drew_atreides Reviews

I'm Your Woman (2020)

Good Film

[8/10 · 1 December 2020]

Just saw this one. Really enjoyed the performances from all of the leads, in particular Rachel Brosnahan and Arinzé Kene, and it is always nice to see Frankie Faison. Really good, motown soundtrack that sets the mood and complements the story. I honestly never thought about what the backup vocals were singing in "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", before, but after this film i can't stop singing "Aaah-Oooh" to myself...

Very much enjoyed.

Violation (2020)

TIFF Review

[8/10 · 18 September 2020]

Just finished watching this film at TIFF.

Talk about a raw, visceral experience. Definitely not for the faint of heart, as the subject matter is quite intensely disturbing and the film is not shy with violence.

I think there are few films that truly capture the sense of vulnerability and loneliness that one experiences in a betrayal of the worst kind. How the entire world seems to turn against you.

Bold film, with a captivating central performance.

Wow.

New Order (2020)

This one hits hard

[9/10 · 18 September 2020]

Just saw this at TIFF.

Wow. Still trying to fully process the movie. It is unflinchingly raw with its depictions of depravity, violence and the suffering of the people.

A frightening glimpse into the world we could be closer to then we would like to admit.

Great film.

Get the Hell Out (2020)

Solid horror/action/comedy hybrid!

[8/10 · 15 September 2020]

Just saw this one as part of the Midnight Madness Programme at the Toronto Film Festival. Very fun, high energy film in the vein of something like Evil Dead 2 or Shaun of the Dead.

Really loved the vibrant colours and art direction combined with the quirky editing. Characters are all very likeable, solidly acted and have good character arcs.

Throw in some light but fairly blunt commentary on the political scene in Taiwan and several thousand gallons of fake blood, and we have a pretty entertaining film.

Bonus points for showing the best use for some nail clippers.

Shadow in the Cloud (2020)

Interesting, but loses its way in final act

[6/10 · 15 September 2020]

Just saw this one via the Toronto Film Festival. Starts off with a really cool, retro-John Carpenter feel and the build-up is pretty tense and fittingly claustrophobic. However as the movie plays on the characters begin to become cartoons and the message of the film, while positive, becomes increasingly ham-fisted.

And then comes the final act. The tone takes an incredulous 180 and never recovers.

Too bad, cause it had potential.

My jaw nearly hit the floor when the credits rolled and i saw Max Landis listed as writer. Had absolutely no clue up till now that he was involved. Looks like they are trying really hard to scrub him, and I wonder if re-writes contributed to the inconsistencies of the film.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

The Final Act is incredible

[8/10 · 15 December 2016]

The way this movie sets up where the original Star Wars starts off is incredible.

It would be nice if they had the time to establish the secondary characters a bit more, but i was actually impressed with how much they were able to establish for everyone given that this is a 1 and done story.

There is not a wasted moment on the screen. Everything has a purpose of propelling the characters forward.

There are some very surprisingly well-executed cameos, and a final scene that is everything us boys of the 70's and 80's have wanted in Star Wars since we first saw the thing.

Really solid entry overall in the Star Wars saga. I have renewed faith in these suggested 'Side-story' films, now...

Suicide Squad (2016)

It was okay, but could have been more

[7/10 · 4 August 2016]

...i was 1 of the few who enjoyed "Batman Vs. Superman" (was not such a huge fan of "Man of Steel"), so I was interested in seeing the next step in this new DC theatrical universe..

For the most part it was okay. Decently entertaining. Margot Robbie predictably steals the movie, but Viola Davis is quite good playing a very cool and efficient Amanda Waller. Will Smith is serviceable as Deadshot. The eye-opener for me was Cara Delevingne. Her Enchantress character, in the early going, was very intriguing.

I think the most disappointing performance in the movie was Jared Leto's Joker. Maybe it is because he didn't really have much to work with, but he was really kind of a non-entity for me. I didn't find him interesting in the slightest, which is about the worst thing i think you could say about a character like The Joker.

The movie itself is stronger in its first half then it is in its second. I preferred the DIRTY DOZEN-esque recruitment scenes, when you didn't really know who you could trust, or when Amanda would kill someone.

The second half of the film becomes a paint by numbers "Everyone comes together to save the day" super hero flick. That was disappointing.

Still, most of the characters were colourful and interesting, and it leaves off at a point where i am interested in seeing what comes next for the DCU.

I'm still in for the long haul.

Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016)

Decently entertaining

[7/10 · 25 July 2016]

I am a 38 year old male who grew up on the first 2 Ghostbusters, and the original REAL GHOSTBUSTERS animated series. Always loved the first movie and the cartoon, merely found the 2nd movie to be "okay", though as an adult i find it is better then i thought it was as a kid.

I took my 7 year old daughter to see the new Ghostbusters. Seeing normal women doing cool things is just what the doctor ordered for someone trying to raise a confident, self-assured girl in the current day. My daughter thought the movie was fantastic. First thing she said as it ended was "when can we buy it on Blu-Ray?"

I thought the 4 leads had a decent chemistry. Kate Mckinnon is the standout, stealing most scenes that she is in with her mugging-style that she has perfected on SNL.

I also felt like this was one of the better examples of 3D visual effects that I have seen. There are multiple scenes where the ghosts seem to come right out at you which are very effective.

Finally: Who knew that Chris Hemsworth could be so funny? His jock- ish, jerkish nimrod of a secretary is actually quite endearing.

Is it a great movie in-line with the original? No. This is not a classic by any means. I think the original relied so much on the comedic timing and brilliance of Bill Murray, and no one in this cast can match that.

However, i don't think it is an awful film. It serves as a decent origin story and a solid girl-power effort that is not as disparaging to the male species as some people claim.

I would go see a sequel.

Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)

If you liked the first, you probably won't mind this...

[7/10 · 23 June 2016]

...i always enjoyed the original Independence Day. It had about everything a full-blooded teenage boy could want..Jets shooting spaceships, explosions and more explosions....

Throw in a star making performance for Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum doing his Jurassic Park thing and Bill Pullman as about the coolest President ever and you had a great popcorn flick that pretty much revived the disaster movie.

ID: Resurgence is not quite as good the original... To be honest, it is quite quickly paced, which isn't a bad thing, but stuff happens very quickly.. You don't have the build-up and sense of wonder/dread that the first film delivered. In this one, stuff blows up early and often.

The technology in the movie IS pretty neat. I liked seeing what the makers of the film were able to dream up as far as how we would assimilate the alien tech with our own. There is a lot of cool eye candy here. The old guard turn in decent performances, and to be honest the new blood isn't entirely annoying. I do feel like they kinda shoe-horned Brent Spiner in, but Dr. Okun is a fun character, so okay.

There is a lot of cheese and a lot of "oh, come on!" moments, but if you just go with it the movie is popcorn fun. And it does end in a nice place that leaves you wanting to see what happens next.

This isn't an Oscar winner, but it is good fun.

Warcraft (2016)

Flawed, but finishes strong

[7/10 · 9 June 2016]

So I played Warcraft II and III as a kid. I put 6+ Years into the World of Warcraft. I am a fan.

That being said, I found this movie to be bit of a mixed bag. It is rather bloated. I can't tell if it was overlong, or if there was just too much story to tell in the time allotted. At times it felt rushed, and other times it seemed a bit slow.

They do do a good job of developing the characters. By the final quarter of the film you are invested and care about these people. And boy that final quarter REALLY is strong. The movie ends very well, with a lot of action and denouement, and then a LOT of setups for sequels.

And I left the theatre WANTING to see those sequels.

There is a lot of fan service here, and most of it is very smartly done.

Overall, as a fan of the franchise, i was pleased with the film. It wasn't spectacular, but it is a good start for what are hopefully going to be more movies.

Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016)

Better than the first

[7/10 · 29 May 2016]

...i have to say i went into Alice Through the Looking Glass only because my 7 year old daughter asked to see it. I found the original Tim Burton Alice in Wonderland to be a bit of a mediocre yawner, and really don't feel like a sequel was necessary.

Surprised to say coming out of the movie that i actually feel like it was better then the original. Much more interesting story, with a much more engaging Alice.

And holy cow did this movie have great 3D effects. A lot of times i feel like the 3D is a cash-grab, but this movie is very well made technically with some great FX.

Definitely worth seeing in the theatre.

X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

Another solid X-Men movie

[7/10 · 27 May 2016]

...For a long time i felt like X2: X-Men United was the best comicbook movie i had ever seen, but both Marvel and Matthew Vaughn have raised the bar significantly, so now I feel like Bryan Singer tends to 'play it safe'. And that's what he does here with X-Men: Apocalypse.

It is a good film. James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender continue to be a tremendous Xavier-Magneto tandem, and Oscar Isaac is a solid villain. Evan Peters' Quicksilver steals the show (again), but Sophie Turner's Jean Grey is a surprisingly intriguing character. They handle Jean well.

It is also nice to finally get Scott Summers on the team, as he is the quintessential X-Man.

That being said, Olivia Munn is underwhelming as Psylocke, and they really waste Archangel.

Jennifer Lawrence really mails this one in, but I feel like there just isn't much left for them to do with Mystique, outside of killing her (which they SHOULD do.)

Overall a solid film, and worth watching if you are an X-Fan.

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Winter Soldier was the best Marvel movie....until now

[9/10 · 5 May 2016]

This is how you do a comicbook fight movie. Every character's motivations is well-defined and completely believable.

Why are Cap and Tony on different sides? Why is Cap so protective of the Winter Soldier? Why is Black Panther after the Winter Soldier? Why is Tony?

All of this stuff is explained well, and some of the explanations will surprise you.

Friends side against friends. People that don't particularly like each other join forces, and it is all so well done.

The intro of Spider-man is exciting, and Ant-man has about the most incredible moment in the movie (and that is saying something.)

The Marvel Franchise still has A LOT of juice left in it.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Honestly surprised how much i liked it.

[8/10 · 25 March 2016]

....i should start off with admitting i was not a fan of "MAN OF STEEL". Henry Cavill has the chiseled look of SUPERMAN, but had about as much charisma as a plank of wood. I felt like he and Amy Adams had zero chemistry, and that really let that film down. I also felt like we would never see anyone that could top Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne.

Going into Batman vs. Superman i wasn't expecting much. The first thing they did right: Make this more a Batman movie then a Superman movie. Shifting the focus to Ben Affleck was the right move for a film of this magnitude. He actually has the ability to carry this material.

I also like the approach they took with Batman. His humanity really gives this movie heart. You understand and empathize with his motivations. He makes no apologies for who and what he is, and i think that really is a fresh take for the character.

Basically: Affleck's Batman is a huge win here. I think they've planted some very intriguing seeds for other films, moving forward. Yes there was a lot to cram into this movie, but i actually feel like they did about as good a job as you could hope for.

Actually a decent film to build on for future installments.

Deadpool (2016)

Surprisingly....great?

[8/10 · 12 February 2016]

I must confess i went into Deadpool with low expectations. I like the character, and felt like Ryan Reynolds was good casting, but the February release date had me a bit nervous..... tack on the lackluster commercial campaign with what seemed like forced-laughs and i have to admit i was a bit nervous...

After seeing the movie you totally get WHY the commercials were so iffy:

All of the best stuff was completely inappropriate for a commercial.

This one goes all out, full throttle for that R-rating, and thank goodness it did! What a tremendously fun film with a surprising amount of heart.. The love story is quite touching.

Also, i think this may be Stan Lee's best cameo yet.

Very good movie. Look forward to the sequel!!

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)

New cast is strong in a decent Star Wars outing

[8/10 · 18 December 2015]

Force Awakens is a nice start for the Disney-era of Star Wars. Its not the greatest Star Wars movie ever made, but they put together a very solid nucleus of young actors to build the new trilogy on.

Daisy Ridley and John Boyega are the best parts about the movie. Their performances and chemistry are very fun to watch. You really root for these 2.

I also like Adam Driver's performance as the conflicted Kylo Ren. He is a tortured soul, and that comes across very well.

I liked what we saw from Oscar Isaac as well, though i hope we get more of him in future entries.

The plot kinda recycles old school Star Wars plot lines, but that isn't so bad. This is a good start for Disney.

Ant-Man (2015)

Solid entry in the Marvel catalogue

[8/10 · 16 July 2015]

Like many, i was first excited to hear that Edgar Wright was making a Marvel movie, and then disappointed when he left it at the 11th hour.

I went into Ant-Man cautiously optimistic, but came out having thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Paul Rudd and Michael Pena steal the show. They both have incredible comedic timing. Any time the film starts to head down the road of stale clichés, 1 of those 2 enters the scene to keep thing sharp and fresh. Evangeline Lily is a nice addition to the Marvel stable, as well. I look forward to her in future installments.

The action sequences are very imaginative, and top-notch, and the interplay between the main-players is very entertaining.

About the only weak point of the movie is the villain. He reminds me very much of Jeff Bridges character in the original Iron Man. He's really just there as a foil to give our heroes purpose. He's adequate, but hardly memorable.

Ant-Man is a nice addition to the MCU films.

Terminator Genisys (2015)

Best Terminator since T2!

[7/10 · 2 July 2015]

After the disappointment of T3 and the somewhat lackluster Salvation (though i have to admit i didn't mind it as much as some other people did) i went into Genisys with lowered expectations.

Have to say this film exceeded them and then some. It was nice seeing the return of the plasma-rifle future that was depicted in T1 and T2 (i missed those purpley-blue laser bolts in SALVATION!) I liked the clever nods to the original Terminator. The first quarter of the film was a lot of fun seeing some very sharply recreated scenes.... And then it takes a twist....A twist that i am sure will tick off a lot of long-time fans, but i admire this film for taking that twist. It took guts! And this film does take risks..

The FX on the T-800 were much much improved over the "youthinizing" effects from Salvation.

But enough about that, lets get to the acting. Emilia Clarke is well-cast as Sarah Connor. She has the look of Linda Hamilton, and is able to pull off a more youthful version of T2 Sarah quite well.

Jai Courtney is no Michael Biehn, but he is a likable enough Kyle Reese.

I quite liked Jason Clarke as battle-hardened John Connor. He was very well-cast.

I was surprised how much emotion i felt for the relationship of the heroes with the Terminator.

This was a surprisingly good film, and good entry in the series.

Tusk (I) (2014)

Well, i have enjoyed both of Smith's forays into horror

[7/10 · 12 June 2015]

"Red State" was disturbing on about a zillion levels, and completely unafraid of going to dark places (up until the end. I do wish he would've ended it the original way.)

I just got done watching "Tusk", and i found it refreshingly original, bizarre, completely F-ed up and rather disturbingly hilarious.

Modern filmmakers have really lost the zest of creative juices fueled by recreational drugs.

These feel like a throwback to 70's and 80's horror in about the best way possible.

Michael Parks gives another criminally underrated performance, and Justin Long is pretty effective in a douchey-dramatic turn.

And heck, who knew Genesis Rodriguez could actually emote and act?

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Solid, if slightly flawed, entry in the Marvel Universe

[8/10 · 4 May 2015]

...Phase 2 of the Marvel movies had been batting .500 for me. I did not enjoy Iron Man 3 or Thor: Dark World, but really dug Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain America: Winter Soldier (Cap 2 is probably the best film in the entire Marvel series!)

Based on that, I don't think I am surprised that I came out of Age of Ultron with mixed feelings. Overall it is a solid entry, but it is by no means flawless.

The good:

Really liked the intro of Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. I liked the horror-movie tropes tied to Scarlet Witch (she is a Witch afterall!) and Aaron Taylor-Johnson's Quicksilver had a lot of personality.

The action, of course, was great. And Hawkeye actually had something to do in this film.

The Vision: They did such an incredible job building mystique around this character.

The Bad:

Wasn't a fan of that extended scene at the Farm. That stopped the movie cold. I know some people say "It was necessary for character development", but the previous films had done such a poor job of giving Hawkeye any character that seeing him on the Farm did absolutely nothing for me.

The romance: Ugh. Talk about forced. I like Ruffalo's Banner. I really do. I was surprised how much i did in the first Avengers, cause i'm usually not a Ruffalo fan. But I just did not see any chemistry between Ruffalo and Scar-Jo. And where was the build-up to this? Last time we saw these 2 together Hulk was trying to smash Black Widow.

Marvel needs to work on their female-story lines.

Ultron was kind of a lame villain. I don't think there was enough build-up for him. He just sorta showed up and was evil.

Overall: Is it worth seeing in the theatre? Yes of course it is. But it is not without its flaws, and sure doesn't top Cap 2.

Boyhood (I) (2014)

An interesting experiment to be sure

[7/10 · 15 August 2014]

Richard Linklater is undeniably one of the most unique voices in film, right now. He seems to always be pushing himself, and i find that admirable. Its amazing to me that the guy who gave us "SCHOOL OF ROCK" is the same guy who gave us "A SCANNER DARKLY".

As a result, i'll always give a movie from this guy a chance. They are always unique, and have something interesting to say.

BOYHOOD is no different. Each segment of the film takes such a fresh and interesting snapshot of the world at the time of its filming. It's really interesting to revisit the early 2000's. It is like a trip down nostalgia lane for the viewer.

I think that is the real strength and revelation of the experiment that is BOYHOOD. You get to relive all of these moments in our recent history filmed in a manner that keeps them fresh because, at the time that they were shot they WERE fresh.

I found the actual characters that we are asked to follow through the trials and tribulations of their lives to be slightly overdone. Ethan Hawke is a charismatic guy, and it is easy to enjoy his performance. The rest of the acting is a mixed bag. That's to be expected, given the nature of using the same actors and actresses at various stages of their development, i think.

Overall a worthwhile and interesting endeavour worth watching once.

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Just a rip-roaring good time!

[8/10 · 1 August 2014]

With James Gunn at the helm i was expecting something different, quirky and smart.

What i wasn't prepared for was a movie with such heart-felt emotion. You really wind up loving these characters, and rooting for them. They are truly the underdog group that really has no business being at the Marvel party table, but gosh-darnit they are just impertinent enough to crash the party and take it over with style.

The 3D in this was stellar. A lot of movies aren't worth the extra price of a 3D ticket, but this one is definitely worth your time. The 3D is very well-done.

Finally I have to give kudos to the one-liners. There are some great, great one-liners here that are setup well and hit home with authority.

This could very well be the best movie of the Summer. Who would've guessed it?

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)

Continues the surprisingly well-made prequel series!

[9/10 · 11 July 2014]

... i have to say i was stunned by how good of a film the original RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES turned out being..

I went into that one with no expectations, and came out quite impressed. I went into Dawn, now, WITH expectations and the film does not disappoint. There is great action, to be sure, but action can't really truly matter without solid storytelling and characters, and that is here in spades.

Its amazing to me how every member of the ape family has a distinct personality. Despite very little speech, you get a real understanding of what motivates these characters, and you become emotionally invested.

There are no good guys or bad guys. You understand the prejudices of both sides, and that makes for great storytelling!

I can't wait for the next entry in this series.

Bravo!

Obvious Child (2014)

Jenny Slate absolutely shines!

[8/10 · 5 July 2014]

I must admit I liked the small glimpse we got of Jenny Slate on SNL, a few years back. It was unfortunate that her run was cut short, but i've always found that whenever she shows up on-screen in any show or film i'm watching i've always liked her..

I was very excited to see her in the lead role of OBVIOUS CHILD, and she doesn't disappoint. She is just so likable and REAL in this film.

OBVIOUS CHILD is a film about life, and the curve balls that are thrown at us along the way. Its about perseverance and understanding that bumps in the road are not the end of all-things, but rather an obstacle that aids us in moving forward and promoting growth in both ourselves as individuals and in the relationships we have with those around us.

It never takes the easy way out, but ultimately is a tale of love and hope.

Strongly recommend it!

Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)

Forced, overlong and unlikable

[4/10 · 27 June 2014]

I'm normally a Bay apologist. I find entertainment in most of his projects. Heck, i liked PAIN AND GAIN and REVENGE OF THE FALLEN, and i don't find many people willing to fess up to that.

Colour me surprised to find that i hated AGE OF EXTINCTION. Absolutely hated it. There was one single likable character in the movie and they killed him a quarter of the way into the movie.

I never thought i'd see the day where i missed the presence of Megan Fox, but man oh man Nicola Peltz makes Megan Fox look like Meryl Streep.

Jack Reynor's character is unbearably written. He's in a relationship with an underager, and that's his most LIKABLE quality? Geeze. You don't really appreciate the charisma of Shia Laboeuf till you find yourself having to root for THIS guy. I would have been quite happy to see either of the 2 young lovers bite it. In fact it would have made the movie better had they both gone down!

Has Kelsey Grammar EVER shown up in a GOOD movie? I kinda feel bad for the guy, cause he's a solid enough actor but his theatrical choices have been horrid.

I guess the one thing you can usually count on in a BAY movie is some very well-executed action sequences, which is possibly the greatest letdown of this film. The action sequences are just poorly edited together and incoherent. There is one chase down the side of a building where Wahlberg starts at the top, FALLS at least 5 stories, and yet the next shot his him on the 2nd story from the top again. Its amateurish to the extreme!

And Transformium? What? I have never seen a more blatant cash-grab of a movie then this one. It is phoned in all the way down the line.

Hugely disappointing.