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Reviews
Thor (2011)
A Typical MCU Flick, With Some Memorable Performances
Kenneth Branagh is a fantastic director, although he has produced some real stinkers in his time too - luckily, this isn't one of them. That being said, there's nothing particularly amazing about this film. While the abundance of CGI can be nauseating at times (even by MCU standards), there are some great memorable performances from Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, and Idris Elba - these three actors carry much of the film on their shoulders.
Perhaps the film would have been improved with more of a focus on Thor, an ancient Nordic god, adjusting to a modern American lifestyle - the limited scenes there were of this were some of the most memorable in the film. Ultimately, this is a good film but nothing particularly special.
Iron Man 2 (2010)
Very Little of Note, Unfortunately
The first Iron Man, although not being an amazing film, is at least somewhat distinct - which is a fair achievement since it's not necessarily the most original film. Iron Man 2 is not so distinct, and in places feels like a rehash of the first film.
It would usually be customary to write some more about the various aspects of the film, but most were just so forgettable (or near-identical to the first film.)
If you really enjoyed the first Iron Man then you'll surely enjoy this; if you didn't, then tough luck since it doesn't offer much that's new - although it's a perfectly competent film.
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
It's Lucky This Wasn't the First MCU Film!
It's lucky this wasn't the first MCU film, otherwise the MCU could have been over before it had even begun.
Iron Man sets a tone of solid optimism and fun for the MCU, but The Incredible Hulk fails to keep up the momentum. There are some good performances, and the soundtrack is very effective, but ultimately this is a fairly boring and indistinct film. The fight scenes have their moments, particularly in how the Hulk utilises things like cars as shields, but this isn't enough to sustain the film.
Unless you're watching this as a part of an MCU marathon, I wouldn't bother with it.
Iron Man (2008)
A Fun, Enthusiastic Start to the MCU, But Nothing Special
Iron Man marks the start of one of the biggest, most ambitious cinematic projects ever: a huge, interconnected universe of superhero media - the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Considering the film has to establish not just this MCU, but also the origins of Iron Man, it does a decent job.
This is a fun film that you can find plenty of enjoyment from, but it's ultimately nothing outstanding or special. For a film that's supposed to be the start of something new, it doesn't feel particularly original (even considering when the film was released).
It's worth a watch, but don't get your hopes up.
The Cat in the Hat (2003)
Who Was This Film Meant For?
There are several questions that you'll ask yourself over and over again while watching this film: Why? Who thought this was appropriate? Who was this film meant for?
The production is sufficiently Seussesque, but the jokes and Mike Myers' performance appear to be aimed at an adult audience - with a few gags being outright inappropriate for children (although these usually do provide some genuine laughs).
This is a hot mess of a film and is wrong on so many levels; however, it almost fits into the 'so bad it's good' category of film.
Last Night in Soho (2021)
A Thoroughly Decent Film, But it Doesn't Live Up to the Trailers
I was captivated by the premise of the film, as seen in the trailers, but unfortunately the film falls flat after the halfway mark. The direction is superb, the acting worthy of praise, and the 1960s soundtrack a fabulous touch; however, the plot (although not complicated) is more complex than it needs to be: trying to be more clever than it actually is, particularly in the final act.
The main character, whose story and experiences we follow, starts out as unique and captivating, standing in stark contrast to the world around her - which creates some interesting conflicts; however, by the end of the film she loses this edge and (perhaps intentionally) is indistinguishable from the world around her.
Additionally, it was lovely to see Dame Diana Rigg on the big screen one last time, but it's a shame that this was to be her final role.
Last Night in Soho is a thoroughly decent film, but is disappointing in light of the creative flair promised in the trailers.
No Time to Die (2021)
A Very Strong Film, Even if the Plot Falls Flat in Places
Daniel Craig beats the final-film curse that has allegedly haunted the Bond franchise. Although some aspects of the plot fall flat in places, No Time to Die boasts some of the franchise's best-choreographed action sequences and Craig's performance is outstanding - showing an emotional depth unusual for a Bond film, but a depth that has developed over his five films.
The pre-title sequence is quite possibly the best the Bond franchise has ever seen, which blends seamlessly into a haunting and atmospheric theme tune from Billie Eilish.
Midnight Special (2016)
A tribute to "Close Encounters" on the road to nowhere...
Midnight Special is clearly a tribute to the classic Sci-Fi epic "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". There are numerous hints to this throughout the film, from the huge amounts of travelling to the unsettling habits and mannerisms of various different characters. However Midnight Special was a huge disappointment for me. While I followed everything going on in the film the way the plot was structured made no sense. Scenes and locations that were mere plot devices and held no actual relevance to the film were focused on for far too long, especially at the start of the film, which lulls you into thinking that these will play major parts in the film when in fact they are irrelevant. None of the characters were that interesting either. The only characters with unique personalities were the child, the focus of the movie, and Adam Driver's character - an NSA agent credited as Sevier. Kirsten Dunst's character, who is brought in midway through the film, contributed nothing to the film whatsoever and the film would not be any different if her character was written out altogether - the same being said for several other characters in the film, whose introductions seemed to serve only the purpose of bulking up the film. The final sequence, which I won't spoil as it does prove to be a somewhat spectacle of a scene (Similar to the moment the UFO arrives in "Close Encounters", although no UFOs are to be seen in this film) is a breath of fresh air from a rather stuffy bulk of the film however to me it seemed like the entire film was built to accommodate the spectacular, although completely random, finale. On a positive note the soundtrack was very effective and atmospheric and the directing was consistently creative and genuine - although dim lighting played maybe too much of a role in the directive process. While I didn't think much of the film I know others who have loved it and even thought it better than "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" so it would probably be worth going to see if you're a Sci-Fi fan.
9 rota (2005)
An emotionally powerful yet brutal tale of a forgotten war - the Russian "Band of Brothers"
I bought this film on DVD from Poundland some time last year as the concept of Russian war cinema interested me but I've only just got round to watching it. The film shows the training of 9th Company and their deployment to Afghanistan and while being quite liberal with historical truths the film captures the valiant struggle the Russians faced, fighting off over 200 Mujahidin fighters with only 39 Russian troops. The film is powerful in places with emotion running strong, but also offers some brutally realistic battle scenes. While the soundtrack tends to repeat itself the acting is of a good standard and the direction by Fedor Bondarchuk is of a very high standard throughout, although in places it can be hard to keep up with everything going on due to the fast-paced nature of the action. I'd say "9th Company" comes across as the Russian 1980s-set equivalent of "Band of Brothers". I would wholeheartedly recommend it for fans of war films or those as passionate about this era of history as I am.
Jam (2000)
Nothing else like it: Obscene and disturbing chaos - fantastic!
I picked the DVD of this series up while working at my local Oxfam, initially mistaking it for a music DVD as it had been put amongst DVDs of obscure 80s acts. The lack of detail on the box intrigued me so I looked online for more information and the description had be sold. I bought it and took it home to watch, immediately becoming absorbed in the surreal, outrageous, highly amusing and sometimes disturbing skits. Honestly, few words could truly represent this work of art. In no other series would you find a little girl cutting up a murdered body or a mad old man urinating wildly in public, on shop windows and the environment around him. Pure gold. This is a series you must watch - even if you do not truly enjoy it or find it funny it is still an experience.