Change Your Image
motleyalice
Reviews
The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020)
Too many errors
Although this is meant to be set in England, it is thoroughly American in style. The building, the details, the script are all distinctly American, which breaks the illusion for me. I can't stay focused with it because there is just so much that has the wrong feel about it to be England. Perhaps if the creator had either stuck with basing it in America or had filmed in England, it wouldn't be so jarring.
I love ghost stories, don't get me wrong. The slow build, the mentality disturbing nature, the way a good ghost story gets in your head and disturbs your sleep, has you double-checking shadows in the corner of the room. I find a good ghost story far more disturbing than any horror movie. This, however just has too many inconsistencies for me to find it a truly good ghost story.
Raised by Wolves (2013)
Entertaining depiction of the Black Country
I have just watched 'Raised by Wolves' for the first time; I had been avoiding it as, coming from the Black Country myself, I was worried about how 'we' would be portrayed. However I have to say that Della in particular cracked me up - she is so typically Black Country. The accent, the language, the self-mocking - all very typical for the area.
I am disappointed that it was filmed in Manchester, as Wolverhampton has a decidedly different feel and character to the towns shown on the series. You do see some shots of the city - for example Banks's Brewery, the Molineux and the ring road.
It is well worth watching as an enjoyable and, if I'm honest, very good depiction of how folks from the Black Country tend to think.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016)
An excellent movie adaptation of a great novel.
Having read and enjoyed the book, I was dubious that the movie could live up to such a wonderful adaptation of a great classic. I was, however, pleasantly surprised. I will say, for those who are fans of the novel (the adaptation or the original), this does not exactly stick to the storyline of the novel. In particular, the second half of the movie does differ significantly, so don't be surprised to find that you don't know exactly what is going to happen next.
There were some parts of the novel missing that I had particularly enjoyed, but you can't have everything. The writers had put together a decent script which I think has surprised a lot of people. Yes, there are a lot of people out there who look down on genre films and that is their right to do so. I am sure that many who believe the only good book is one which is over a hundred years old will be horrified by the treatment of Austen's novel. My only comment on that is that it leaves more room in the cinema for those of us who not only love the classics, but also a good zombie novel.
From my point of view, the actors did a good job of portraying characters blended by two authors plus screen writers. The film was beautifully shot throughout and although the story departs from the novel, it is entertaining. There is plenty of action throughout, as Elizabeth and her sisters prove that being female does not mean one has to sit back and wait to be rescued by a man. It means getting out there and killing zombies. That does not mean a woman is not open to the prospect of romance and marriage, merely that the man who falls in love with a woman like this is unlikely to be one who requires a demure wife.
I didn't expect the cinema to be full - and it wasn't. We did get the fun of seeing a group of mid-teens watching the movie and apparently encountering Jane Austen for the first time. Watching their reactions to the Jane Austen parts of the movie was almost as entertaining as the movie itself. I can almost guarantee that at least half that group will be reading the original as well as the adaptation to see how they compare. Finally, before anyone complains that this is a film that men cannot relate to, I would point out that my action-film-fan husband came with me to the cinema and absolutely loved it. We have both seen more than one adaptation of Austen's original novel and haven't been over impressed; this was a refreshing change that made for an enjoyable afternoon out.
Sharknado 2: The Second One (2014)
A shark-tastically entertaining film
This movie is just what the doctor ordered; light-hearted, fun and cheesy as hell. The concept is so bizarrely entertaining that surely even the most sour-faced of individuals is forced to crack a smile.
*Spoiler* The movie's core concept is the idea of sharks being sucked up into the air via a tornado, only to rain down on a panicked New York. The hero from the first movie, Fin Shepard (Ian Ziering)returns to the city to visit his sister and her family. He doesn't even make it to the ground before encountering his first flying shark as they tear into the plane.
The film-makers have included plenty of intertextuality, with nods to movies such as Army of Darkness in a scene reminiscent of Ash and his chainsaw. Death and gore liberally litter the film throughout, so anyone with a dislike of blood and guts would be better off avoiding this one.
Although I have not seen the first movie, other reviews give the impression that there are a great many similarities between the two. However I found the movie enjoyable enough that I fully intend to find the first one out and watch it as soon as possible.