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The Founder (2016)
Sensible and Respectful
Going into this movie without any spoiler was hugely to my credit, as the film is about finding wonder and opportunity in a changing world. With masterful screenplay by John Lee Hancock, on paper 'The Founder' should be boring but shines strong due to a fantastic performance by Micheal Keaton who is thoroughly energetic and interested in the character. Nick Offerman and John Carroll Lynch are humane and believable, providing an intelligent insight into their world and their vision.
It's a perfect example of how simple, clever filming, combined with thoughtful and involving dialogue, can produce a soothing masterpiece that is certainly best enjoyed on its first watch without pre knowing its premise.
300: Rise of an Empire (2014)
Action Packed, but Overall Clumsy
An action packed historical epic with fantastical over the top combat is not recommended when your primary means of war are wooden ships - this ultimately becomes '300: Rise of an Empire' biggest problem. The exciting hand to hand combat is replaced by insane ship swarming, crashing and impossible acrobatic feats.
Sullivan Stapleton struggles to follow in butler's footsteps, and he fails to bring enough gravitas to the role. He is massively outacted by the sensational and menacing Eva Green who transcends past her poor character writing.
The tone of the film is off in the second half, but it does deliver some excitement and thrills that would be visually engaging and memorable if it wasn't for all that water dribbling over the screen.
A Little Princess (1995)
Thoughtful and Charming, with a little bit of Hurt
A priceless gem with real courage, 'A Little Princess' is magical in its imagination but heartbreakingly realistic in its portrayal, creating a movie that is powerful and tear jerking.
Liesel Matthews is a delightful and competent young actress who charms the screen. Vanessa Chester is excellent and gives the movie those moments to take in the incredible screenplay and wonderful cinematic direction. Eleanor Bron is a rare treat of truly showing insecurity and narcissism, but with a realistic believability for the setting at the time.
The costumes are amazing, and the variety of colours are appealing to the eye. The hardships can be difficult to bare and at times I wouldn't recommend to young children, but it will grasp you make you believe in hope against cruel authority and systematic unfairness. In criticism the movie does have a couple of dull spots, and it certainly is not an 'exciting' film.
Constantine (2005)
Frustrating, but Intriguing
With too much religious nonsense and with little or no sense of environment to back it up, 'Constantine' relies instead on character building and emotional development. This is hard to do with Keanu Reeves and Rachel Weisz who have little chemistry and struggle to engage as interesting characters relying on secondary characters to motivate the mood as best they can.
The set pieces, such as the CGI creatures that invoke madness are interesting and, if presented in a better film, would have been more memorable.
But the lack of realism to counterbalance anything makes for difficult contrast. The fantasy element is not fantastical if you have empty backgrounds and boring bland set designs, and many parts of the movie feel like I required a prequel to really care or understand what morals or meanings that the movie it is trying to convey.
Forbidden Sins (1999)
Intriguing B Movie, Well Directed
In the pile of VHS tapes once found in a family member's bedroom, 'Forbidden Sins' is quite good in a lot areas outside of the obvious.
Amy Lindsay is an acceptable actress in parts, but she lacks the necessary subtlety and competence to deceive convincingly. Timothy Vahle is hilarious and provides the best moments of the movie, but also does Corbin Timbrook who feels very experienced and delivers his lines well. Myles O'Brien provides a sense of heroicness and decency to counterbalance the evil.
The overall screenplay and some interesting camera work in certain scenes elevate the movie, and overall it's better than your average late night softcore affair.
Mirror Images (1992)
Straightforward and Cunning
One of those movies you would find hard recorded to a VHS tape, 'Mirror Images' is surprisingly high in style and reasonably well made considering its small scale.
Delia Sheppard is actually quite good at realistic subtlety - she genuinely looks and behaves like a real human being rather than an over the top theatrical caricature and I have a preference for that method. Jeff Conaway is not a good actor and seems bored and childish. John O'Hurley impresses more and is the best male character in the film.
The film dabbles into the themes of lesbianism and bisexuality in a respectable way and overall as a story/plot piece and erotic softcore content, it's quite meaningful and surprisingly wholesome.
Prospect (2018)
Beautiful, but Unfulfilling
A hauntingly beautiful world, although clearly an Earthly forest with CGI rendered over it, 'Prospect' is a mixed bag of intrigues from a galaxy that demands a greater insight.
Sophie Thatcher is young and her inexperience makes her an odd choice for this movie. She comes across as strangely juvenile yet the film demands more from her. In addition her chemistry with Pedro Pascal is non existent.
The story has some problems. Directors Christopher Caldwell and Zeek Earl do make some efforts to give their movie a unique sense of identity with its feel and tone, but the plot is driven too quickly out of a sluggish and unengaging first half, and the stakes never feel as meaningful as the story clearly shows that they should.
In credit the antagonists are amusing with the final act being quite good fun, but its difficult to shake the notion that this is a B Tier movie, trying to be A Tier, but with many clumsy emotionally ripping mistakes that an amateur film studio would make.
Internal Affairs (1990)
Subtle like a Brick, Some Unrealised Ideas
Although moderately entertaining as a whole, 'Internal Affairs' feels at war with itself and is divided in spirit and tone. This is largely because of rather overly ambitious plot lines that go in too many unfocused directions. In addition the interference of badly conceived romantic interests muddy and rudiment the film.
The casting is largely passable but unremarkable. Only Richard Gere entertains and rises above the mediocre script. In credit the screenplay and cinematography is quite good, especially in dark scenes, but the genericness of the story makes it very forgettable and the movie passes before your eyes; you can see better movies embedded within what could have been.
Ghostbusters II (1989)
Straightforward and Funny
Marginally better than it's original, largely due to its more fulfilling and amusing overall experience, 'Ghostbusters II' delivers a more sensible and engaging drama focusing on a single long term plot line with a simple fantastical emotionally connected idea. This leads to a more spirited and moral movie.
The regular cast return and are just as witty, with Sigourney Weaver having more to do this time and Peter MacNicol giving a legendary if underused performance. Wilhelm von Homburg makes a fantastic villain and clearly seems to be enjoying the role.
Although the film lacks that top tier essence, it does overall have less nastiness to it, and overall feels cleaner and more abundant in theme and tone, and more for it since they criminally failed to make a third.
Ghostbusters (1984)
Playful, Tongue in Cheek and Fun
The Ghostbusters are one of the most well known teams to exist in fiction, and director Ivan Reitman understands how to present the characters onto the big screen with flurries of action and humour.
Dan Aykroyd is super charming and brings huge spirit onto the screen. Harold Ramis is compelling although his screen time feels limited and his character is underdeveloped. Bill Murray is amusing but his character has a mean streak that is evident in the first act.
Ghostbusters as at times a marvel. The special effects look awesome and shots of them are held long enough to really understand and enjoy the look of the animated creatures. The scope of the cityscapes with ghosts running amock is incredible.
Where my main criticisms lie are in its first act, which simply takes too long to get going and is oddly skewed towards romance. The script is also quite mediocre in the later half with the main villain being underdeveloped and some characters behaving unrealistically stupid.
Hannibal (2001)
Dramatic Nonsense
Failing to capture any of the majesty of it's prequel, 'Hannibal' is badly directed by Ridley Scott who fails to get the best out of any of the fantastic and talented cast.
Julianne Moore is horrible, she looks like she is ill throughout the entire film and I feel sorry for her. Ray Liotta is laughable and his demise is the funniest part of the movie. Giancarlo Giannini should have been amazing as he was a great choice, but he looks tired and confused. Gary Oldman is the best part of the movie, but he doesn't get enough screen time and his inclusion feels tacked on. Anthony Hopkins is a legend but is given probably the worst script of his career.
There are many moments that you can see where there are huge splodges of potential, but all of the moments are damaged irrecoverably by cringey and cliché dialogue and poor overall execution.
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Riveting and Engaging, but overly Mellow Final Act
Directed with ambition and competency, 'The Silence of the Lambs' for the most part has magnificent dialogue with well versed tight angular screenplay that gives focus to fear and psychology. Jodie Foster is an incredible, if a little too nervy, protagonist with great poise and elegance. Anthony Hopkins gets a lot of screen time to really develop as a character and in many ways this feels like a prologue to a series that should have respected his talents.
What lets the film down is the secondary antagonist played by Ted Levine. His character is unlikeable with strange cliché insane dialogue and sick dance montages, making it inconclusive as to the reasoning behind his madness. The final act involving his demise is rushed and unsatisfactory.
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Fun, but Lacking Consistent Momentum and Respect
Initially involving and heartfelt, 'Captain America: The First Avenger' really feels like a masterpiece in its first act, with its strong impression for adults and tongue in cheek presentation for kids. This is bolstered more by straightforward and fun acting from Chris Evans, who really looks the part in both sides of the physique.
However it quickly dissolves into an incredibly silly and unnecessary montage of song and dance that insults expectations, and the film pointlessly and undramatically resets itself.
From there the film is largely saved by an excellent performances from Hugo Weaving and Toby Jones who make great villains, even if their plan and organisation is cliché, but everything else feels spoilt.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
Overly Slow, but Rewarding in Parts
Extremely slow and often repetitive in parts, 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' is an emotional and heartfelt character driven drama about response to impossible feelings and emotions. Its gift is the incredible performance by Richard Dreyfuss who produces a truly engaging and proclaiming character that meets alongside Melinda Dillon who both combine for great chemistry.
What drags the film down is the pace. The scenes are too long and the overall result, while potentially shocking at the time, feels very hollow and dated. In addition the aliens are not particularly interesting, nor do we learn anything meaningful from them. The movie isn't worth its running time.
Hulk (2003)
Rigid and Sincere
An honourable and serious attempt at rather bland source material, director 'Ang Lee' makes the green monster more human in his well versed and visually stunning action drama. Eric Bana is perfect in the role, and is the master of serious conveyance of feelings and emotions. The film oozes brilliance around him with gorgeous and memorable sets and outstanding CGI battle action. It's a heavy film that echoes the weight of its protagonist.
What drags the film down somewhat is the overburden on the hero which feels unrealistic in parts, and the villain appears delusion and is badly explained to the point of being confusing, leading to a drab final act.
Executive Decision (1996)
A Thriller that Breathes
Well directed and thoughtful, 'Executive Decision' gets all the important key elements right and creates a tense, and insulated, rescue drama.
Kurt Russell is phenomenal; he creates a hero that panics inside but remains intellectually capable of overcoming his emotions and controlling his realistic fears of failure. John Leguizamo is also fantastic, whose great contrast is more confidently shown. David Suchet is okay but lacks significant background character depth to really care about his motives. Oliver Platt is awesome but is given a character that is borderline stupid. Halle Berry is the weak link in the cast, but is given a character that largely stays out of the way.
The screenplay is well thought out and the pace is quick with sensible cuts and interesting ideas. However it does frequently have bouts of sudden stops due to characters taking too much time to interact with each other and it breaks the film a little.
Huo Yuan Jia (2006)
Fully Realised with Multiple Terrific Chapters
A truly epic and busy autobiographic action marvel, 'Fearless' is competent and thoughtfully made. The blend of the believable and unbelievable result in several jaw dropping cinematic action sequences, with many raw emotions cast through dynamic visual storytelling.
Jet Li's performance is at his best, with quality acting and huge flurries of energy. The large ensemble of actors/actress all perform around his character in a way that makes him the centrepiece in which his world revolves around, and director Ronny Yu uses this to create a beautiful character arc that is convincing and clear to understand.
The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Will Smith's True Heartfelt Offering
Director Gabriele Muccino writes 'The Pursuit of Happyness' straight and to the point and injects a subtle degree of realistic humour and soft charm. This creates a film that is likeable, potent and grounded in humanity.
For Will Smith, I find it to be his best performance on screen ever, and a true testament to what he can do when he takes a role seriously and is given an amazing script. Jaden Smith gets a truly unique role of being both a son in film and son in reality, this rarity giving a beautiful underlying in their combined acting. I also really like Brian Howe who is fair and welcoming.
It's not the most exciting screenplay or cinematography, but it is definitely a 'must watch' due to its very individualised and respectful approach to its non fictional material, and it pulls and pushes the heart in a way that is uncommon and special.
Face/Off (1997)
Highly Improbable in Drama and Action
A difficult film to fathom, 'Face/Off' shouldn't have been made in the way it was and relies too heavily on suspension of disbelief and demanding that its audience plays along.
Nicolas Cage isn't right for the role. He neither has the physical physique nor the acting chops. John Travolta fares better but is ultimately undercut by the stupidity of his scenes and the romantic fakery that he is required to do. The rest of the cast is subjected to the same nonsense and it is hard to really articulate their quality.
There are effectively two movies happening here, both pulling each other apart. The cinematography and screenplay overall is good, but the set designs are over the top and lack believability, and the film is simply not funny in anything it tries to do. That being said, when the action is occurring, it's hard to ignore the tense thrills.
Stargate (1994)
Undercooked and Undelivered
While at no means terrible in any aspect, 'Stargate' is not director Roland Emmerich's best work and lacks a sense of immersion and alien spirit. This is largely due to disappointing world building and some underwhelming desert sets, as well as a genuinely uninteresting villain.
Kurt Russell is a fantastic actor, and his character is setup well, but his talents are largely wasted. James Spader is awesome and highly entertaining with his quirks and questions. Unfortunately the remaining cast fail to leave a memorable impression.
The whole film is the definition of average. It's doesn't do anything particularly good or particularly bad, yet it remains watchable and reasonably satisfactory. However it is easy to articulate how, with a better villain and more interesting aliens, this could have been a masterpiece, and that ultimately is frustrating.
The Tragedy of Macbeth (1971)
Competent and Well Versed
Driven into me as part of English exams at school and college, there are reasons why they choose Macbeth for Shakespeare, and one of them was to use this excellent movie as study material.
Director Roman Polanski casts this film brilliantly. Jon Finch is gripping, human, and transcends into madness convincingly (as much as Shakespeare theatrics would allow). Francesca Annis is gorgeous and seductively twisted in her role, a top tier actress. Terence Bayler is amazing and brings huge degree of sadness and raw determination. It's only Martin Shaw who leaves without making a strong impression.
The translation of the dialogue proves that 'Macbeth' is the strongest play, and the use of brilliant and convincing sets convey a sense of the time and grits the film with earthy darkness. The only compliant is the dated screenplay and cinematography, and the lack of a good score.
Ice (2011)
Two Big Slip Ups, but A Feast for the Eyes
Effectively two movies masquerading as two episodes of TV, 'Ice' is not terrible and at times close to being good. It has all the right ingredients - big beautiful and well detailed sets, plenty of CGI of various qualities and a brisk energetic pace. At no point was I offended by its stupidity as the director Nick Copus emits an aura that he understands the purpose behind such entertainment.
What lets it down hugely however is its casting. Richard Roxburgh is terrible, and deliveries his lines like he has just stumbled into the studio after a thirty mile run. Frances O'Connor fares better and shows substantial better acting chops. Sam Neil is pathetic and forgettable. Ben Cross is passable and carries the scenes he is in along with the fantastic Brooke Williams and Claire Forlani.
The dialogue overall is the huge let down - overall it's some of the worst I've seen, largely because it is delivered so poorly. There was no talent in communicating with the actors/actress and the whole performance is compromised because of it. However it is difficult to deny that what remains of this is quite good fun if you focus on the eye candy and the visual splendor.
Red Dragon (2002)
Entertaining, But Not Entirely Gripping
With a script that seems to sweep in front of your eyes, 'Red Dragon' is a thoughtful and well acted crime drama masquerading as psychological horror. The main issue preventing it from working completely is that its unintentionally funny as times, due to both being hammy and over caricatured.
Anthony Hopkins is fine, but he doesn't get enough screen time or enough dialogue to be worthy of being first credit. Edward Norton is fantastic and a great choice, but his serious depressive character clashes with the cheesiness of the antagonists. Ralph Fiennes is almost perfect, but there is an element of comedy to his performance which feels unwelcome for a story so dark and serious. The best performances come from Emily Watson and Philip Seymour Hoffman who bring a rawness that the film desperately needed more of.
Overall the intensity and interest from the script is what carries you from scene to scene. It's overall a competent production and is a fine film to settle down to at night.
The Borrowers (1997)
Mesmerising Sense of Scale with Enthralling Adventure
Genuinely entertaining and even magical, director Peter Hewitt creates a vivid and enthralling masterpiece with courage to commit and the competence to use various field of views to give depth and perspective.
Wonderfully cast throughout, there is not a genuinely bad performance throughout, with real credit to John Goodman as a genuinely funny and attractively over the top villain, and Flora Newbigin for the most screen time of her lovable and theatrical character.
The use of props of all shapes and sizes conjures a huge sense of fantastical immersion. The film has buckets of charm but also raises tensions in a genuine but not unpleasant way. It's a real outing full of content and wonder.
Edge of Darkness (2010)
Ponderous and Unfulfilling
Revenge thrillers have to contain a degree of grit, meat and substance to sustain the audience's attention, but the story in 'Edge of Darkness' is incredibly slow and unrewarding to the point of almost reaching a vegetative state.
The biggest reason for this is the lack of a fully fleshed out and exciting script, and instead it trying hard to be an intimidation drama full of talk and threats but not to make good on them.
Mel Gibson is a highly capable and emotional actor, but he seems to distance off as the film progresses. Ray Winstone is great, but he's all dialogue and no action.
The film is quite repetitive in its exposition, and although I enjoy director Martin Campbell's screenplay and straight forwardness, this movie is far too straight and far too void of adrenaline pumping content to get any blood going.