except how his identity was revealed publicly. The way they revealed it is actually a slap in the face, but I get it, it's Hollywood.

Cruise is actually really good, and unlike every other Cruise movie ever, he never rides a motorcycle and there is no obligatory "weird Cruise sprinting" scene!

No boobies, but she's still the hottie wife with fierce loyalty that anyone would want.

Unlike War Dogs, I give this "based on" a thumbs up.

 

[gingerlover]

Nerd Alert

Batman & Harley Quinn - Another one from the DC Animated side of things. This is set in the same universe as batman the animated series that ran in the 90's and has had many movies connected since. Same voice cast except for Harley who gets voiced by Bernadette from Big Bang Theory. Basically Harley has been released from prison and is trying to reform, but can only get a job as a waitress in a dive bar despite her many degrees (since she psycho). Poison Ivy and some evil plant guy I had never heard of (supposedly a Swamp Thing villain) are trying to turn everyone into plant creatures. Batman and Nightwing have to recruit Harley to help find her BFF Ivy before its to late.

Not their best of their animated movies, but had some laughs. Once again this is not for children and has a much darker tone than the original series on TV. I used to love that show growing up and when someone says Batman this guy is the voice I hear because he's been doing it for almost 30 years across tv, movies, and video games. Lots of language, killing, sexual tones, and even the potential rape of Nightwing by Harley (but he's a guy so everyone gave him a high five). The biggest problem with this isn't the voice of Harley, as she did pretty good, but that it was to Harley focused. I don't ever remember her being such a interesting character and having much depth outside of hanging with Mr. J. Maybe the comics have expanded on her character more than I realize. All in all it was a decent hour and fifteen minutes if you like these animated movies. 6/10. They have yet to show cartoon boobs, but get closer to it in every movie as they push the envelope further.

 

[gingerlover]

47 Meters Down - Who doesn't love shark movies. Outside of the stuff on the Sify channel I will watch about any of the major ones. So two girls go on vacation to Mexico as one is getting over a breakup. They meet a couple of guys and get talked into cage diving with Great Whites. This isn't a scam we left them there thing either, but the cable breaks and they fall to the bottom. They take turns swimming far enough to communicate with the captain and wait to be rescued, while they drop supplies down to them (extra air and such).

Now this isn't a bad movie at all, far from great, but even at 1.5 hours it felt a little long, almost as if they were making stuff up to hit the hour and a half mark when it could have been 1 hour to tell this story. Doesn't have a lot of death and relies more on the anxiety/fear of either being eaten or drowning. I kept waiting for the obligatory jump scares they try to cram into these things and I can only remember 1. I will admit the ending was a great twist that won me over on this one. This is more of the feel to it as the movie where the people get left rather than a jaws type movie. 6/10

 

[gingerlover]

Gerald’s Game - on Netflix and based on a Stephen king story. A married couple goes up to their secluded lake house to spice up their marriage. He handcuffs her to the bed and tries to role play but she gets mad. They argue and he has a heart attack and dies while she still cuffed. The rest of the movie is her trying to escape while hallucinating and the possibility of other things in the room. Can watch some gore but has once scene that made me flinch. Not a bad movie at all. Could have shaved a little time, but only about 15 minutes. Stars people you know even if not by name. 7/10. More suspense than scary.

 

[TLB]

Gerald’s Game - on Netflix and based on a Stephen king story. A married couple goes up to their secluded lake house to spice up their marriage. He handcuffs her to the bed and tries to role play but she gets mad. They argue and he has a heart attack and dies while she still cuffed. The rest of the movie is her trying to escape while hallucinating and the possibility of other things in the room. Can watch some gore but has once scene that made me flinch. Not a bad movie at all. Could have shaved a little time, but only about 15 minutes. Stars people you know even if not by name. 7/10. More suspense than scary.

For some reason, I tried several times to read the book, but I'm not sure I ever made it all the way through. Not because the book was bad, but because every few pages my mind started going bad places and I couldn't handle it too well. Had no idea they made a film - I'll have to give it a look, and see if I can make it through. Thanks.

 

[gingerlover]

For some reason, I tried several times to read the book, but I'm not sure I ever made it all the way through. Not because the book was bad, but because every few pages my mind started going bad places and I couldn't handle it too well. Had no idea they made a film - I'll have to give it a look, and see if I can make it through. Thanks.

No problem. I do think they changed some things after reading on both on Wikipedia after, but supposedly King approved of it.