kateebooth Reviews

Frankenstein (II) (2015)

Not what I expected

[6/10 · 12 February 2017]

I'm going to be honest, this is the not the movie I thought I had selected. I confess I wanted to watch the big blockbuster Aaron Eckhart I Frankenstein (2014)and it was only about 20 minutes in of the eccentric scientists treating their 'monster' like a baby I decided to check what I had selected. There is no gentle way around it, Frankenstein is violent! It's quiet almost tranquil moments are shattered by outburst of mutilation and gruesome beatings. The narrative creates a disturbance within your opinions of the monster; you sympathise with him being in a new world alone and scared without the mental capacity to comprehend his existence, but then you fear him and despise the pain he inflicts on others (even when they deserve it). The writers playing on the age old theory that the scariest monsters are those that closely resemble humans. The acting is beyond good, the story an interesting take on the Mary Shelley classic but there was something that didn't sit right with me watching this film. Maybe it was because I was expecting an over-budget under-story movie with Frankenstein Vs Gargoyles, or the psychological battle the lead character creates for the viewer. Either way if you can stomach the violence then worth a watch, but would not be the top of my list.

The Angry Birds Movie (2016)

A great easy watch

[8/10 · 12 February 2017]

Movies can be put into 2 categories: thought provoking and easy watching. Angry Birds The Movie definitely falls in the latter category..... and there is nothing wrong with that. The colour, slapstick laughs and cute fuzzy looking characters will appeal to the younger audiences but there are plenty of hidden gems in there for us adults too. The hero of the story Red (Jason Sudkis) isn't as multi dimensional as the special effects but he carries the playful story. The graphics are impressive and the story is as good as it can be based on the premise of a mobile app game (one I confess to getting stuck on level 16 of the original). But lets be honest, you aren't going to be watching a movie about a war of flightless birds and green pigs for its twisting narrative.

An easy watch for the family and great for a Sunday morning.... although you will never look at crystal clear water the same again :)

Cell (I) (2016)

Little done with a great concept

[4/10 · 12 February 2017]

I enjoyed reading Stephen King but Cell really started my love of the books. So imagine my excitement when I heard they were making it into a movie.... even better with John Cusack (Grosse Point Blank) and Samuel L Jackson (almost every movie ever made). Then the wait. We waited.... and waited.... and waited. Through distribution problems it took years for the film to be released and it was so hush hush I even missed it at the cinema. Then one rainy Sunday it came on my Now TV and I settled in. There are a lot of changes to the bus. The opening sequence is held at an airport rather than the edge of a city park, harnessing the current threat of terrorism for the travelling community. The film then stays almost true to the book, the dynamics between Cusack and Jackson could have been played out a little better but that instant trust in a crisis shines through. The rest of the film is enjoyable but lacks the suspense and urgency of the book. It is the ending that really lowers the film. The original ending left you with a sense of 'What If'. I know some fans complained at this but I thought it left you with just the right questions. Here the story ends on an absurd final sequence where our hero succumbs to the signal's virus and becomes another mindless Zombie. Talk about no hope for survival. I enjoy movies like this and there was so much hope for Cell, but the ending seems rushed and the distribution kept quiet by the studio. This is the first time I have been hoping for a speedy remake.