Movie Synopsis
In a post-apocalyptic future a lone man must fight to protect the precious book that he carries that has the power to preserve humankind.
Movie Review Summary
As far as post-apocalyptic films go this is a pretty good one, with some good casting, some poetic parallels with biblical lessons and enough conflict to keep you interested. There’s plenty of other films out there which are worthwhile watching and this one complements them well. It’s not Mad Max but it does feel like it could veer there. The nice touches, like the old iPod that Eli likes to listen to, make his character more understandable and more human, which without that in the film it would probably have made this too cold and harsh to watch. The story of Solara, played by Mila Kunis, is perhaps a tangent that goes a little too far and her development by the end of the film doesn’t feel quite right for her character. But overall, this film is an enjoyable watch with some quality staging and lighting giving the setting a very real feel to it.
Please click this link for a full movie review of The Book of Eli and click here for more movie reviews.
Monday 18 November 2013
Sunday 27 October 2013
The Change-Up
Movie Synopsis
Dave is married with three kids, a wife and on the corporate ladder while his friend Mitch is single, carefree and living it up. They would both love to be in each other’s shoes, so what would happen if their wish came true?
Movie Review Summary
If you’ve seen films with bodyswaps in before, don’t worry about that holding you back, there’s plenty to enjoy in this film. The scenes with the newborns are quite funny, especially when it’s Mitch who must do the cleaning up. Thankfully the projectile poo-ing we see at the beginning isn’t a sign of things to come and the film does manage to play to both the physical elements of body transfers (like who shaves who’s pubic hair) and the mental elements (Mitch having to learn how to be a lawyer to save Dave’s neck). The actual events Dave and Mitch go through are the best crafted parts of the movie, with them posing realistic conflicts for their new egos that make them either want to stay in each other’s skin, or go back to who they were.
Please click this link for a full movie review of The Change-Up and click here for more movie reviews.
Dave is married with three kids, a wife and on the corporate ladder while his friend Mitch is single, carefree and living it up. They would both love to be in each other’s shoes, so what would happen if their wish came true?
Movie Review Summary
If you’ve seen films with bodyswaps in before, don’t worry about that holding you back, there’s plenty to enjoy in this film. The scenes with the newborns are quite funny, especially when it’s Mitch who must do the cleaning up. Thankfully the projectile poo-ing we see at the beginning isn’t a sign of things to come and the film does manage to play to both the physical elements of body transfers (like who shaves who’s pubic hair) and the mental elements (Mitch having to learn how to be a lawyer to save Dave’s neck). The actual events Dave and Mitch go through are the best crafted parts of the movie, with them posing realistic conflicts for their new egos that make them either want to stay in each other’s skin, or go back to who they were.
Please click this link for a full movie review of The Change-Up and click here for more movie reviews.
Sunday 13 October 2013
The Ides of March
Movie Synopsis
Stephen Meyers is an idealistic member of the campaign team for a new presidential candidate who is about to discover the dirty side of politics when on the campaign trail.
Movie Review Summary
Despite the shortcomings in this film it is actually a good watch. It’s enjoyable, the characters are interesting, the betrayals are well conceived and the developments that knock Stephen back are (mostly) believable. The problem is that because they haven’t focused on the dramatic aspects of the characters enough (or haven’t wanted to pander to making audiences feel satisfied) this is a film that feels like it’s lacking something. Unfortunately that something is pretty substantial, almost like the message behind it, its ethos, its meaning. If you watch it, you’ll see exactly what I mean. As it stands the people who will most probably watch this and love it will be anybody who has ever worked on a campaign team and appreciate what the characters go through. For the rest of us, it’s an interesting story but will feel a little hollow by the end.
Movie Review Summary
Despite the shortcomings in this film it is actually a good watch. It’s enjoyable, the characters are interesting, the betrayals are well conceived and the developments that knock Stephen back are (mostly) believable. The problem is that because they haven’t focused on the dramatic aspects of the characters enough (or haven’t wanted to pander to making audiences feel satisfied) this is a film that feels like it’s lacking something. Unfortunately that something is pretty substantial, almost like the message behind it, its ethos, its meaning. If you watch it, you’ll see exactly what I mean. As it stands the people who will most probably watch this and love it will be anybody who has ever worked on a campaign team and appreciate what the characters go through. For the rest of us, it’s an interesting story but will feel a little hollow by the end.
Please click this link for a full movie review of The Ides of March and click here for more movie reviews.
Sunday 1 September 2013
Red Riding Hood
Movie Synopsis
A werewolf has been stalking a medieval village for years and now it wants something more from a young girl called Valerie.
Movie Review Summary
The problem with films based on children’s books is that you kinda already know what’s meant to happen. And then there’s the problem of what age range do you go for – the kids who read those books, or something else. Well, thankfully this is one of those movies that takes the original concept, builds upon it, and injects a little more darkness and mystery into it. And it works, the story does move along well and we’re left wandering why the werewolf is so interested in the red-cloaked Valerie and who exactly it is. Sure, there are some slight problems along the way that make it turn a little too like Van Helsing, but the core of the story is there and for this film it is certainly enjoyable to watch. If the plot had kept its high tension all the way to the end instead of letting it dip, and the ending would have been more memorable, then this would have rated higher. As it is though it’s a good adaption and a worthwhile viewing.
Please click this link for a full movie review of Red Riding Hood and click here for more movie reviews.
A werewolf has been stalking a medieval village for years and now it wants something more from a young girl called Valerie.
Movie Review Summary
The problem with films based on children’s books is that you kinda already know what’s meant to happen. And then there’s the problem of what age range do you go for – the kids who read those books, or something else. Well, thankfully this is one of those movies that takes the original concept, builds upon it, and injects a little more darkness and mystery into it. And it works, the story does move along well and we’re left wandering why the werewolf is so interested in the red-cloaked Valerie and who exactly it is. Sure, there are some slight problems along the way that make it turn a little too like Van Helsing, but the core of the story is there and for this film it is certainly enjoyable to watch. If the plot had kept its high tension all the way to the end instead of letting it dip, and the ending would have been more memorable, then this would have rated higher. As it is though it’s a good adaption and a worthwhile viewing.
Please click this link for a full movie review of Red Riding Hood and click here for more movie reviews.
Thursday 29 August 2013
Bridesmaids
Movie Synopsis
When a friend announces she is getting married, the down out of luck maid of honor and a rich bridesmaid battle it out for the bride’s attention and to be her best friend, which threatens to make the wedding a disaster.
Movie Review Summary
This is a good concept for a film, which has not been mined for the humor it can offer. Now, anybody expecting The Hangover will find this doesn’t live up to that, the focus here is much much on the emotional fragility of the characters rather than the slapstick form of humor. Yes, there are some good, funny moments in it – the bridal fitting being one – but ultimately the story is about the emotions and self-consciousness that weddings bring up. As a result it doesn’t hit the spot as well as it could have done. The storyline works well, with Annie falling further and further down the slippery slope of failure, unfortunately, this is a little overdone and it’s clear that she’s not all together and probably suffering mental health issues, which doesn’t make for the funniest of viewing. There are also some characters which are too exaggerated, taking them beyond funny and just into the realm of unbelievable. Otherwise, a good film that’s worth a watch and will give you some laughs.
Please click this link for a full movie review of Bridesmaids and click here for more movie reviews.
When a friend announces she is getting married, the down out of luck maid of honor and a rich bridesmaid battle it out for the bride’s attention and to be her best friend, which threatens to make the wedding a disaster.
Movie Review Summary
This is a good concept for a film, which has not been mined for the humor it can offer. Now, anybody expecting The Hangover will find this doesn’t live up to that, the focus here is much much on the emotional fragility of the characters rather than the slapstick form of humor. Yes, there are some good, funny moments in it – the bridal fitting being one – but ultimately the story is about the emotions and self-consciousness that weddings bring up. As a result it doesn’t hit the spot as well as it could have done. The storyline works well, with Annie falling further and further down the slippery slope of failure, unfortunately, this is a little overdone and it’s clear that she’s not all together and probably suffering mental health issues, which doesn’t make for the funniest of viewing. There are also some characters which are too exaggerated, taking them beyond funny and just into the realm of unbelievable. Otherwise, a good film that’s worth a watch and will give you some laughs.
Please click this link for a full movie review of Bridesmaids and click here for more movie reviews.
Sunday 25 August 2013
The Seeker: The Dark is Rising
Movie Synopsis
Will Stanton is the seventh son of a seventh son and finds on his fourteenth birthday that he is a warrior of Light who must overcome the growing forces of Dark.
Movie Review Summary
Ok, there is some imagination in the story, but they may as well have called the warriors of Light the goodies and the Dark Rider the baddy. As Will travels backwards in time, you do wonder how the story is developing as it is. How is he really knowing what he’s doing? He takes to the challenge well though, and as the Dark Rider never properly uses his strength to kill anybody (he could, he just doesn’t) this starts to feel week. The final battle is quite a let down. The twist isn’t a clever one and the battle between Light and Dark is nowhere near as potent as suggested in the legends of history that they introduce, in fact it’s nothing much more than a damp squib.
Please click this link for a full movie review of The Seeker: The Dark is Rising and click here for more movie reviews.
Will Stanton is the seventh son of a seventh son and finds on his fourteenth birthday that he is a warrior of Light who must overcome the growing forces of Dark.
Movie Review Summary
Ok, there is some imagination in the story, but they may as well have called the warriors of Light the goodies and the Dark Rider the baddy. As Will travels backwards in time, you do wonder how the story is developing as it is. How is he really knowing what he’s doing? He takes to the challenge well though, and as the Dark Rider never properly uses his strength to kill anybody (he could, he just doesn’t) this starts to feel week. The final battle is quite a let down. The twist isn’t a clever one and the battle between Light and Dark is nowhere near as potent as suggested in the legends of history that they introduce, in fact it’s nothing much more than a damp squib.
Please click this link for a full movie review of The Seeker: The Dark is Rising and click here for more movie reviews.
The Spiderwick Chronicles
Movie Synopsis
A film based on the book series follows a family who are forced to move into the Spiderwick Estate and their uncover another realm in theirs, which is wrought with danger.
Movie Review Summary
I had high hopes for this film. The genre of fantasy and adventure at this range has been underachieving for a while I feel since the days of Willow, or even Labyrinth. Things go well until we start to meet the faeries and other characters that live in the world we cannot see. They aren’t particularly imaginative and they don’t do too much. Effectively it just pitches goblins (not Lord of the Rings type ones, but sillier ones) against the children, with an ogre master that doesn’t do much more than change shape and hit things. All in all, it’s a healthy jaunt that will keep you interested.
Please click this link for a full movie review of The Spiderwick Chronicles and click here for more movie reviews.
A film based on the book series follows a family who are forced to move into the Spiderwick Estate and their uncover another realm in theirs, which is wrought with danger.
Movie Review Summary
I had high hopes for this film. The genre of fantasy and adventure at this range has been underachieving for a while I feel since the days of Willow, or even Labyrinth. Things go well until we start to meet the faeries and other characters that live in the world we cannot see. They aren’t particularly imaginative and they don’t do too much. Effectively it just pitches goblins (not Lord of the Rings type ones, but sillier ones) against the children, with an ogre master that doesn’t do much more than change shape and hit things. All in all, it’s a healthy jaunt that will keep you interested.
Please click this link for a full movie review of The Spiderwick Chronicles and click here for more movie reviews.
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