philip-554-602536 Reviews

Halo (2022– )

Qwan!

[6/10 · 21 February 2024]

I've been really enjoying this but for one character, QWAN! I see by other reviews I see I am not alone. I put up with her until Season 1, ep. 6, which is all about her. Arrogant, belligerent, useless (no combat skills, no training, no leadership qualities), just a loud mouthed teen who thinks she is something special. I would have left her in the desert to die long ago. Why they have this character in the series beggars belief, and I cannot imagine a male character behaving like she does. It's not the actors fault of course, she has been directed to play the part like that.

Lots of other small stuff, again involving Kwan (ep. 1). When the idea is raised to kill her someone says 'but she's just a girl'. I though we had done with all this weak helpless females stuff, are we not all equal now?

I am losing the will to watch more but I probably will. Any more like ep. 6 and I will be off.

Nefarious (2023)

This is acting

[10/10 · 10 June 2023]

Wow what an amazing movie. I am not that familiar with Sean Patrick Flannery, but my god can he act! He deserves recognition and I'm going to keep an eye open for his future roles.

One of those rare movies where you really have no idea where it's going, and the ending was not at all what I expected. How people can give this a 1/10 is beyond me, but each to their own I guess. Some also though the movie tried to shove Christianity down our throats, but the 2 main characters, one was an atheist and the other a demon, so I don't get that complaint.

Jordan Belfi and the rest of the cast all helped make this a stand out movie, also a nod to the directors. Thanks for making it!

65 (2023)

5.6 really?

[8/10 · 9 April 2023]

I can think of many films, especially of recent years, that deserve a low score of 2-4, but this isn't one of them. For a score of 1 a film has to be a real stinker, and it seems quite a few people think this movie deserves that?

I was beginning to think decent sci-fi movies were a thing of the past, so found this a refreshing entry in to the genre. No preaching about the social ills of the world, no 90 minutes of people discussing their relationships or emotions, just a good story, well acted with great CGI. I had no idea what the title 65 meant until I started watching, and I thought it was quite an original concept.

Not the greatest movie ever made, but definitely worth more than the low score implies, so I'm giving it 8 to boost it a bit.

Into the Badlands (2015–2019)

Good up to a point...

[4/10 · 13 April 2021]

So the show was cancelled after 3 seasons and that was a few years ago, but I still feel giving it a review.

I actually enjoyed season 1, but my interest started to fade midway in season 2, with too much focus on Henry (the baby), and MK was getting on my nerves too. But my main gripe was with the Widow and her mainly female army of deadly assassins. Yes I know it's only TV and a fantasy, but I cannot suspend my belief entirely and watch the Widow (and her daughter etc), swan around in mega high heels and killing dozens of heavily armed and well trained men. Yes it's fantasy and call me old fashioned, but at what point did women become way better at fighting than men?

Dead of Night (1945)

Room for one more inside sir..

[9/10 · 28 January 2021]

Like many others I saw this movie as a teenager, and it had a huge impact. Actually I had forgotten the title and didn't think I'd seen it before, then came the bus conductor and it all came flooding back. That mirror still gives me the creeps.

Hard to imagine it was made in 1945. Get over the monochrome and less than HD graphics, this horror anthology is way batter than most movies of its kind made in the 75 years since!

The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)

The last time I jumped during a horror movie...

[9/10 · 12 November 2020]

The last time I jumped during a horror movie..... was so long ago I've forgotten!

How I found this movie...I looked at the 100 scariest movies on IMDB to see if I have missed anything, and there it was.

An excellent movie, well acted, very original idea, dark, creepy, unexpected twists and turns and as I said, I did actually jump out of my seat at one point.

Unlike a few others I liked the ending, which in keeping with the rest of the movie was unexpected.

A great find for any connoisseur of horror movies.

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)

Great movie with a great score

[9/10 · 27 August 2020]

A great movie from the 70's which just knocks spots off more recent high profile movies of its type. Under rated on every level, the entire cast give outstanding performances, and it makes for a non-stop rollercoaster of a ride.

Eat your heart out the 2009 remake, it doesn't come close to the 1974 original.

People involved with casting rarely get a mention, but the casting for this is perfect, particularly Robert Shaw and Walter Matthau in the leads.

Finally a word about the movie score, which is top notch and again fits the movie perfectly. Years later I find myself playing that score in my head, so thanks to David Shire for that.

Brawl in Cell Block 99 (2017)

outstanding

[8/10 · 6 August 2020]

I really enjoyed this, I didn't know what to expect so was quite blown away. Have watched it twice so far!

Vince Vaughn's calm and understated aggression was perfect, and the way he survived some seriously bad situations was awesome.

Shame about the ending, although I guess it was inevitable.

Deep Blue Sea 3 (2020 Video)

Not a patch on original

[3/10 · 6 August 2020]

It was OK, but nothing to get too excited about.

Casting, acting, storyline, CGI, not a patch on the original from over 20 years ago.

I know it is fashionable, but why do so many movies now, this one included, have a bunch of guys who all die, but the 3 ladies come through without a scratch? It is getting very boring.

Greyhound (2020)

Small deck gun V destroyer?

[4/10 · 6 August 2020]

This would be a pretty good movie if you didn't know a thing about naval warfare in WW2, ship types or U boat tactics. If you do then give this movie a miss, you will only be annoyed and disappointed.

Sorry for the history lesson but U boats were thin skinned, and their principal advantage was stealth. Sure, U boats did sink destroyers in WW2, but usually when the destroyer did not know of the U boat presence. Once it did know all the advantage was with the destroyer due to its high speed, maneuverability and armament.

For a U boat to surface and engage a destroyer with its small deck gun (used to finish off torpedoed cargo vessels etc), would be simply suicidal. I doubt the U boat would last a minute.

So it may look good and exciting on the screen, but is a quite ridiculous scenario, ruining the movie for me at least.

Rillington Place (2016)

Not quite right...

[5/10 · 29 June 2020]

I would have given this a 7 if I had not seen the amazing 10 Rillington Place several times first.

Tim Roth gave a creditable performance as Christie, though not on a par with Attenborough. Most disappointing was the role of Timothy Evans, outstandingly played by John Hurt in the original version. Evans was Welsh, expertly pulled off by Hurt. In this updated version Evans, not quite a cockney, has a London accent.

I liked the atmospherics, but this being a touchy feely BBC production you never actually see a murder, (you have no idea how Christie committed his crimes), whereas in the original movie some murders are in your face and quite disturbing.

So a fair effort, but a watered down and less realistic version of what happened on Rillington Place. Go watch the 1971 10, Rillington Place instead to experience real understated menace and horror.

Bloodshot (2020)

Below average Diesel

[5/10 · 3 May 2020]

I never saw the trailer, but I thought hey what can go wrong if Diesel's in it. Lots apparently! It was watchable until the ridiculous Wigens character arrived, which ruined it for me.

I have watched a few Diesel movies several times over, but once will be enough for this one.

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

The greatest boring visual masterpiece

[6/10 · 15 October 2017]

A huge sci-fi fan, and fan of the original, I saw it last night after a couple of friends told me it was a 'must see'.

I must be missing something, but half way through I was fidgeting in my seat, wishing it would be over soon.

It may well be a cinematic masterpiece, but it just seemed to lack any entertainment value, it was overly long, dull, sluggish and too loud at many points.

I can watch some movies over and over, even years after release, but once is enough for this one. I know that many people love it, but I'm certainly one of them!

Star Trek: Discovery (2017–2024)

Not good

[4/10 · 3 October 2017]

I almost didn't write a review, there are so many bad ones already I thought one more here or there wouldn't matter.

I won't go in to detail, it's been said over and over, but this isn't Star Trek, they aren't Klingons, and there is no story line. most of all the bridge officers are not highly trained and dedicated, just a bunch of squabbling immature amateurs.

And the 1st officer? Oh please. Apart from being far too emotional for such a position, she physically assaults the captain, commandeers the bridge and is about to instigate a major conflict. For this she would be locked up and kicked out of Star Fleet, no question, yet we know for sure that in ep. 2 she will be the hero of the hour, ridiculous! I have watched every episode of the entire Star Trek franchise, and this was by far the worst of all of them. It's all very sad.

Dark Matter (2015–2017)

Great Sci-Fi

[8/10 · 26 September 2017]

I am loving this show, great characters and story line. Lots of action and good special effects, personally it ticks all my boxes for a great sci-fi series. The last episodein season 3 was awesome and unexpected, and I can't wait for season 4.

I just think it deserves better than the 7.5 score it currently has, so I am giving an 8 to bump it up a bit.

Passengers (I) (2016)

A good movie but...

[6/10 · 22 February 2017]

Once the basic premise of the movie became obvious, not long in to the movie, then it ruined the whole thing for me.

So you are alone on a space shift, doomed to live out your life in solitary, surrounded by thousands of other passengers in deep hibernation. The honourable thing to do would be to make the best it, not let yourself go to pieces then wake up a random female you like the look of. Obviously at that point you knew they would fall in love and live happy ever after. But seriously, you have just destroyed someones future hopes and dreams of a new beginning on a new world, and they fall in love with you after a brief spell of being a little upset at being woken up?

I know you have to suspend belief to a degree at the movies, but the plot is so implausible the movie makers must think us all idiots.

I'm still giving it a 6 for other aspects of the film, and it is worth a watch, just leave your brain at home.

The Great Wall (I) (2016)

Highly Entertaining Epic Action

[8/10 · 19 February 2017]

I am struggling to understand the awful reviews, and the people who gave this movie 1 star, I saw it last night and it's one of the few movies of recent years where I thought 'wow, I could watch that again right now'.

For me it was an action packed cinematic experience. Sure there were plot holes, and some of the cgi could have been better, particularly in the last 3rd of the movie, but that didn't detract from the overall quality, and the action which more that made it up for it.

I can only conclude that some people have never seen a Chinese made movie and not familiar with their acting style, or Chinese culture generally. Others were totally unimpressed must have watched it on their mobile.

For the people who hated it, what exactly do they expect of a movie? I certainly ticked my boxes as to what an action fantasy adventure movie should be.

Don't listed to the detractors, go see it!

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

Good but flawed

[7/10 · 18 January 2016]

I'm a big Star Wars fan, The Force Awakens is good but not great, and I'm amazed at the really high rating here. There are positives; special effects great, and acting pretty good. But alas the story was very predictable, and it would be better to have not seen any of the previous Star Wars movies before seeing this one.

Many movies include scenes for the sake of the story, but with no relation to reality. In the first couple of Star Wards episodes Luke Skywalker had to master the force from the beginning, he had his L plates on, including the use of the light sabre. In The Force Awakens we see the heroine pick up a light sabre for the first time, take on the bad guy, strong with the dark side, who has probably been light sabre-ing for 10 years, and win! Replace light sabres with swords, what chance would a novice have against an experienced swordsman? None at all. I'm sorry but that kind of stuff spoils it for me.

This must have been mentioned elsewhere, but why oh why did they repeat (from the original Star Wars), the error in the use of the term parsec, which is a measurement of distance, but is used as a measure of time in both movies. Perhaps they know and they included the error again as a joke, I'm not sure.

The Force Awakens is still good overall, but not a movie I will be watching over and over again, once is enough for me.

The Last Ship (2014–2018)

Astute Submarine Crew

[12 September 2015]

Well I was really enjoying this show up to the 2nd season, when they introduced the 2nd submarine, a British Astute class.

The fact that this is commanded by a psychopath (even more so his second in command brother), and crewed by an assortment of undisciplined Brits picked up along the way is totally unconvincing. I am amazed they can navigate, much less co-ordinate and launch missiles at a variety of targets.

The Russian sub in season one was great, highly trained officers and crew, and a real challenge for the Nathan James, exciting stuff! I appreciate that in the USA Brits with a strong London accent fits the bill perfectly for villainous types, but frankly I can't wait for them to all die. I'm only half way in to season 2 but fingers crossed I will get my wish soon so we can move on to a more realistic story line.

Fury (2014)

Very Average

[6/10 · 26 January 2015]

Don't you hate it when friends say 'you must see this movie', but come out disappointed? In the case of Fury I should have realised that my friends have no clue about warfare, tank or otherwise.

I won't go in to detail as there is no point repeating the criticism's, and to be honest I am writing this to bring down the IMDb rating a tad, it is far too high at the moment. Suffice to say Fury would not make my top 10 war movies list, and it beats me that it has a higher score than movies such as Cross of Iron. Well just my opinion of course! It's not all bad of course, but if you are looking for realism then I wouldn't bother, or watch it and turn away for the last 30 minutes.

Pompeii (I) (2014)

Titanic meets Gladiator

[5/10 · 19 May 2014]

I can just about cope when a move about an historical event has nothing to do with that event, but throw in glaring scientific inaccuracies and I give up.

The positives...

Good special effects.

The negatives...

Pompeii was not destroyed as depicted in the movie.

If you know anything about slavery in the ancient world it is more likely for a women of high standing to fall in love with a chair than with a slave, they were both regarded as property of equal standing.

A pyroclastic flow does not preserve people in a loving embrace, it incinerates and destroys them.

To be fair the friends I saw this with enjoyed it, I did not.

Godzilla (2014)

Awesome

[8/10 · 19 May 2014]

What a great movie! It might help if you are familiar with the old Japanese Godzilla movies, but the new Godzilla was so like the originals; he comes to the rescue of mankind in it's hour of need, and just when you think he is out for the count up he comes again stronger then ever!

Great special effects, and good acting from a largely unknown cast. I actually prefer this to the 1998 version with Matthew Broderick, this is much darker and doesn't have the humour of the earlier version.

A movie I will definitely watch again!

Fingers crossed they will make another, there are lots of other monsters to fight!

Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Action Packed Fantasy Romcom?

[6/10 · 3 November 2013]

Well I was so looking forward to seeing this movie when I went last night, and although it was reasonably good it was not at all what I expected.

Watch the official movie trailer and you see what looks like quite a dark fantasy, so you can imagine my surprise when throughout the movie the audience was laughing out loud at the stupid one liners. Yes I know this is entertainment, and this movie was moderately entertaining, but once again the makers have tried to please everyone by adding a bit of everything; action, special effects, romance and humour, just far too much of the latter for my taste in a genre that does not require hilarity to succeed.

Although it has a lower IMDb score I much preferred the 2011 Thor, a stronger storyline, darker and no laughing matter!

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

A sorry tale

[3/10 · 9 January 2013]

What an enigma this movie is. A great movie will have pages of positive reviews and high ratings, with an occasional negative comment here and there if appropriate. The Hobbit, however, has generated comments from both ends of the spectrum, from awesome to awful, and ratings from 1-10!

Sadly I must side with the negatives. It may be personal taste, but there was way too much slapstick humour, particularly in the 1st quarter, but my main beef was with the physical invulnerability of the characters. I appreciate this is fantasy and makes for great CGI scenes, but it is simply impossibly for flesh and blood humans (well dwarfs), to fall hundreds of feet and not get a scratch. Several times in the movie the group should have perished to a man/dwarf, but no, not a bruise amongst them. Fantasy by all means but the utterly impossible, no. In my humble opinion this aspect of the movie owes more to Tom and Jerry an Tolkien.

A let down to say the least, and the jury's out as to whether I will buy the cinema ticket for the next one, or wait for the video.