TharsheyN Reviews

Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire (2023)

The Mother World Is Here!

[8/10 · 2 May 2024]

Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child Of Fire is the start of the Rebel Moon Trilogy. It follows the moon of Veldt and a small farming village upon it as a Motherworld warship stops to buy grain from the villagers. What follows is defiance by the villagers and the threat of them all being wiped out. The movies story follows Kora an ex-imperium soldier and once bodyguard to the Crown Princess Issa a child gifted with power and expected to usher in a new era for the Motherworld.

The story follows the adventures of Kora as she tries to recruit other warriors to defend the village from the motherworld warship and it's sadistic Admiral Atticus Noble. Overall an enjoyable enough story but a bit slow, though hints at a deeper mystery surrounding the Motherworld and the assassination of it's royal family and ascension of regent Balasarius are dropped through out. Look forward to more and to seeing how the story and world continues to develop in future installments.

The cast is pretty awesome with wonderful performances from everyone including Sofia Boutella as Kora, Ed Skrein as Atticus Noble, Charlie Hunnam as Kai, Djimon Hounsou as General Titus, Stuart Martin and Anthony Hopjins to name but a few.

The VFX and SFX however is the biggest draw of the movie with absolutely insane visuals and a enthralling soundtrack.

Overall a solid and well deserved 8/10 from me. Not everyone may agree, but I see potential to the Rebel Moon film series and I'm definitely interested in seeing and learning more about the history of the Motherworld and what happened to the royal family that allowed Balisarius to ascend to regent of the Motherworld. The movie has a decent enough storyline that once again I'm interested in learning more about, a star studded cast and brilliant VFX and SFX.

Battlecreek (2017)

A Solid, Lovely Little Romance Thriller!

[7/10 · 21 April 2024]

Battlecreek follows a boy Henry who can't go out in the sun due to a skin condition he has. He insteads spends his evenings out and about around his small town. Everything changes when a girl, Alison gets stuck in the town due to her car breaking down. They soon become friends and eventually more all the while her past tracks her down. The storyline is pretty interesting and also decently paced so you don't end up bored or lacking something interesting happening on screen.

The casting is lovely with Bill Skarsgård doing a great job as Henry, the beautiful Claire Van Der Boom playing our mysterious Alison. We have Delroy Lindo playing Arthur, the local mechanic and father figure that Henry never had at home. We also have Paula Malcomson playing Henry's mother. So solid casting overall and good performances by them all.

The VFX and SFX are fine as well, nothing crazy in terms of VFX really but nice audio and soundtrack.

Overall a solid 7/10 from me, It's a nice little romance/thriller and is interesting enough though a bit slow at times. It has a solid main and supporting cast and good soundtracks.

Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)

A Rather Disappointing Sequel :(

[6/10 · 11 April 2024]

The story for Kung Fu Panda 4 unlike it's predecessors just doesn't fit in well with the Kung Fu Panda universe. In Number one we have the introduction of Po and the furious five and masters Shifu and Oogway along with the valley of peace and the whole world of Kung Fu Panda. In number 2 we get the backstory surrounding Po and what happened to the Panda's along with an absolutely superb villain in the form of Lord Shen. While in number 3 we have the legendary General Kai and we get the backstory surrounding Master Oogway and Kai as well as the power of Chi. Like seriously Kai was absolutely awesome, he wasn't there for power but because of his history with Oogway someone he considered a brother once, who betrayed him in his eyes. All the villains from the first 3 stories had really great backgrounds and history with interesting motives and a wonderful screen presence.

In this 4th movie we get some random chameleon that wants to take over the world because why not and her grand plan is bring back masters from the spirit world and steal their kung fu moves using Po's/Oogway's staff. Chameleon has none of Tai Lung's potential and fall from glory or Shen's emotional background and style or General Kai's awesome power and skill. In fact seeing our favourite villains back on the big screen only to see them humiliated and used for a quick buck is honestly just disappointing and a disservice to their characters. So story wise I have to say that while it's okay as a standalone movie it's honestly not very good at all as a Kung Fu Panda movie and sequel.

In terms of characters the new character Zhen is about as bad as her master the Chameleon. She is slightly better overall but still lacks any sort of depth or character development. Plus the actress who voices her Awkwafina just doesn't have a voice I like, so listening to her character the entire movie was kinda annoying. Anyway besides Zhen and Chameleon the rest of the characters were okay except again our favorite villains being ruined and of course the furious five not being apart of the movie or Po's adventures at all.

The best part is definitely the VFX and SFX which was really great. Didn't see anything wrong with it and quite enjoyed it personally so there is that at least.

Overall I give Kung Fu Panda 4 a 6/10. It's enjoyable and I was really looking forward to another Kung Fu Panda movie so I would say give it a watch if you're a fan. However the story is plain, the characters are lacking thoug the VFX and SFX are great at least.

Dune: Part Two (2024)

For House Atreides!

[8/10 · 8 April 2024]

To start this review off I have to say that I have read the first 3 books in the series and will be comparing the movie to how it held up against the source material. That being said let's get to it, Dune Part 2 follows the events of the first movie which is still set within the first book.

In terms of story it's interesting and fascinating and is a beautiful introduction to the world of Dune. Though considering the storyline is all already there and developed decades before, it shouldn't really be that hard to make a movie about it. Dune however is a pretty hard series to adapt with the later books probably being best if left at books without any big screen adaptations. So in this regard I have to say that the movie is a really good adaptation of it's source material. It follows it quite well, which honestly many movies nowadays seem absolutely unable or unwilling to do and are instead focused on changing it completely and ruining it (Artemis Fowl, Vampire Academy Series, Percy Jackson Series etc), thankfully that is not the case with Dune and the changes that are made are small and help to develop the story or move it along in a way so that cinema audiences understand what is happening within the world that they have been presented on the screen. For example the ending and the Fremen Jihad and Paul's confrontation with the Landsraad.

In terms of cast we have Timothée (Paul Atreides), Zendaya (Chani), Rebecca Ferguson (Lady Jessica), Josh Brolin (Gurney Halleck), Dave Bautista (Beast Rabban), Stellan Skarsgård (Baron Vladimir Harkonnen), Charlotte Rampling (Reverend Mother Mohiam), and Javier Bardem (Stilgar) reprising their roles from the first film, with Austin Butler (Feyd-Rautha), Florence Pugh (Princess Irulan), Christopher Walken (Emperor Shaddam IV) and Léa Seydoux (Lady Margot Fenring) joining the cast in this movie. Brilliant performances from the entire cast even if I wasn't a fan of how certain characters were changed like Chani.

The VFX and SFX were obviously outstanding with the films massive budget and actual time spent on the special effects unlike the rushed jobs Marvel has been putting out recently.

Overall a really well deserved 8/10 from me. The movie is brilliantly adapted in most cases with changes being done well and helping the film for the most part rather then taking away from it. The cast is superb with some brilliant new additions and the special effects and soundtrack are just works of art. Definitely give this a watch if you enjoyed the first film or are a fan of the books.

Dear Dictator (2017)

A Little Dictatorship Never Hurt Anyone :)

[7/10 · 8 April 2024]

Dear Dictator follows the lives of Dictator General Anton Vincent and rebel teen Tatiana Mills who admires him and becomes his pen-pal of sorts to meeting her hero in real life. The story sounds pretty decent and overall is pretty good with General Anton Vincent teaching Tatiana how to sieze power in her high school from this movies version of The Plastics. However while it's alright and I'm sure you'll still enjoy it, it just doesn't stand out or really shine at all in any place.

The cast is actually pretty damn awesome with the legendary Sir Michael Caine playing Dictator General Anton Vincent, Follow that up with the absolutely stunning Odeya Rush and you have quite a great cast already, especially when both their performances are just absolutely top notch! Playing Darlene Mills, Tatiana's mother, you have Katie Holmes who also does a solid job alongside Seth Green and Jason Biggs among the supporting cast.

The VFX and SFX is pretty decent as well so no complaints there either.

Overall a well deserved 7/10 from me, though at this point any movie featuring Odeya Rush is probably getting an extra point or so simply for having her in it. That being said it's a good story with some useless additions that would have been better left out alongside a really great cast who do their best to shine in their roles. Round it off with good visuals and sounds and it's an enjoyable movie to watch on a weekend during your spare time.

Freaks of Nature (2015)

Freakishly Fun And An Enjoyable Watch!

[9/10 · 5 April 2024]

Freaks Of Nature follows the town of Dillford when its invaded by aliens, however Dillford's population is already made up of humans, zombies and vampires so as you can imagine adding aliens into the mix is definitely going to make things even crazier. The storyline is really enjoyable and I loved the wacky, fun nature of the movie and it's mix and match town of wacky weirdos.

The cast is brilliant with the gorgeous Vanessa Hudgens as Lorelei, An amazing performance from Nicholas Braun as our leading man Dag. The beautiful Mackenzie Davis plays Petra our kick ass vampire girl and Josh Fadem plays Ned our super smart zombie guy. Along with a supporting cast of Bob Odenkirk, Denis Leary and Keegan-Michael Key the movie is brim fill of acting talent.

The VFX and SFX which could have been the one thing that let the movie down turned out to be really great. With solid makeup for the actors and special effects.

Overall a well deserved 9/10 from me for a well done movie with a enjoyable story, solid cast and great visuals!

Idiocracy (2006)

The Dumbest Movie Ever!

[9/10 · 1 April 2024]

I will start off by saying while many people look at this film and say it's putting down x people or saying something about y group of people I simply look at this film and see it as an entertaining movie about a funny little what if scenario, that is all.

So with that being said in terms of storyline, a movie about the dumbest of dumb people, honestly turned out more interesting then I thought it would. Though it was also dumber then expected but hey that was to be expected haha. Enjoyable storyline, better then I expected it would be and had a solid start, middle ground and lovely ending.

The cast was really good for this type of movie with lovely performances from Luke Wilson as Joe Bauers the now smartest man in the world, Maya Rudolph as Rita a former stripper turned first land and smartest woman on the planet, Terry Crews as President Camacho and Dax Shephard as Frito.

The effects were solid though there honestly wasn't much of them to be honest. Still good VFX and SFX.

A well deserved 9/10 from me for the laughs I had, the enjoyable story and good performances from the cast as well as the nice VFX and SFX.

Pandorum (2009)

Alien Level But So Much More!

[8/10 · 1 April 2024]

Pandorum's story is that of the ship Elysium, Humanity's final hope it would seem and all that's left of the human race as they make their way to colonize Tanis. The story follows two officers who awake from hypersleep, Lieutenant Payton (Dennis Quaid) and Corporal Bower (Ben Foster) as they try to fix what's wrong with their ship while discovering it's dark secrets and what has happened on board in the last 123 years they've been aboard. While battling cannibalistic humanoid monsters, hallucinations and memory loss, this leads to a dark but interesting storyline for the viewer.

The cast is pretty much perfect with an absolutely superb performance by Dennis Quaid as Lieutenant Payton. A strong performance by Ben Foster as Corporal Bower who has to carry the film alone for quite a while before running into the beautiful Nadia played by Antje Traue who also gives us a lovely, strong character and performance. The supporting cast of Cam Gigandet as Corporal Gallow, Eddie Rouse as Leland and Cung Le as Manh all do lovely jobs as well with what screen time they have.

The special effects and sounds are all brilliantly done and add to the dark, foreboding and scary atmosphere presented to the viewer throughout the movie.

Overall a well deserved 8/10 from me for a solid, entertaining storyline, a brilliant cast and great VFX and SFX.

I, Frankenstein (2014)

Not The Usual Frankenstein Movie

[7/10 · 27 March 2024]

I, Frankenstein unlike it's name suggests is not the usual Victor Frankenstein, Frankenstein's monster movie you would expect. It follows the battle between good and evil and their war to save or destroy humanity as we know it.

The story is actually not to bad even if it does start off seeming like it would be a low budget, low effort kind of movie. The story follows Frankenstein's monster Adam as he falls into the middle of a war between Gargoyles and Demons aka Good and Evil. The demons as you would expect want to take over the world while the Gargoyles are there to save humanity and keep evil at bay. Pretty standard story but still interesting and entertaining.

The cast is actually really good, with a lot of well known actors. We have Aaron Eckhart playing Adam, Mirando Otto (Aka Eowyn) playing Queen Leonore, Bill Nighy as Prince Naberius, Yvonne Strahovski as Terra, Jai Courtney as Gideon and Caitlin Stasey as Keziah. Overall a pretty star studded cast and they all give us really good performances. Definitely enjoyed seeing them all in I, Frankenstein.

The weakest part of the movie is the VFX and SFX. It's not bad by any means but the death effects for the Demons were kind of weirdish. Still outside of that the rest of the special effects were all pretty good.

Overall a well deserved 7/10 from me. Solid storyline, good cast and decent enough special effects all leads to a pretty good movie that I enjoyed and I'm sure you will to.

When Evil Lurks (2023)

Genuinely Scary, A Rarity Nowadays!

[8/10 · 27 March 2024]

When Evil Lurks is a spanish horror movie and after watching so many western/hollywood ones I had honestly forgotten what it is like to watch a horror that genuinely frightens you and that makes you want to turn away from the screen, close your eyes or even throw up. When Evil Lurks does all that and more.

The story follows two brothers who find a Rotten, basically someone who is infected/possessed and going to give "birth" to a demon. In the meanwhile people around it get possessed/infected and everything goes downhill as towns wipe themselves off the map. The story is really good, it is entertaining and full of action and delivers the information you need to understand what is happening at just the right time and in the perfect manner. Overall really, really well done story.

The cast is really great, no one I know or am familiar with, but they all did really great jobs and the acting was really on point throughout the whole movie.

The VFX and SFX was absolutely fantastic, like seriously the deaths and what they actually show is just pure gruesome and scary and makes you want to just look away at some points. Absolutely well done visual effects!

Overall a 8/10 from me, The movie has a really good storyline, a lovely cast that bring their characters to life on screen and above all some insanely good special effects for the viewer to enjoy or be grossed out at.

Dark Harvest (2023)

A Decent Harvest Horror Flick!

[6/10 · 26 March 2024]

Dark Harvest follows the events of a town who every year have to fight a monster from the fields and kill it before it reaches the church in order to have a good crop or so they believe.

The storyline is actually pretty decent for the movie and I found it to be entertaining enough to ensure there is never a dull moment. Especially with the big twist near the ending which will really take you by surprise.

In terms of casting it's a cast of actors I am not familiar with but that being said they all did an alright job, nothing to really criticize. I did however notice Elizabeth Reaser who plays Esme Cullen in twilight and she does a lovely job for the few seconds of screen time she gets.

The effects are probably the best part with a pretty real looking harvest monster and some cool death scenes.

Overall a solid 6/10 from me, good story, decent cast and effects and worth watching to kill some time or see a harvest horror/thriller film.

The Beekeeper (2024)

Our World Needs A Beekeeper!

[9/10 · 23 March 2024]

The Beekeeper follows Adam Clay a clandestine Beekeeper operative, someone whose sole job is to ensure the nation and world runs correctly. If there is an issue he solves it, even if that issue is the president of the USA and her child. Whatever threatens the stability of the nation and the world the Beekeepers are there to solve the problem and keep the world turning in the right direction.

I won't say anymore outside of I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline. I will also add that while many movies that have a really strong character have them end up struggling against some big buff dude or something along those lines, which always feels really cheap this movie does not do that for which I am grateful.

The cast is pretty great with Jason Statham doing an absolutely fantastic job as "The Beekeeper" Adam Clay. Follow that up with a brilliant job from Jeremy Irons as Wallace Westwyld and Josh Hutcherson as Derek Danforth and you have for the most part some very good characters and actors.

However the one performance I did not like at all was Emmy Raver-Lampman as Agent Verona Parker. I won't say it was all the actresses fault though as her character is heavily to blame as well. Her mother was just killed and instead of helping the man whose avenging her mum's death she tries to help the people who killed her... I leave it to you to make your own decisions on her character.

There was however something that I absolutely loved and that was Taylor James's character Lazarus, a gun for hire yes but not just any gun for a hire, he is a South African gun for hire. My sister and I always joke about every major Hollywood movie having one random reference or something to South Africa and here we ended up getting a whole character with some decent screen time and a stereotypical "Afrikaner" style accent . As a South African I whole heartedly approve, So long as we get our little reference or nod to our beautiful country I am more than satisfied haha.

The VFX and SFX were absolutely spectacular and I loved every fight scene and watching Adam Clay fix the hive.

Overall a 9/10 from me, loved everything besides the character of Agent Verona which is were the movie loses a star for me.

Monsters: Dark Continent (2014)

A Really Disappointing Sequel

[3/10 · 22 March 2024]

Unlike the first movie this one had nothing in terms of story, character development etc.

To start with the story is just a mess, they made this movie as a sequel to the previous one but it's got nothing that truly makes it a sequel. In fact the only thing similar to the first movie is the monsters. So in terms of story you honestly won't really be entertained.

The characters are really boring, in the first movie we got to know our 2 main characters a bit and feel for them. Here I honestly couldn't care less if they lived or died.

The effects and sounds were honestly not that great either. It could have been a lot worse though so I guess I'm happy it was alright at least.

Overall wouldn't recommend watching this movie, even if you are a fan of the first one, as this one is nothing like it. A 3/10 from me and that's being generous.

Blast from the Past (1999)

An Old But Gold Romantic Comedy!

[9/10 · 17 March 2024]

After all the trash that is being turned out of Hollywood these days this was honestly a real Blast from the Past in terms of just being a good movie, enjoyable and entertaining all around.

Blast from the Past stars Brendan Fraser as Adam, Alicia Silverstone as Eve, Christopher Walken as Adam's dad and Sissy Spacek as his mother.

The acting is all really great with an incredible lead performance from Brendan Fraser, seriously I'm used to only seeing him in The Mummy movies but this was honestly great to see another side to his acting talents. To follow that up we have the absolutely beautiful Alicia Silverstone, who also gives us a truly incredible performance. Christopher Walken and Sissy Spacek both give us really good performances as well as Adam's very intelligent but also slightly crazy/eccentric parents.

In terms of the storyline it was honestly really refreshing, it was simple yet entertaining and enjoyable with no dull moments and a lot of laughs. Really liked the story, from a fake bomb scare leading a family to spend 35 years underground to their son whose never seen the world finally emerging a pretty refined gentleman but out of his time in the modern world to finding love and bringing his parents up to date with the modern world.

The VFX and SFX are great, I'm watching it in 2024 a movie made in 1999 and it looks and sounds better then some of the stuff coming out of Hollywood at the moment on massive million dollar budgets. The effects truly do hold up even today so don't let that put you off watching it.

Overall a very well deserved 9/10 from me. The acting is top tier, with Brendan Fraser and the beautiful Alicia Silverstone being strong lead actors and backed up by a great supporting cast. The storyline is simple, enjoyable and fill of laugher at just the right moments. Combined with great VFX and SFX and you truly have a good film for the entire family to enjoy.

Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024– )

A Review Full Of Controversy (Probably)

[6/10 · 27 February 2024]

I am going to start off by saying this, I am currently rewatching the OG avatar series so the differences and nuances from the animated show compared to this one are all fresh in my mind. Secondly I was first introduced to the world of ATLA by the 2010 movie and fell in love with certain casting choices from the movie, such as the beautiful Seychelle Gabriel as Princess Yue, Dev Patel as Zuko, Summer Bishil as our fiery Princess Azula (for the 5 seconds you see her) and Cliff Curtis and Shaun Toub as Fire Lord Ozai and Uncle Iroh. Not the most accurate castings I know but ones I fell in love with. I also liked the actor for Sokka, Jackson Rathbone and Nicola Peltz and Noah Ringer for Katara and Aang.

So that being said lets get into the review for the 2024 ATLA show.

Starting off with the casting, while it's not the cast I fell in love with 14 years ago on the movie (which I know everyone hates) it is a more accurate casting to the original characters so as much as I would want to I can't fault them there. However what I can fault the cast for or maybe the director is the terrible acting. Now before everyone starts yelling at me and saying the acting is amazing go and watch the OG show again and you will see just how wooden the performances we get in the live action show are.

Aang is the worst with the Katara actress just being super shy and unable to express emotion properly, though this could just be due to how her character is written and the fact that Katara has unfortunately had a lot of her character depth removed in the show. On the other hand the actress who plays her, Kiawentiio is very beautiful and I do look forward to seeing her in future projects and in season 2 after she has had some more time to develop her skills further. My beloved Sokka is no where near as fun, bubbly and full of funny remarks as he is in the animated show, though once again this is also partially due to the script and the fact that those moments are just not included in the show. Ian Ousley is not a bad casting choice but I don't really like the casting choice very much as I just feel that Jackson Rathbone is a better embodiment of Sokka.

Princess Yue is played by the absolutely beautiful Amber Midthunder, who I am a fan of from her performance in the prequel Predator film Prey. While I enjoyed her performance here quite a lot I just couldn't get into it as every time I saw her hair aka that terrible wig they have her wearing it just throws me off completely. Seychelle Gabriel who plays Princess Yue in the movie is just as beautiful and unlike poor Amber is blessed with an actual realistic looking wig and beautiful blue eyes that enhances her characters beauty rather then take away from it. I do wish that Netflix had made Amber's eyes blue in the show as well via the use of contacts or something so she could more closely resemble her animated counter-part.

Zuko is okay to be honest but that's it, just okay. He definitely needs some fixing in the script so that his actor Dallas Liu has more to work with. Dev Patel while having barely anything to actually work with gave us a glimpse of the depth and character he could bring to Zuko given a better script and still gave us a really great performance. Azula on the other hand is terrible, I'm sorry but I just can't for the life of me see the show Azula as Azula at all. In the 5 seconds in the movie where I get to see Summer Bishil as Azula she makes me see her as highly intelligent, beautiful, eager to please her father and very, very powerful and dangerous. The casting choices for Mai and Ty Lee were just terrible, like I honestly don't know what the casting director was thinking there. Plus they shouldn't even have been introduced in season 1 and the introduction they did get was them just standing around watching Azula practice.

The actor for fire lord Ozai, Daniel Dae Kim is honestly not bad at all, I have nothing negative to say there and will actually say that his performance was really enjoyable though I do love Cliff Curtis as an actor. Paul Lee who plays Uncle Iroh is alright as well but I loved Shaun Toub's portrayal and can't help but compare the two and personally I liked Shaun's more (if only he had a good script to work with!).

An honorable mention is to the absolutely stunning Maria Zhang who plays Suki and whose portrayal of the character I absolutely loved! She really gave me the vibes of the OG animated show Suki and just did a wonderful job overall so props to her for her performance!

To round it off, in terms of acting the show is very wooden, without the expressive characters and emotions and interactions we have come to love in the OG show.

Next up we have storyline and while it's far more faithful to the OG show then the movie was I still am not happy with it, it feels very rushed with random things taken from other seasons of the OG show and mashed together. So while it is more accurate to the animated show I still hate what they did to it, for example they got rid of my boy Avatar Roku and replaced him with Kyoshi as Aang's go to avatar guide, which there was absolutely no need to do. This also completely destroys the importance of Avatar Roku and his connection to Fire Lord Sozin, Prince Zuko and the start of the 100 years war. The character development is also really bad with Aang, Sokka, Katara, Zuko and Azula no longer being the characters we love so much from the OG show. Sokka is no longer our misogynistic, sarcastic guy who develops into a well rounded and loved character. Also King Bumi is just a bitter, resentful old guy filled with rage now, gone is his wisdom and fun loving personality. So story wise while it's not bad, especially if you haven't watched the original cartoon, it is not to my liking and I am definitely disappointed with it. The parts I did enjoy was the little scenes taken directly from the OG show such as Master Pakku seeing his reflection in the ice piece Katara throws at him during their duel, The cabbage guy yelling "My Cabbages" etc.

To round it off what I'm trying to say is while the storyline is alright, they have ruined the depth and personality that made many of the characters who they are and that had profound impacts on them throughout their journey and helped shape their development throughout the story. The fact the OG show creators left citing Netflix not following their vision for it just drives the point home.

In terms of visual and sound effects the show shines. Seriously this is by far the best part of the show, which is kind of sad since I was hoping to be praising the acting, casting and story more than VFX and SFX. The sound effects and theme song are all actually really good, no real complaints there. The visuals are also really great to see and look awesome. There is a reason you see most instagram clips and stuff praising the VFX/SFX.

With all that praise heaped on the VFX and SFX there is one thing I have to comment on and that is the god awful costumes, wigs and world itself. What I mean by this is very simple, in the 2010 movie what M. Night Shyamalan was able to do very successfully was make a world that looked and felt real, the characters wore outfits and clothing that felt lived in and worn and the wigs used all looked and felt natural and real. In the show none of this is done unfortunately, the wigs look fake and just plopped onto the actors head, the clothing all looks and feels fake for lack of a better word, like it's not been lived in or used in real life at all and the world itself screams of tons of CGI without the authenticity that M. Night Shyamalans world brought to us in terms of it's looks and feel.

The final thing to talk about is the bending styles and I'm sorry to say but it is absolutely terrible. I don't know what they were thinking when they decided to go ahead with these but they are all literal copy and pastes of one another and it sucks that they all look the same. The OG avatar has each bending style based of a different martial art with the 4 being Tai-Chi, Hung Ga, Baguazhang and Northern Shaolin which results in really cool looking and unique bending styles for each element. Unfortunately the live action show completely throws this out the window.

Overall I will give the show a 6/10 as it's got brilliant VFX and SFX thanks to 2024 technology as well as quite an accurate cast and some cool scenes taken straight from the OG animated show. There are also a few really well done acting performances that I enjoyed. However it loses 4 stars for the overall wooden acting, lack of personality and character development as well as the terrible bending forms and mishmash of a storyline. Still if you are someone whose never seen anything Avatar The Last Airbender before then definitely give the show a watch (Or the movie since the storyline won't effect you then having not seen anything ATLA related before) if you want something live action otherwise go watch the OG animated show.

Thanksgiving (I) (2023)

Bloody, Gruesome Horror Slasher!

[8/10 · 13 January 2024]

Thanksgiving is a horror slasher that is truly entertaining and was first premiered as a little fake trailer within the movie Grindhouse.

In terms of story it's pretty simple just like most old slasher films are. The movie follows a riot at a black friday special on thanksgiving where many are injured or even killed. A year later and someone is killing all those they deem responsible for the massacre. The story follows a group of friends who having been seen on a video made that evening are now being hunted down by the masked killer. Honestly overall it's fun, each death/killing is different and unique and if you enjoy slasher films this one is definitely for you!

The cast is pretty great as well with Patrick Dempsey playing the local sheriff and absolutely killing it in the role. We also have Milo Manheim from the Z. O. M. B. I. E. S movie playing Ryan and I for one loved his performance and I'm sure everyone else will as well. We also have Rick Hoffman, Gina Gershon, Jalen Thomas Brooks and Addison Rae among others. The main actress is Nell Verlaque and she is both incredibly beautiful and insanely talented! Her performance was amazing and I look forward to seeing her in any sequels made as well as in other productions.

The VFX and SFX were awesome! There was blood and gore everywhere with awesome kill sequences and creatives deaths throughout the entire movie. Really well done for me!

Overall a well deserved 8/10. In a time when a lot of movies are no longer loyal to their roots Thanksgiving still manages to show it's old slasher movie roots and I'd recommend it to anyone whose a fan of the genre either for it's creative kills and mystery or for the performances from the cast especially it's beautiful leading lady Nell Verlaque!

Ticks (1993)

Mutated Tick Menace

[6/10 · 30 December 2023]

Ticks (1993) is a creature-feature horror film that, despite its B-movie charm and memorable moments, falls short of cult status. The plot revolves around a group of troubled teens attending a wilderness therapy retreat, only to encounter genetically mutated ticks that wreak havoc in the forest.

The storyline of Ticks is a mix of typical horror tropes and creature-feature elements. The concept is interesting and provides some thrills and laughs while also offering a few gruesome moments. The film's saving grace lies in its commitment to the genre.

The characters, portrayed by a cast including Peter Scolari, Seth Green and Ami Dolenz bring a certain level of charisma to the screen. However, the character development is limited, and some of the performances lean into stereotypical horror movie archetypes. The result is a cast that, while entertaining, struggles to elevate the film beyond its creature-feature roots.

Seth Green as our main man Tyler does a good job of moving the film along with a hint of romance even with Virginya Keehne's character Melissa.

The beautiful Ami Dolenz unfortunately doesn't have much to do in the film as her only purpose seems to be for eye candy for the viewer, which she unfortunately fails as, as well due to her character not being given any eye candy moments.

The practical effects used to bring the mutated ticks to life are a mix of grotesque and amusing. The film doesn't shy away from the gore, and the practical effects contribute to the B-movie aesthetic. Despite the dated nature of the effects, they add a certain nostalgic charm to the viewing experience.

Ticks' main strength lies in its ability to deliver some genuinely suspenseful and creepy moments. The tension builds effectively, and the film doesn't hold back when it comes to delivering on the horror elements. The practical effects, while dated, add a visceral quality to the creature scenes, making them memorable in their own right.

In the end, Ticks secures a 6/10 rating. It's a movie that knows its place within the horror genre, providing an entertaining but somewhat predictable experience. For fans of '90s creature features and B-movie horror, Ticks offers a nostalgic trip back to a time when practical effects and campy scares were the order of the day. I'd recommend giving it a watch for any one wanting some scares and laughs due to some little arachnids.

Miracle Beach (1992)

Funny, Light-hearted And Enjoyable!

[8/10 · 22 December 2023]

Miracle Beach follows Scotty McKay a simple, nice yet slightly idiotic guy who finds a genie in a lamp, whose there to grant his every wish. The movie is funny, it's enjoyable and it's definitely worth seeing though it is also a bit silly and stupid at times and markets itself as a cheap, made for tv movie rather then a solid film about love and romance and comedy.

The story as mentioned follows Scotty McKay (Dean Cameron) whose life seems to falling down around him until he chances on a beggar Gus (Pat Morita) who gives him a lamp/bottle thing that results in him having his very own Genie! The films main story is Scotty going from beach bum to rich, successful guy trying to woe the tall, hot sexy model Dana Stanford (Felicity Waterman) his got his eyes on.

The underlining story however is what makes the film truly good and that is his Genie Jeannie Peterson (Ami Dolenz) whose bubbly, full of energy and excitement and has the most amazing smile, who just so happens to be falling in love with Scotty. She is pretty much any guys dream girl with her bubbly personality and strong character not to mention her stunning beauty and cuteness throughout the film. Along with that we also have 2 of Scotty really stupid friends who spend their time partying, drinking and trying to pickup woman. They serve more as comedic release then having any actually important role but they're fine overall.

The cast is pure awesomeness, seriously! We start out with Dean Cameron who plays Scotty and keeps us all entertained with his performance.

Next up we have the beautiful Felicity Waterman who plays model Dana and while her character has no depth it's fine as she is quite literally just meant to be a pretty object of desire throughout the film and in that regard she does a fine job indeed.

Finally we have Ami Bluebell Dolenz who plays the cutest, most beautiful genie ever seen in a movie Jeannie Peterson! She is truly the star of the show, like seriously her energy, personality and beauty make the movie 100 times better then it otherwise would be. She is also pretty much the only character that is actually likeable and that the audience will be rooting for throughout the movie. Absolutely incredible performance by Ami Dolenz for her portrayal of Jeannie!

Our supporting cast all do brilliant jobs as well especially Pat Morita as Gus and Scotty's 2 friends.

The VFX and SFX are brilliant, no complaints there. I'm watching this movie in 2023 and it's made in 1992 but the genie's effects are fine and honestly hold up perfectly well even today.

Overall a very well deserved 8/10 from me! I enjoyed the storyline it was quite decent for the most part, The casting was superb especially our main characters Scotty, Jeannie and Dana. The effects are great and I'd definitely recommend giving this one a watch.

The only negatives I have about the movie is the fact that Scotty is a total, bloody idiot. It's probably from hanging out with his 2 friends who are even dumber then him to be honest. Scotty is after a model who anyone with half a brain cell can see is a gold digger and who is cheating on poor Scotty from the time she first meets him till the end. He completely misses what's under his nose the entire time, his beautiful, smart, funny best friend and genie Jeannie. It's only at the very, very end with literally seconds to go that he realizes what his missing out on in pursuit of Dana and does a 180 and gets the girl before it's to late. Minus one point for this and minus the second point for the movie being to short. It needed another 20 minutes at least that would have expanded on Jeannie a bit more, her character and her relationship with Scotty rather then the 30 second montage clip we get instead.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023)

A Well Done Book To Movie Adaption!

[7/10 · 12 December 2023]

The Ballad of Songbirds And Snakes is a solid movie, it's an adaptation of the book of the same name and does a lovely job of following the source material. The storyline as one might guess follows the books, which is the 10th annual hunger games and the point at which they really turn the hunger games into a show, a spectacle with rewards for the victors. As already said the movie follows the books pretty closely so in terms of story all I can say is well done there. They had the source material and they followed it. The only negative I have is them skipping some important parts especially for those like me who've read the book and wonder where the heck did that scene go, I know the movie is already quite long but another 15m and they could have included all the missing 30s to 1m scenes that were not included in the movie but where quite significant in the books. Like for example Corio's adoption by Sejanus's father at the end among many others.

The cast is pretty solid overall. We have the beautiful Rachel Zegler playing our heroine Lucy Gray and I think she does a pretty admirable job in her role. She does a good job at singing all the songs Lucy Gray does in the books and she manages to get Lucy's personality down quite well as well which is nice to see. The only complaint I have is her character not being quite right which is not even her fault it's just the difficulties of trying to move her character from paper to screen.

Tom Blyth plays Coriolanus Snow and brings him to life on screen. He perfectly portrays Snow's character and personality and most of his nuances as well on the big screen. Lovely casting decision there and I for one really enjoyed his performance.

The supporting cast consisting off but not limited to Hunter Schafer as Tigris, Peter Dinklage as Professor Highbottom and Jason Schwartzman as Lucretius "Lucky" Flickerman all do amazing jobs in their respective roles. The only casting I'm unhappy with is Viola Davis as they race swapped her character, That is also the reason the movie loses a star from me. That being said she still does a great job as head game maker and gives us a memorable performance.

The VFX and SFX are great, I didn't notice any issues there and the music from Lucy Gray and the Covey makes for sweet listening.

Overall a solid film and more importantly a good prequel to the Hunger Games movies and books we all know and love. A well deserved 7/10 from me with my only wish now being a book and then movie made on Haymitch's games in full, Finnick's, Johanna's etc.

Angels & Demons (2009)

Sprawling Mystery Through The Vatican!

[10/10 · 7 December 2023]

Angels & Demons revolves around the Vatican City and more importantly the Vatican Church. It follows many legends and histories of the church and brings it all together to form a captivating tale following the Vatican and the Illuminati and a struggle between them that spans centuries. The storyline is absolutely intriguing and has many twists and turns throughout it. The ending as well will have you at the edge of your seat and just a very enjoyable movie with a lovely story.

The cast is amazing with Tom Hanks playing our leading man Professor Robert Langdon, who leads the action and story through out the movie. We also have the beautiful Ayelet Zurer playing Professor Vittoria Vetra who along with Robert Langdon race around the Vatican trying to save it from an Anti-Matter bomb. The supporting cast is also brilliant with the likes of Ewan McGregor and Stellan Skarsgard lending their talents to the film.

The VFX and SFX are absolutely gorgeous especially the Anti-Matter bomb explosion at the end. Truly marvelous work all around.

Overall I give the film a 10/10. Why? Because it is a truly enjoyable movie with a captivating storyline, a talented cast and lovely effects. Everything missing in most movies coming out nowadays from Hollywood. I would strongly recommend giving this one a watch if you haven't seen it already.

Bedtime Stories (2008)

Decent Family Movie

[7/10 · 4 December 2023]

Bedtime Stories is a family-friendly comedy that, while delivering on the charm and humor expected from an Adam Sandler film, also introduces a slightly annoying character portrayed by Sandler himself. The storyline follows Skeeter Bronson, played by Sandler, whose mundane life takes a fantastical turn when the bedtime stories he tells his niece and nephew start to come true.

Adam Sandler's character, Skeeter Bronson, can be a bit grating at times with his typical Sandler-esque antics. While the humor is in line with Sandler's signature style, Skeeter's exaggerated personality is rather annoying and his lack of intelligence really makes you question him taking over the hotel.

Keri Russell, who plays Jill, adds a touch of beauty and warmth to the film. Her performance brings a genuine quality to the character, making her a likable and relatable presence on screen. The chemistry between Russell and Sandler contributes to the emotional core of the movie, balancing out the exaggerated humor with moments of sincerity. Though those moments are few and far between.

Teresa Palmer is also acting in the movie but has a very limited role and no character development which is fine due to her limited screen time. She does however act as eye candy and in that role she excels as she looks absolutely stunning in nearly every scene she is in.

One of the highlights of Bedtime Stories is the ridiculous yet hilarious character of Bugsy, the guinea pig. The over-the-top nature of Bugsy adds a layer of absurdity to the film and his eyes are something else entirely. Bugsy's antics and interactions provide some of the most memorable and comical moments in the movie.

The film's strength lies in its ability to blend the absurdity of the bedtime stories with relatable family dynamics. The fantasy elements, including Bugsy's antics, contribute to the overall lighthearted and entertaining atmosphere. The pacing keeps the story engaging, and the family-friendly humor ensures that Bedtime Stories is accessible to a wide audience.

While the film may not break new ground in terms of storytelling, it succeeds in delivering an enjoyable and heartwarming experience. The combination of Sandler's humor, Keri Russell's charm, and the whimsical nature of Bugsy make Bedtime Stories a fun watch, despite the occasional annoyance of Sandler's character. Plus Teresa Palmer is always there as eye candy should you truly get bored of the rest of the film.

Bedtime Stories earns a solid 7/10. It's a feel-good family film with a mix of humor and fantasy that will entertain both children and adults, even if Sandler's character may test the patience of most viewers.

John Carter (2012)

Truly A Martian Masterpiece!

[9/10 · 28 November 2023]

As someone who has read all the books I honestly believe that the movie does a great job at bringing it to the big screen and sticking to the story in such a way that it is still John Carter in essence while also making sure it's enjoyable for the viewer.

The storyline is solid, I enjoyed it even knowing what could have been if it was 100% accurate to the books, but lets be honest that is impossible and this adaptation is still amazing. I enjoyed it and I'm sure you will love the story and its twists and turns as well.

The casting is absolutely incredible, there is literally nothing I could see being better about it. Taylor Kitsch plays our leading man John Carter and absolutely kills it in his role as planet jumping, Virginia cavalryman who finds love on Mars and a cave of gold back on Earth.

The stunning Lynn Collins plays the Martian Princess Dejah Thoris, whose known in the books as the most beautiful woman on all of Mars. Lynn Collins brings that description of Dejah Thoris to life on-screen and more importantly does a wonderful job of portraying her fierceness, personality and character to all.

Willem Dafoe and Dominic West are amazing supporting cast members and bring the movie full circle. Plus Mark Strong is always great to see.

The VFX and SFX are great, Love the flying machines, weapons, costumes, everything. I have no faults with anything there.

Overall a very well deserved 9/10 from me. The storyline is great, the cast is out of this world and the effects and costumes immerse you in the world of Mars. I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested and would also recommend giving the books a read as well as they are awesome.

Vanishing on 7th Street (2010)

Decent Premise Poor Execution

[6/10 · 24 November 2023]

The movie has a pretty interesting premise about people disappearing in the dark. The only source of safety, well a source of light of course. However the execution is a bit lacking as after a while it's just watching people slowly have their light run out and they die. There is no explanation of why everything is happening nor a solid plan for the future. The way the darkness works is also weird with a single spec of light sometimes being enough to protect you but at other times it's to less and you're dead. So overall story is interesting but poorly executed and leaves the audience wondering what is happening and why.

The cast is pretty solid with Hayden Christensen playing Luke our leading survivor, Thandie Newton a out of her mind mother and fellow survivor and John Leguizamo as our resident invalid survivor as well as Jacob Latimore as the poor kid. All of them do alright jobs but nothing special to be honest, though that could be more the script then anything else.

Effects where well simple since the entire movie is dark and the only effects needed really where shadows on the walls. But I won't complain it is what it is,

Overall a 6/10 from me. I still enjoyed the film regardless and if you're bored and want to see something a bit different give it a shot.

The Creator (2023)

A Light In The Darkness That Is Hollywood

[9/10 · 19 November 2023]

Nowadays Hollywood including Marvel and DC etc, are only turning out low effort movies. Everything is made now to appeal to every "type" of community. You guys know what I mean, I can't say it here or the review will get taken down. The Creator however seems to return to more traditional film making, where all they aspire to do is create a film that is entertaining and enjoyable to watch without inserting anything into it in order to make it more appealing.

The story is the weakest part of the movie and that's not because it's bad or anything. In fact it is a very interesting storyline and I enjoyed it very much. The only thing the story actually suffers from is the numerous plot holes and not fully explained details that are mentioned. Other then that though the story is rich, interesting and carries the movie well.

The cast is pretty great, No complaints there. We have the beautiful Gemma Chan playing Maya who gives us a wonderful performance for the very limited time she is on screen. John David Washington plays Joshua our soldier/lover boy who also does a pretty great job of getting us invested in his character, a character I might add that can't seem to make their mind up about which side they are fighting for. Ken Watanabe plays the AI Harun and that is a spot on casting decision there for sure! Madeleine Voyles plays the child/AI superweapon Alphie and for such a young actresses she does a stand up job!

The VFX are absolutely fantastic! I would expect no less from Industrial Light and Magic anyway. The director himself made many choices that ensured the VFX and SFX were top notch like filming on location rather then using green screens etc.

Overall a very good, very enjoyable movie that get's a very well deserved 9/10 from me. I loved every aspect of the film with the only small issues being the plot holes here and there.

Erased (2012)

Action Thriller With A Great Cast!

[7/10 · 13 November 2023]

Erased (2012) is a solid action, thriller film. The film follows Ben Logan (Aaron Eckhart), a former CIA operative who finds himself on the run with his estranged daughter after their identities are erased.

The storyline, while not groundbreaking, is effective in maintaining a level of intrigue and keeping the viewer entertained. The pacing is well-managed, ensuring that the narrative unfolds at a satisfying rhythm, revealing just enough information to maintain interest without becoming overly predictable.

That being said the movie is also rather silly at times considering the situation the characters are in only to have the characters acting like idiots. What I mean by this is the characters will have just escaped a bunch of people trying to kill them only for the daughter to get mad at her father and run off getting herself captured etc in the process. It's not all her fault though as her father just leaves her in the dark 99% of the time and it takes her ridiculous behaviour for him to tell her anything. I feel like this could easily by avoided if not for plot armour and a bit of common sense.

Aaron Eckhart delivers a compelling performance as Ben Logan, bringing the right mix of intensity and vulnerability to the character. His on-screen chemistry with the beautiful and talented Liana Liberato (Yes, I'm a fan of hers), who plays his daughter Amy, adds emotional depth to the film and it is nice to see them bonding slowly through the movie. Though I wish we got to see more of Liana Liberato as she is more a set piece with the limited lines, opportunities and screen time that she gets to actually make her character any more then that. The supporting cast, including the stunning Olga Kurylenko, further enhances the quality of the action and characters we see on-screen

Erased has good VFX and SFX and the action scenes are well-choreographed which add to the overall excitement.

Erased gets a well deserved 7/10 from me. It's got a solid story, a great cast especially in Aaron Eckhart, Liana Liberato and Olga Kurylenko. Combined with nice visuals we have a enjoyable film.