Sickpuppy365 Reviews

Run (I) (2020)

Walk swiftly towards this one

[6/10 · 21 November 2020]

I chose to watch this movie without reading the description or ratings on IMDB, and I also did not watch any trailers for it. I am very glad I did that because after watching (and thoroughly enjoying) it, I went and watched the trailer... Which essentially showed the whole movie but in less than two minutes... I now understand why some people hated this film. However I cannot agree with that sentiment. Many reviewers are describing it as rehashed, predictable and full of plot-holes... I don't think the trailer helped because it showed too much of what is a relatively simple, but not overly-used plot. I suppose many people don't realize that this film deals with a subject that is a real phenomenon, it has a medical name and everything, but is little known and hard to believe. Also, as many arm-chair quarterbacks are guilty of, it is easy to point out characters blunders and short-comings from the laz-e-boy with the benefit of being able to see all the way to the periphery of their situation on the big screen in front of you... Here are the facts... Sarah Paulson brings a level of sinister to her character that I was not expecting having seen her in many other films, yet she also evokes empathy throughout. Newcomer Kiera Allen shocked me with how well she played against the veteran actress, displaying a natural acting ability that assures me she will have a successful career in Hollywood, despite the fact that she actually does use a wheel-chair in real life... The cinematography is super solid utilizing static camera work, mid-closeups and camera angles which enhance the suspense and story-line. This is a competent drama/ thriller, it is not a "horror" movie, and it is paced well, rationing out plot-points, and building the suspense and anticipation to a climax that will leave you satisfied with the end result... Which is a 6.5 IMHO

Fatman (2020)

Fatman and little boy... And hitman

[6/10 · 21 November 2020]

If you're looking for another syrupy sweet holiday movie to huddle around with the family while sipping hot cocoa and eggnog... Then keep looking, this is not that movie. In this movie, Chris a.k.a the Fatman (Mel Gibson) and his wife Ruth (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) are having serious financial difficulty, and the stress is taking its toll on both their relationship and their business which is in peril of closing down. In order to survive Chris takes on a military contract to make the proverbial ends meet. His staff are forced to use their manufacturing talents in novel ways to help support Chris and Ruth in this venture. Meanwhile Billy (Chance Hurstfield) is busy extorting his grandma, intimidating his competitors and generally being a dick to the household staff... Behaviour which earns him a large lump of coal from the Fatman, and leaves him with a hankering for vengeance. Enter Johnathan Miller a.k.a the Skinny man (Played with relish by Walton Goggins, veteran of the creepy-nutcase-baddie roles), who is hired by Billy to exact revenge on Chris, and who is all-too-happy to take on the hit, because he too has unresolved issues with the Fatman. This movie starts with a novel premise, and builds momentum as it goes along, starting slow and steadily building pace until the final scenes. It is not a laugh-out-loud comedy, it's dark and the humour is in the irreverence to traditional values and common courtesy. The four main characters are adept at eliciting the desired reactions from the audience, the dialogue is witty and poignant, and the supporting characters prop them up with strong performances. Cinematography is fluid and beautiful, from wide snow-filled scenes to facial close-ups, and there's no shaky cam during action scenes. Sound is crisp and helps set the mood well. This is a strong 6.

Jungleland (2019)

Jungleland is better than its title

[6/10 · 16 November 2020]

Is it worth mentioning that the three lead actors are British? Probably not because most people won't notice, they're pretty good actors. Charlie Hunnam (King Arthur) is older brother Stanley who "looks after" younger brother Jack O'Connell (Unbroken) playing Walter who is a skilled fighter. The phrase "if not for bad luck they'd have no luck at all" applies directly to these guys. Their dire situation expectedly leads to spiraling poorer choices which indebt them to a loan-shark who makes them an offer they can't refuse. Thus begins their road trip to a big fight with a big payday... The catch? They have to take Sky (Jessica Barden of Hanna) along with them. Viewers expecting another Warrior or The fighter will be disappointed... This is more a drama. There is a bit of action thrown in to keep fight fans happy, but the film is about the complexities of family relationships, the struggle to realize one's dreams, the hopelessness of failure and redemption of the spirit. The actors suck you into their world and drag you along the seedy and grimy sidewalks of their life. The camera work is very clean, the scenery spans from gritty to beautiful, and the score is always appropriate, but this is a character driven film, and done well.

Chick Fight (2020)

Battle of the stereotypes and clichés

[4/10 · 15 November 2020]

There is a lot wrong with this film that could have been easily fixed... The fight choreography was amateur level, it would have been better to give the girls mouth-guards and just let them slug it out naturally. Alec Baldwin's talent was under-utilized, he should have had a larger role in Anna's (Malin Akerman) life akin to Mr. Miyagi as was even joked about. This would have allowed for better arcs for the main characters. Some more of the limited budget should have been spent on more experienced comedic writing... So many missed opportunities. Just too much effort spent trying to include everyone in the playground, that leaves the whole story looking disjointed, like a Victoria's Secret sponsored Pride event that degenerated into a bar brawl. It's a good premise that had potential, it was well shot, and most of the cast makes an effort. There are even a few slap-stick moments that might elicit a chuckle but in the end a different movie would have been a better movie. Save this one for when you run out of good ones.

The New Mutants (2020)

Teenage Mutant Ninja... Teenagers

[5/10 · 10 November 2020]

Teenage Mutant Psionic Native American (Mirage) played quite earnestly by relative new-comer Blu Hunt, awakens in an isolated facility after an catastrophic event. She soon meets Dr. Cecilia Reyes (Alice Braga of I am legend, Repo-men & Elysium) who introduces her to the other "patients" at the facility. Anya Taylor-Joy (a pouting, lost-girl Magik), Maisie Williams (a sweet if apathetic Wolfsbane), Charlie Heaton (an angst-filled, guilt-riddled Canonball), and Henry Zaga (an arrogant but insecure Sunspot)... The next hour passes slowly as we get to know more about each of the character's back-story, although some die-hard comic fans may not like the retcon's and slight mangling involved in order to make them relevant to today's woke culture... You'll see what I mean. I expected this movie to be similar to Brightburn, and It had the potential to be as good, but fell short. For me Anya Taylor-Joy stole every scene she was in, and the other young actors also gave solid performances, but something was just missing... The "horror" aspect was sophomoric and probably won't impress veterans of the genre, and it rations out the mutant abilities at a snail's pace compared to other Marvel "hero" movies. When all the character building and exposition finally gives way to action, you've almost forgotten what type of film you were expecting, and then you are flooded with a heavily CGI dependent final scene that ties things up quickly... Supposedly to hurry on to filming the sequel... I will give a generous 5.5 Stars. It's as good as Dark Phoenix even if it does lack the familiar mutant faces that we love to see.

Gringo (2018)

When Harry met Sunny... In Mexico

[6/10 · 28 October 2020]

Joel Edgerton (Warrior, Zero Dark Thirty and Bright) always brings his A-game, Charlize Theron is money in heels all the way to the bank... But it's David Oyelowo who steals this show. It's listed as an action, comedy, crime... There's plenty of crime and a fair amount of action, but it is dark comedy, so don't expect it to be side-splittingly hilarious... The humour is in Oyelowo's reactions to his increasingly outlandish situations... Also Sharlto Copley helps out a bit in that department, as a well-intentioned mercenary. Amanda Seyfried (Sunny), and Thandie Newton are also reliable back-up in any movie venture, and hold their own in supporting roles here. Dialogue flows smoothly, and is particularly good between certain characters. Camera work is competent, as are all the other elements to make this an interesting fish-out-of-water caper that is easy to watch. It seems it has been largely overlooked though, and that's a shame, 'cause it's a strong 6 in my book.

Triple 9 (2016)

An ALL out action crime thriller

[7/10 · 27 October 2020]

Here's the thing... You take 9 or 10 High-caliber actors, stick them together in a pretty run-of-the-mill action heist flick, and everyone expects it to be another Oscar sweep with the big brooms... That does happen sometimes I suppose... What we got this time however was just an exciting, well-acted run-of-the-mill action heist flick. Not perfect by a long-shot, but a solid almost 2 hours of entertainment. This thing was non-stop action, loosely interspersed with moments of smoldering intensity, and barely enough exposition from a couple of main characters, to drag you by the wrist down the cobble-stone path of a plot... The acting is superb, as would be expected. It's effortless to imagine that all these characters are intertwined, or have known each other for years. Quality stuff... The movie has a fitting dark and gritty tone, and you almost feel relief when night turns to day, or indoors turns to outdoors. The camera-work is clean, even in the car-chase or walking/running scenes the shaky-shake isn't too bad. There is some fairly original gun-play too amidst the general melee that seems to be always going on. Chiwetel calls all the shots, Casey chews ALL the gum, Gal's legs go ALL the way up, Woody drinks ALL the booze, Kate uses ALL the peroxide, Anthony smokes ALL the Black & Milds, and Aaron does ALL the remaining drugs... This is an ALL out kind 'a movie, and I had ALL the fun watching it.

On the Rocks (2020)

Not completely on the rocks

[6/10 · 26 October 2020]

Adventure, comedy, drama... We've got to have our little boxes with labels... This movie is really just a drama, with one element of comedy (the natural persona of Bill Murray) and as much adventure as can be fit-in while the babysitter's watching the kids... There's a reason there have been hundreds of movies like this, both better and worse, it's because everyone should be able to relate. This is just a movie about life. Everyone has experienced something like this. It's not Mission impossible, it's not The hangover, it's not Sophie's choice... It's an overworked husband, an insecure wife, and an aging father, in an all too common scenario. Bill Murray and Rashida Jones have a great chemistry in their father/daughter dynamic and basically carry the whole thing in a basket (as I'm sure was the plan.) Marlon Wayans played the work-a-holic, neglectful husband well, but never was able to convince me that he really loved her. The little girls were adorable, and the scenery nice and appropriate. The camera-work was clean, with cuts that helped move the story along. The dialogue was well-paced and fairly insightful and profound in an every-day way, asking some questions people just don't like to deal with. This is a good rainy Sunday movie. It's really a 5 star, but I give one extra for Bill.

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (2020)

Borat 2.0

[6/10 · 26 October 2020]

Sacha Baron Cohen is arguably one of the hardest working actors out there, not in terms of the amount of work he churns out in a given year, but in his steadfast dedication to producing film that is as thought-provoking as it is cringe-inducing... Are you laughing with him, are you laughing at him, are you even laughing? I've been watching him since Ali-G first entered the house, and I've always felt uneasy whenever he is on-screen... You see, I'm not big on schadenfreude, I don't enjoy watching people being put on-the-spot, being made fun-of, squirming in their seats... In general it makes me feel sorry for them, and I feel a bit uneasy. That being said, SBC takes the risks no one else seems to be willing to, and exposes the truths through satire that most people would prefer stayed hidden. Is Borat 2, as I will call it for brevity's sake, better than Borat? In short no. It is a little less "laugh-out-loud" funny, it is also a little less vulgar (not saying that's a good thing), and a little less real feeling (probably a result of the first movie's success and SBC being way more recognized than before.) However the addition of the lovely and talented Maria Bakalova (playing Borat's daughter, Tutar Sagdiyev), and the additional humanity, interactions, story-lines and character arcs that she brought with her performance helped to make up for all that. I am giving 6 stars... And an additional .5 just for Maria... So 6.5 stars? Niiceeee! High five!

The Witches (2020)

Evil Witches vs. brave mice (no adults allowed)

[6/10 · 25 October 2020]

If you are of the opinion that a movie adaptation of a well-known and loved book you may-or-may not have read as a child MUST BE EXACTLY THE SAME as the book word-for-word and detail-for-detail... And that a remake of said original movie adaptation of said book made 30 YEARS LATER MUST BE EXACTLY THE SAME as the original movie... Then please leave the room now...

OK kids, now that the adults have left the room...

This is a great, really fun movie... It has lots of very evil witches who want to turn all of the children in the world into mice and then squish them... It has a bunch of stuffy grown-ups who can't do anything to help... It has three brave kids who even after they get turned into mice still battle against the evil witches to save all the children in the world... Oh... It also has the fantastic actress from The help (a movie you never saw) playing the brave grandma... Anne Hathaway from Les Misérables (another movie you never saw) playing a campier version than Anjelica Houston... and Stanley Tucci from Big Night (yet another movie you never saw) playing the stuffy hotel manager who doesn't like mice... Unfortunately kids, even with the talent of veteran voice actors Kristin Chenoweth and Marty the Zebra, you won't be seeing this film in the list of nominees when you stay up late to watch the Academy awards this year. But you really will like this movie... It's a ton of fun.

Jungle (I) (2017)

It's a jungle out there

[6/10 · 25 October 2020]

I waited a couple of years after this movie debuted before I got around to watching it, because it just looked like some cliché survival thriller banking on Radcliffe's star-power to haul it along. I should have watched it sooner... The low scoring reviews are based on people thinking the characters are naive and inexperienced, the situations they encounter improbable, the script and basic dialogue too pedestrian... etc... Most of these reviewers don't realize that it is based on the real-life experience of Yossi Ghinsberg and his friends Kevin and Marcus... So it is told from the perspective of the naive and inexperienced young men who found themselves in this improbable situation, using the basic dialogue they would have naturally, probably have used to converse with one-another in said situation... So no Shakespeare in the park here... But it's believable... Each of the main actors brought the strengths and weaknesses of their characters out with efficiency and humanity, they were different people from different parts of the world, with their own ideas and agendas, hence much disagreement, bickering and general disorganization, which contributed to the downward spiraling of their situation and attitudes. Radcliffe does indeed pull this one along, as it is from his character's perspective, but the rest of the cast is hot on his heels, particularly Thomas Kretschmann (Carl) who lends a sinister sensation that never quite goes away. The scenery is rivers, lakes, & rainforest. The cinematography is crisp even when dealing with some bleak weather, and shaky camera is kept to the minimum and only when appropriate. This is a story of adventure, survival and friendship, and although pushing very hard at the 2 hour mark, it passes the time easily as you become absorbed and invested in these young men's survival. 6.5 stars for sure... Not quite 7 because it drags a bit later on-in, and Potter's accent could have been tighter.

You Kill Me (2007)

I see what you did there

[6/10 · 17 October 2020]

I really think the powers that be need to separate the "Comedy" genre label into it's constituents, something like: Funny comedy, stupid comedy, and dark comedy. This way people might have a better idea of what they're getting into... Then maybe we can avoid reviews which give 1 star claiming that the movie didn't make them laugh even once... It's playing with people's expectations, I mean who would expect a "comedy" about an aging, alcoholic hitman forced by his family to enter AA as an alternative to being killed by them NOT to have one falling out of one's seat in uncontrollable fits of laughter? Dark comedy people... Here we have an ensemble of talented, experienced actors doing just that... Character interaction is just what you'd expect from a room full of experts in their craft, the nuances make the difference. The dialogue is naturally flowing and emotionally appropriate. The cinematography swaying from bright to gritty as the story calls for it... Kingsley and Leoni push this film forward, with Pullman, Wilson and Farina propping them up as needed, so there's never a dull moment. A very strong 6 from me.

Sweetheart (I) (2019)

Sweetheart? Definitely

[6/10 · 17 October 2020]

I'm going out on a limb and guessing that apart from the plane tickets to Fiji this film didn't have the most extravagant budget... If I'm right though, then this is a prime example of how to make very good use of said modest budget. It's like old-school creature from the black lagoon "horror" (PG-13 style) but with some updated costume intricacy. Cinematography is very clear, and doesn't try to use the usual tricks to boost the "scary." Scenery was beautiful, but then again... Fiji. The script and dialogue was believable and appropriate for the characters, who did a pretty good job of delivering... Except for Kiersey Clemons... She did a great job, carrying the film must have been like carrying water uphill in a wicker basket, but she managed very well. Got to say this surprised me, I enjoyed this movie.

Love and Monsters (2020)

I love love and monsters

[7/10 · 17 October 2020]

Everyone involved in the making of this movie should be proud. Yes the plot is simple and it's been done many times in this genre and several others, like for instance The road, or The book of Eli or 28 days later... But in this case more like Zombieland if it was rated PG-13. Dylan O'Brien plays Joel, a character much akin to Jesse Eisenberg's "Columbus", a kind of neurotic and unwilling protagonist out of his depth, who is rescued by Michael Rooker (playing Woody Harrelson's "Tallahassee") the grizzled survivalist with the adorable Minnow (Arianna Greenblatt playing Abigail Breslin's "Little Rock") in tow, whilst on a quest to find his love interest Aimee (the lovely Jessica Henwick playing Emma Stone's "Wichita")... Confusing? Not really. It's a post-apocalyptic road trip monster filled action love story movie that is a romp and a riot. It's not often you get to see a movie where even it's weakest link is still holding strong... The dialogue is witty, the scenery is beautiful but appropriate, CGI game is strong most of the time, and cinematography crisp & clear, no lightening cuts and shaky camera. All the cast brought their A-game. Hero and Dodge lent so much emotion to their joint portrayal of "Boy" the dog, they both must be very good boys... and Mavis the robot could almost pass the Turing test. You may have to suspend belief a bit in a couple scenes... But just remember you are watching a movie with giant frogs and snails and it shouldn't be too difficult. For me it's a 7 but a strong one.

The Wolf of Snow Hollow (2020)

Were was this movie hiding?

[6/10 · 17 October 2020]

I hadn't heard of Jim Cummings before, actually the prolific Robert Forster was the only person I recognized, so I was pretty sure this movie would be crap. I also don't really like mindless and gory horror, or dark "comedy" that misses its mark, the former making me queasy, and the latter making me uneasy. Well I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. After writing a pretty tight script, with simple plot-points, character driven, decent banter in everyman speak, that gives even minor characters their own identity. Jim then hops up to the director's chair and pulls it all together, whilst also turning in a solid main performance. Again I must point out... He is playing an unlikeable character... It is not BAD acting... He is portraying an ex-jock, ex-military, alcoholic, divorced deputy in a small town, with an estranged daughter and a stubborn aging father/ boss. He feels his life is passing him by, he's surrounded by incompetent coworkers, overbearing constituents, and is making promises he seemingly can't deliver on... I thought he brought that right to the table steaming hot. The rest of the cast, particularly Riki and Chloe really assisted in fleshing-out his downward spiral. Is it a comedy? is it a horror? is it a... Who cares... it's a great story with chills, thrills, heartache, scares, shouting, laughing, crying, lying, and dying... You know... People stuff... Plus the wolf was great too.

Mile 22 (2018)

Action and strong female characters for miles

[6/10 · 15 October 2020]

Apparently viewers not "liking" a character = BAD acting... Yes Mark Wahlberg's character in this movie could be called "very annoying" without raising too many eyebrows... But the take-away here is that he played that character so well that reviewers are actually angry at his "character"... Which says to me that he achieved exactly what he set out to do... Ergo GOOD acting. Iko Uwais is an Indonesian treasure, and here he showcases just why. I can't think of too many Hollywood actors who would have played his part any more credibly. His fight scenes are the expected tornado of death-dealing, with more than a few unique finishing moves, and the dudes deft delivery of dialogue in multiple languages displays his growth as an actor... Not just another pretty face-smashing weapon of mass destruction. Lauren Cohan and Rowdy Ronda play exactly the kind of female characters I love to watch in action movies, they are 100% believable, they get punched and kicked half-to-death when fighting even only one 250 pound highly trained mercenary, they bleed, but they persevere, they are relentless (because they are playing the big boys' game and they aren't getting cut any slack 'cause they're girls... Plus they ain't asking for no handouts... Well done! ladies, hope to see both of you doing more of the same... Take notes Ruby Rose... And Elizabeth, this is how you do strong female characters, keep that in mind if you ever get a chance to do Charlie's angels 2... LOL. The action is pretty much non-stop, the editing could be better, as could the cinematography, but overall this is a solid action flick well worth the time... Malkovich!

The Pirates (2014)

They're here for your booty

[6/10 · 15 October 2020]

Watched this on a lazy Sunday afternoon when I didn't want to engage all four of my brain cells at the same time... Just what the proverbial doctor ordered. Cinematography excellent, CGI's very good... Simple plot based on a fair amount of Asian tradition and imagery, smattered with a heaping dollop of slapstick. The comedic chemistry between the two main characters is what you'd find if you looked up the word adorable in a Korean dictionary... Oh and plenty of action scenes that blend in almost seamlessly... This is a very strong six for me... And OMG the whale did a fantastic job I can't say enough

The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)

Peanut butter jelly time

[7/10 · 15 October 2020]

If you think this movie is about a wrestling obsessed special needs person who tags along with an antisocial loner in an effort to outrun his awkward care-giver for long enough to become a WWF superstar... Then that's OK... It's actually two movies in one... The people who saw the one I just described, are no doubt those who give it low ratings, you know, for bad dialogue and such, because a good ole boy, a debutant and a kid with Down's syndrome should be constantly expounding their deliberations on the existential fallacies corrupting Western civilization... In ancient Greek... Or something... I saw the second movie... The one about a loving brother consumed with guilt and self-loathing, hell bent on a path of inevitable self-destruction, who reluctantly regains his humanity just long enough to save a young dreamer from a sealed fate where even the person closest to him, his care-giver, is slowly suffocating him in the name of love, where that same care-giver's eyes may be abruptly ripped open to the realization that there is more to living than being alive, safe and normal... Or maybe I just imagined it (no spoilers here) Go see for yourself... And enjoy whichever one you choose to watch...

Enola Holmes (2020)

Enola was just a Millie-cent bystander

[6/10 · 14 October 2020]

It became painfully obvious early on in the film that I am not in the target audience age range... And possibly also not in the gender range... Never-the-less, I approached it with as open a mind as someone who has read all of Sir A.C. D's books, and who has also seen far too many man-bashing reboots of late. Millie Bobby Brown is absolutely charming as always thus far in her burgeoning career, conveying Enola's sassy, and resolute character with aplomb. All the older folk played their parts competently, even if some (looking at you Cavill) raised the rebuffing ire of all the die-hard S. Holmes fan(atic)s I'm pretty glad they didn't write Enola's character as an African-American/ Asian lesbian transgender Muslim velociraptor as is the current trend in Hollywood... I think it's enough that she's just a strong young girl trying to figure out who she is and at the same time escape the shadows of her big brothers... So hopefully future installments in this possible franchise will concentrate on developing Enola's deductive skills, giving her more challenging cases to solve and fleshing-out her character arc... Without selling out to the genocidal gender crusade I'm expecting. I will watch this space with an wary eye for further installments...

The Shallows (2016)

Blake, bikini, shark... Enough said

[7/10 · 14 October 2020]

It seems that everyone who has watched six minutes of shark week is a qualified arm-chair expert on shark behavior when it comes to crying down this gem of a movie... The main complaint seems to be that sharks don't "stalk" people, followed by a suggestion that Jaws is a far more realistic and an immeasurably better movie (in which the shark indeed stalked people... who were even in a boat... albeit much too SMALL a boat...) Perhaps these folks also think Sharknado is a more realistic movie too... Now I'm no expert (even living on a Caribbean island and spending half my life in their back-yard), but I have learned a few things about wild animals, not the least of which is that now matter how much we learn about their behavioral patterns... They always have a surprise or two in their repertoire. Oh Ryan old chum, you certainly landed yourself a beautiful and talented wife and mother to your three kids (though the bikini strongly suggests you guys adopted all of 'em...) Blake Lively had a Herculean task here, and carried it through with the prowess and credibility of a far more seasoned actor. It can't be easy to flex one's thespian chops whilst sitting on a rock in the blazing sun in nothing but essentially underpants, facing seemingly insurmountable odds, and with no-one to talk to who can actually talk back... Just ask Tom Hanks. I would have enjoyed this movie if Blake had just sat on the rock in her bikini reading the phonebook the whole time... The Scenery is breathtaking, and the way they trained that shark to do all those tricks and stunts is awe inspiring... Mad props also to Steven Seagull and the whale for their quietly supportive roles... The animal wranglers had their work cut out... All-in-all, anyone who says this movie is a waste of time obviously works as an international person-of-mystery or a Starfleet captain and has much more interesting things to do than I... Oh, and for all the experts out there, if you pause some of the drone shots and use your slide rule to compare Blake ( at 5' 10" of feminine perfection) and the shark, you will find, as I did, that at scale the shark is somewhere between 22-25 feet nose-to-tail, making a solid argument that it is female also... Proving that it is possible to make a very engaging and exciting action movie with not one but TWO female lead characters, without shoving a feminist agenda down everyone's throats... It's called acting.

Crawl (I) (2019)

They say never work with animals

[7/10 · 14 October 2020]

When I read some reviews I sometimes wonder why certain individuals even bother to watch movies... I don't expect a movie to change my core values, trigger an existential crisis or bring about world peace... I expect it to entertain me, and that is exactly what this particular movie did. For anyone who has been through a hurricane ( and I have several) the scenery and CGI brings it on home... I could practically taste the stinging cold rain on my face and feel the pressure changes in my eardrums. The cast delivered their lines in such a natural way that one could be forgiven for believing they were just normal everyday people fighting their way through a terrible situation. Barry Pepper never disappoints, and much kudos to kaya Scodelario... Not just for pulling off the generic American accent, but for carrying the film as a female protagonist who is believable both in her actions, reactions and limitations, not afraid to have her mascara run, and not needing to emasculate every male in the supporting cast to prove her feminine superiority... Take notes angels and busters. I was thrilled that not one scene had her taking out seven angry 'gators with frickin' laser beams on their heads using only her feminine pluck and an origami crane made of rice-paper... There are plenty of jump scares and spine chilling suspense to keep the (simple) plot moving... Lastly, what can I say about Cso-Cso's riveting performance as "Sugar" the dog... Rarely has so much emotion been conveyed with such limited dialogue... Reminiscent of the days of Chaplin and Keaton... Bravo

Hubie Halloween (2020)

No Uncut Gems or Funny People here

[5/10 · 14 October 2020]

Just classic Sandler... But then that's pretty much what this movie is all about, it's just a quirky, light-hearted, seasonal flick that relies heavily on nostalgia and some admittedly cute cameos. Grab your Thermos, put your kid-helmet on and enjoy the (bike) ride...

Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs (2019)

Move over Carrie and Imelda

[7/10 · 14 October 2020]

Do yourself a favour and watch this movie... I watched it without my kids 'cause they're far too old for it now. I almost overlooked it thinking it would just be a cheap Pixar knock-off, but now I'm glad I didn't. The animation is solid, the voice acting near flawless, and the story/ character development on-point... You almost forget it's a bunch of goofy little green guys trying to punch above their weight class. Ok it's not as good as original Shrek, but on-par if not better than the sequels, and I found my self chuckling out-loud at points, and almost tearing up at others... Good stuff... Sniff. Hell, you might even want to let your kids watch it with ya...

Archive (2020)

Remember to make a backup

[7/10 · 14 October 2020]

This is a solid and engaging movie running in the same vein as The Machine and Ex Machina. The main actors hook you right away and then just keep reeling you in through some of the slower scenes. The scenery is beautiful and you might even want a blanket, and the tech doesn't seem out of place for the time... Not much more to say that hasn't been said already, but it deals with some heady themes; love, loss, longing... and the hubris of man's incessant fascination with immortality to the point of losing sight of the true meaning of life... Whatever that is. Even the robots did a great job and hardly fumbled with any of their lines, R2 and 3PO would be proud. It's all balanced out with a fair bit of action and suspense that might even keep the Bay and Cameron fans on the hook to the end...

I'm even giving and extra star for sexy robot... I'm looking at you J2...

The Doorman (2020)

A Rose by any other name...

[5/10 · 14 October 2020]

Would still look like she's wearing her big brother's hand-me-down clothes. Ruby darling... If you want to continue playing believable action roles, either stick to the gunplay, or pack another 20 lbs onto that 5' 7" frame of yours... Don't get me wrong, you are easy on the eyes, but there's only so much suspension-of-disbelief one man can muster. I did enjoy your acting though, warm and sincere when needed and tough enough when required, to be almost believable... I said almost. Mr. Aksel walked a tight line between the acting and the action, and as always Mr. Reno doesn't disappoint. It's almost a shame Jean Reno did Leon: The Professional, because ever since it's all anyone can compare his performances to... It's as if we forget that his most animated scene in that movie was an awful impersonation of John Wayne. The rest of the cast pulled their weight and I was happy not to suffer through blubbering/hysterical hostages... Yes this movie has been done before, but haven't they all? This movie will pass the time without hurting your head, and if you look carefully, you might catch an homage to Reno's earlier masterclass.

Watch this with your feminist significant other, and root for the good guy (er... girl... woman... female)