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3 Body Problem (2024)
Having read the books....
....and having watched the Chinese series I thought this series was a good watch. Different maybe, but enjoyable.
I can see they (Netflix) have made an effort to get away from the usual sci-fi trope of casting models as key characters, though could still do better, both Liam and Benedict are great characters.
Prior poor reviews seem to be stuck in one of two camps, either the anally retentive who complain the script doesn't stick to the Chinese book and characters or those who similarly moan about the science. It's called science fiction for a reason - at least it's not crappy Marvel nonsense.
Sit back, chill out and enjoy.
Just heard Netflix are going to can it after the 2nd series. It was the last decent program on Netflix, that's now become so polluted with low budget reality shows about dysfunctional wannabes selling houses or getting off with people they haven't seen. BORING. Time to end my subscription.
Serbuan maut (2011)
This film spoilt my enjoyment of action movies
Since watching The Raid I have not really enjoyed other action movies, since it set a line in the sand that other, more recent movies, have failed to cross (possibly with the exception of Mad Max: Fury Road). I watched Extraction 2 recently, which although 'action packed' lacked any sense of realism, that The Raid conveys by the bucket - unlike The Raid, it just looked fake.
The characters in the Raid are really well developed around a simple premise, with elevating tension as the film moves towards its conclusion.
All in all it is the fight scenes that give this movies its character, incredible choreography, including mad stunts and martial arts that make the usual US action films feel, well... meh.
So, well done Gareth Evans for spoiling my enjoyment of action films!
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
Marvel are... well, just boring
What is it about most Marvel films that makes them so BORING. Is it the juvenile scripts, probably, predictable story line, likely, unrealistic locations, maybe, or the effects that no longer have any wow factor, I think so. The whole bunch of franchises are just there to suck the cash out of the pockets of fan-boys/girls who are desperate to believe; really the films have a lot in common with the emperor's new clothes. How about diverting some of the cash into making something original, films were story is paramount, are engaging, have believable characters and effects that make us believe it is real.
Vesper (2022)
Really very good
Not sure how this scores less than a boring generic Marvel movie. Beautiful to look at with a plethora of nice ideas and a story that is a dystopian vision of a northern latitude nation reduced to the poverty of a poor third world country due to the greed of Monsanto like companies and an over class who have made the planet infertile yet still blackmail the lower population into buying their seeds to grow crops that themselves lack the means to reproduce - sound familiar? Not only are plants genetically modified, but animals and human hybrids too.
Good cast help build a believable world.
Just watch it with an open mind.
Fall (2022)
Damn tough
Our gals are so tough, if they had been Brits, Ozzie's or Europeans they would have been all roped up, with namby-pamby safety equipment, but no, our gals can shimmy up a 2000ft tower with just 15ft of string, in case things go pear shaped. Fortunately they were well dressed for the occasion in case the weather took a turn for the worse - I mean rad maaan. It is a real lesson in climbing. So watch and learn kids. Nevermind being tormented by demon local wildlife, 'cos all animals are bad, right, and having to unplug a 60watt light bulb that fends off low flying aircraft in thick cloud to charge their drone, these girls are stoked and know what they are doing. With films like this we can't fail to make America great again. I haven't laughed so much in years.
Highly recommended.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022)
Changed my mind now I've seen it
I was quite critical after only seeing the trailer, I didn't like what I though was some shabby looking CGI, change of characterisation.
Now that I have seen the first episode I still have a few reservations like the scripting around the elves is a bit basic and some scenes look like it could be from LOTR:California, however, the overall look and feel of the episode was spectacular. Scenes looked like they could have been painted by a modern day Botticelli and were sustained throughout. In many parts it looked like a hyper-realistic computer game, which I'm sure was intentional, in order to take it out of the present day and into this beautifully crafted world.
I think it is best to go into it not with a bias towards the original LOTR, which I loved, but as a stand-alone series de-coupled from the world of Tolkien.
I enjoyed it more that the new Game of Thrones, to be honest as with GoT it was more of the same high quality, but familiar content, whereas RoP is something new.
I was only convinced to watch it by a stoner friend - I can see exactly why she likes it now.....
De uskyldige (2021)
Animal abuse
Seems strange that no one has mentioned the animal abuse that takes place in this film. I gave up after they threw a cat down a 10 or so story stairwell then stood on the injured cats head. May have been an ok film otherwise.
BattleBots (2018)
A poor man's Robot Wars
Derivative, way too much filler and presentation that sounds fake. I get the impression that once the cameras stop rolling no one gives a damn.
A bit of real enthusiasm would help.
Arcane: League of Legends (2021)
Exquisite animation
Never played the game, but really enjoyed the series. Not the junk that is usually churned out, but well thought out storyline and animated with such attention to detail that it makes the city and characters feel so real.
Invasion (2021)
Not some crappy marvel scifi
I am not an Apple fan boy and yes it is paced out, but I'm really enjoying it so far (first three episodes). Characters vary from those you empathise with and those you despise.
Lots of suspense and none of the Independence Day or Michael Bay crud and where CGI is used as an excuse for a story. If your attention span can't cope without monsters and pew-pew lasers every five minutes then maybe it's not for you.
It is a scifi with real people, rather than a bunch of models running around being heroes.
Maybe more for an adult audience, so ignore the haters.
I assume a lot of the haters are the woke wingers - they need to man up a bit.
Dune (2021)
Makes Marvel films look tired and boring
I can't overstate what was good about this film, great cast, epic scale, awesome sound track, immense yet real effects, all driven by a majestic storyline. Can't wait for the sequel. Instead of wasting money churning out yet another shallow superhero movie, why can't we have more like this. You have to watch this on the cinema - watching on the telly with a pathetic sound bar just won't do it justice.
The I-Land (2019)
Bad doesn't do it justice
Where to begin....
Casting: this was the worst aspect, all the 'actors' looked like models from a cheap catwalk. Totally unbelievable. Hint to future producers - no more models, please.
Script: was aimed at 12 year olds who spend too much time watching self absorbed 'influencers'. E.g I've just woken up on an island with no memory, no idea where I am, no food, etc - so what will I do, I know I'll sunbathe.
Does this review contain spoilers? You couldn't spoil it if you tried.
Count Me In (2021)
No Neil Peart, Danny Carey, Jojo Mayer
If you like drummers you may like it, but without some of the greats it feels incomplete.
Die Antwoord: Ugly Boy (2014)
A masterpiece
Stunning video or hi-art collage, probably both. I look forward to Ninjas directorial debut in full length film. Oh and did I mention the music? A genuinely great track with one of the finest transitions between Ninja's roughcut rap and the soft female chorus laid down by Yolandi. The perfect antidote to duff girl/boy band and mediocre pop music videos.
The Tomorrow War (2021)
Overly familiar style
SciFi is such a rich seam of story-telling, yet we waste so much on boring gung-ho films. As soon as one sees the poster, macho-heroic character with a gun, you know what you're in for = the same old, same old - it was fun the first few times, Aliens for example was brilliant, but now these derivatives are just going through the numbers to balance the accountants books, meh....
Hopefully the franchise super-boring, sorry I meant super-hero movies have past their peak (we live in hope) and these films will soon be dragged off to be forgotten too.
The Boys (2019)
After all we've all had enough of super-heros
Maybe not adhering to the Ennis comic entirely, but a great watch, especially for those who are fed-up with studios blowing good money (that could be used to make something decent) on yet another super-hero franchise. Ironic, I know.
After Misfits, this is probably the best antidote out there.
The Boys (2019)
After all we've all had enough of super-heros
Maybe not adhering to the Ennis comic entirely, but a great watch, especially for those who are fed-up with studios blowing good money (that could be used to make something decent) on yet another super-hero franchise. Ironic, I know.
After Misfits, this is probably the best antidote out there.
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
A genuinely comic masterpeice
Every so often a comedy film comes along that is eminently quotable and which grows in appeal over time, I can only think of Life of Brian, Airplane and another Edgar Wright classic Hot Fuzz, where the joy grows with subsequent viewings. I think this film benefits from a limited budget, making it more about relationships than CGI effects, which date overtime.
Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)
Don't they have script writers?
The script was flawed in so many ways. The arms company sponsors will be pleased with the results though, should help convince lots of kids that the military have our best interests at heart. Lockheed Martin helped out with financing allegedly - can't understand what's in it for them?
A Call to Spy (2019)
A cliched dramatisation
This film felt like a school kids' history educational movie, composed by a bunch of public school boys/girls. I've no doubt the people played by the actors were incredibly brave, but the dialogue in the film was so clichéd I found the whole movie irritating from the off.
Color Out of Space (2019)
A trippy adventure
I really enjoyed this film. It has a really progressive trippy timeline, which if you are a bit straight you just won't get ( in such case a period drama may be more appropriate). The dream-like sequences edge toward an hallucinatory crescendo through a series of acts that seem unlikely in the world we are familiar with, but justifiable in the context of the psychological distortion caused by the Lovecraftian being. I liked all the actors in this, though Cage is particularly good at possession and acid like sequences.
The sound track was well matched, especially during the scene in the old man's shack.
The Core (2003)
What a pile of cr.....
How dumb are studio execs and producers to read the script for this film and expect it to be anything but absolute garbage? The money this sucked up could have been put to much better use. All it needed to make it trully dire was a stars and stripes fluttering in the background of the valiant crew. To say it is just entertainment validates it and encourages those with the cheque book to persist sponsoring more of the same. No more macho heroes and naff science....
Utopia (2020)
Why did they bother with a remake?
The original Brit series was sooo good, beautifully shot, amazing sound track and an intensity that leached your bones. The story was brilliantly ambiguous as to who the real enemy was. So why bother making this?
The Third Day (2020)
Makes a change to the usual droll series
Has parallels with the Wicker Man, Midsommar and their previous outing with Utopia. Very stylised photography, intriguing plot, some slighty odd script decisions and probably the best representation of an acid trip I've come across, in film or tv, in episode 2.
To sum up visual, sustained tension and with a reveal to wait for.
Utopia (2020)
Why did they bother with a remake?
The original Brit series was sooo good, beautifully shot, amazing sound track and an intensity that leached your bones. The story was brilliantly ambiguous as to who the real enemy was. So why bother making this?