shawthingproductions Reviews

Silent Night (2023)

Should have been better

[5/10 · 23 December 2023]

Watching John Woo's "Silent Night" and as much as I hate to admit it, I'm kind of bored.

Also, the lack of dialogue from ANYONE is just weird. Sure, he can't talk due to being shot (it's in the trailer, hardly a spoiler) but the others haven't been shot. Having no one else speak just takes away the impact of the MC losing his own voice.

I'm also struggling with the fact this guy has zero training but thinks he is going to take on the whole criminal underworld - training himself with YouTube videos in his basement.

I guess, all I'm saying is, if you want a decent "You shot my kid, I must kill you all" revenge film - check out Kevin Bacon's "Death Sentence".

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)

There's nothing redeeming about this.

[1/10 · 22 December 2023]

I wonder what the film was before it was butchered by Gunn and all the rewrites, and the hacking of Mera's scenes (should have just recast). What we got here was a mishmash of random scenes, poor CGI, actors who looked as though they just couldn't be bothered and the end of the DC universe ahead of its reboot.

I really, really wish we had got to see where the universe was SUPPOSED to go before it was Wheldon destroyed the Justice League film as, with Man of Steel, Batman V Superman, Wonder-woman, Aquaman (for me the weakest of films) and the Snyder-cut of JL - I honestly believe it was building to something great.

With WW2, The Flash and now this - it felt more like they just were just rushing stuff to "finish it" so Gunn could reboot it. We will see what he does with it but with the handling of this film and Peter Saffron's "screw the fans" attitude - I have very little hope.

Like The Flash, I honestly don't think this is even worth your time watching on a streaming service. There's just nothing there and with the current universe ended - there's no need to watch it so as to make sense of what happens next.

I'm glad this film is currently tanking because it might serve as a warning to other filmmakers: You need to care about your subject matter.

Thanksgiving (I) (2023)

Boring / predictable / lacklustre

[5/10 · 21 November 2023]

Okay, so I went in expecting brutal kills. Didn't really get those but we will get to that in a bit. I also went in expecting a film where I could just turn my brain off and enjoy a decent slasher - similar in tone to Friday 13th / Halloween etc. I didn't get that.

The problem is, it was boring. The characters were all 2 dimensional (you can have a throwback to yesteryear films but still have characters who are different to each other). The constant swearing was too "try-hard" and grated me. How's about using swearing in scenes where it actually has an impact instead of just noise? And, no, swearing doesn't bother me in life.

Then the kills... One woman gets cut in half because a bin closed on her? Okay - so it's a comedy film then? Cool. Then we see her body hanging up next to a sign advertising 50% off... Okay, so it's a bad comedy film... Got it. But then, no more "humour" and the kills just got boring. No build up, just DONE. (neck snap being an example: no pre-warning, no cat and mouse game - just killer comes on, snaps neck and goes again). Talk about zero tension.

This might be a throwback to films gone by but, I wish it didn't exist because it won't be helping the genre. It'll just be encouraging more awful writing as people try and "out do the kills" whilst ignoring the story.

The Flash (I) (2023)

Ultimately - boring.

[5/10 · 15 June 2023]

Forget Ezra and their history. If you cannot separate the artist from the art, do not watch this film. It's that simple.

If you watch the film for a fun superhero movie, prepare to find yourself stuck watching a bloated mess with some fun moments, a couple of nice cameos (one towards the end made me laugh out loud) and some shockingly bad CGI. Also, a cameo which I found somewhat disrespectful but others will go crazy for, I'm sure.

The main problem with the film is the storyline is REALLY simple but stretched out: Barry goes back in time to undo his mother's death. Everything goes wrong. Put it this way, the trailer explains the FULL plot in 2 minutes. Now you're watching it stretched out over 2 hours. Had Michael Keaton not been back as The Bat, people would have forgotten or ignored this film. As for Keaton, kind of cool seeing him back but - why change is costume from the 1989 film? This was more like Clooney's costume, minus the bat-nipples. And the Batwing? Also different. So, is it the same Batman even?!

The biggest issue is Zod is back because of Barry's time jumping. But the film doesn't concentrate on Zod (maybe because we saw his story in Man of Steel/) and instead concentrates on Barry whoa is me.... for hours... It's dull and tiresome and everything is just too convenient with no REAL threat. The ending itself goes a bit Avengers in which Dr. Strange kept trying different things... We have seen it all before and it's boring.

Really, Keaton is the only thing which brings people back.

Oh and don't be fooled (SPOILER FOR POST CREDIT SCENE). They say the post credit scene (one at the very end only) is REALLY important for the future of the films. It's not. It's essentially a character from the next released film getting drunk and having a nap in a puddle. Not funny, not clever and just a way of trying to get people interested in a film where most have said they're boycotting it.

Renfield (2023)

A mess

[4/10 · 14 April 2023]

Let me save you some time. This film is bilge. Cage is GREAT for his first scenes but by the end, it's like he has forgotten the character or just given up as well. Surprising really because he didn't exactly have much to do seeing as he is in, I'd guess, only 20 minutes worth of actual film time. That being said, there were some nice nods to Bela's take on the character (even with the strip of lighting across the eyes).

There are three different story arcs going on here: Dracula wants to take over the world, a police officer wants to bring down a crime family and Nicholas Hoult wants to get away from being Drac's slave. The film is just over an hour and a half which essentially means none of these arcs are really explored and - you just don't care. Especially about Awkwafina's police officer "character". She's an annoying and constantly shouting and I wonder what she has on the director to have even been given the job in the first place.

The action sequences are pretty much the same formula throughout (not that there are too many). There's some fun practical effects here but the CGI over-the-top blood completely ruins anything on-screen. Was Cage's budget so much they couldn't afford stage blood which would have been a lot more entertaining?

The film is also cut as well. In one scene Hoult has a dirty jumper on and the next time we cut to him he has bullet holes in his top and is getting his backside handed to him. Still no idea why as he was only fighting one person in that particular moment and they didn't have a gun.

I saw someone say this was like "The Army of Darkness" in regards to the entertainment value and all I can think is, they must have hated Evil Dead 3. I loved it and it's 20 times the film this mess could ever dream of being. Were there a couple of laughs to have? Sure. A couple. But, if you've seen the trailer, you've seen the best bits (and most of Cage's scenes, by the way).

If you hate yourself and want to punish yourself because your life is miserable, go watch it at the cinema.

Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre (2023)

Dull

[5/10 · 5 April 2023]

Guy Ritchie is a strange director / writer because he has brought us some classics and, yet, also managed to bring us some real naff too and I don't understand how.

High points: Lock, Stock, Two Smoking Barrels and The Gentlemen

I've watched those films multiple times and, I was hoping for more of the same with this one (especially with the cast involved) but what I got was a muddled mess of a spy film, with some weird directing choices and camera angles thrown in. The biggest issue with the film though is that it's boring, even with the action sequences. Just Jason Statham punching people over and over, near misses with the bad guys and blah blah blah.

The most annoying thing though is, when Guy releases another film - I'll still go along hoping he manages to hit gold again. I just don't understand how he can make something so special and then think he is doing a good job with something like this?! Maybe he has debts to pay off...

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

A creative masterpiece with heart

[10/10 · 11 May 2022]

I absolutely loved this film and yet, nearly missed it because of the trailer.

The plot is simple enough: There's a big bad going around destroying different worlds in the multiverse. The alpha-members from one of the best worlds out there track down a woman who they believe is the key to defeating the evil once and for all.

From there, things get very weird. Honestly I don't want to go into the film too much because I would sooner people watch it without knowing anything but everything about this film was pitch perfect: performances, writing, the laughs, the fights, the music. I have never felt such feelings when watching a film and I'm not sure I will again.

This film is a must see on the big screen.

The Batman (2022)

I like slow-burn. This was just dull.

[3/10 · 5 March 2022]

I went in with ultra-low expectations because I think Robert Pattison is a god-awful actor and, this film took my expectations and made me promptly realise that, you can always go lower.

I'm actually angry I wasted 3 hours of my life (and trust me, every minute of that time was felt).

However, let's have some positives: cinematography is great and the music is fantastic. The opening scenes with The Batman made me think, I was going to have another Heath moment and be forced to eat my words because those opening scenes are indeed something special.

But then the film gets going. Part "Saw" rip-off and so desperately wants to be "Se7en" in its execution, the story dragged. You don't care about any of the characters and I found myself pining for Clooney and his bat-nipples and Mr. Freeze.

What I found really funny though is the producer of this utter mess got in touch with Nolan and warned him, "We're going to make a better Batman than you." No. Just no.

Like the last Lord of The Rings film, this has an ending that just keeps on coming. Something wraps up and you start to get ready to leave, the film continues. Something else is wrapped up and you think, "That's it..." and it keeps going.... Something else, and on and on and on...

I can see why the guy in the seat nearby racked up a massive line of coke and snorted it midway through (and no, I'm not joking... Welcome to Southampton).

With regards to the plank of wood.... Sorry... "Pattison". In the initial scenes I was genuinely excited. Never a fan of his costume before, seeing it here - suddenly I "got it". He proper beats down on someone in a vicious attack. They get back up... In fact, everyone he bat-punches gets back up and just attacks him from behind again. There's no real threat here. When Bale smacked someone down, they stayed dead. But then, when Bale stripped off (same as Affleck), they were built. Robert looked like me and I look like Mr. Burns from The Simpsons. A skeletal mess with no beef there whatsoever. In fact, when Robert bent over in one topless scene, his bones stuck out and I thought wings were going to pop out. But then, why wouldn't they when he infamously said he refused to bulk up for the role (I would have sacked him there and then).

His time as Bruce is strictly limited - thank God - so you can't really judge him for that. As Bruce he just stands there and looks confused. As The Batman, by the end he became a parody. His Batman voice changed to the same sound as the joke Batman in the college humour videos (A is for Alfred = genius). When he was mad, it just look like he was pulling a cum-face. And don't even get me started on the Adrian Mole diary keeping that's going in with the voice-over narration.

Honestly, with the exception of the opening ten minutes or so, I have never hated a film so much as I did this and given I went in with low expectations, even I am surprised at how fuming I am at myself for wasting my time on it.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)

Nothing new but...

[6/10 · 18 February 2022]

This is nothing new but it is fairly entertaining for the sort of film it is. You know the story; out of towners go where they don't belong and up pops the Sawyer family.

There are hints of the Halloween reboot here (original survivor hunting Leatherface) but thankfully the story doesn't centre on that and, instead, spends more time on two of the new characters.

What makes this a decent entry are the kills (first one is particularly brutal). This is a violent bloodbath which we want from a Texas Chainsaw film. Good effects and gore.

This film is under 90 minutes so doesn't outstay its welcome. The shots are nice, characters "okay" for the sort of film it is and there are some stand out scenes. It never really feels like it drags.

That being said, there are some REALLY stupid moments in it. One example: a character is tapped with the chainsaw and drops dead. Another character is penetrated with the chainsaw, held aloft and buzzed for a couple of minutes and then launched away with a might swing. They take forever to die and I can't help but wonder what the filmmakers were thinking when they did it this way but hey ho - it looked cool on screen and, by then, my brain was properly switched off.

Worth a watch and probably the best of the sequels / remakes.

The Matrix Resurrections (I) (2021)

The Meh-Trix

[5/10 · 22 December 2021]

We've waited a long time to get more "Matrix" so, it needed to be something special to really work and grab the audience's attention. Unfortunately, it's not.

The slow-mo effects feel dated now and weirdly, they aren't done as well as they were all those years ago. It feels like a step backwards.

The plot is "okay". It's trying too hard to be "clever" but just tangles itself in boring dialogue that feels repetitive the more it drones on and the premise is just eye-roll-inducing.

As fans of the Matrix, we deserved a whole lot more but then, we were saying that since the second and third films too. The difference is, at least the second film had some decent action to keep us entertained.

It's not a "bad" film, it's just... not great.

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

I'm NOT the target audience for this film

[5/10 · 16 December 2021]

I am not the target audience. I don't mind Marvel films, I don't even mind comics, but I don't obsess over them in the way some people do (and it is fine that they get enjoyment from these films). This review is for people like myself, if you're a fan of Marvel and Spiderman then - simply put - you will love the film.

For me, I found I was bored. The running time is long, the story is a little "meh" (Spiderman wants to SAVE the villains) and everything is just a little too convenient with plot points coming that are obvious from the get go. In short: It's a cookie-cut film. Marvel has their formula (and clearly it works for them) and they won't stray from that. Sorry, but I am in Ridley Scott's camp. There's no originality anymore.

By now you probably already know that other faces do pop up in the film. There are some fun scenes with these characters and I chuckled a couple of times but - the rest of the audience was whooping, cheering and clapping which actually bugged me more as - it meant I missed a lot of dialogue after a character's reveal. Seriously, if you want to chat loudly - stay at home and watch the film instead of forcing others to listen to your inane thoughts.

Tom Holland is good as Spiderman and, in this film, he shows a lot of range with his emotion - which was great to see because, until this film, we hadn't really seen that from him but, really, he is the only positive I can think of when it comes to this film. By tomorrow, I would have forgotten most of what I'd just watched.

It's average at best. If you're a fan boy, it's the best Marvel film yet. Only you know which camp you belong in (and again, either camp is fine).

Villain (I) (2020)

I tend to avoid Craig Fairbrass' films but...

[6/10 · 15 December 2021]

I've worked on a set with Craig before, and I found him entirely unpleasant to be around with how he was talking to the crew. I was just an extra so quietly backed away. But it was enough of a lasting impression to make me actively avoid anything he is a part of.

Bored, surfing Netflix, the streaming service started playing a scene from Villain and I rolled my eyes hard. Here we go, another "Craig is a hard-man" film but... Watching the scene play out, his acting was decent. It wasn't the same old, same old we have come to expect from him. Sure there are scenes where we get the same Craig we see in every other production he is in but there's enough "new" acting from him that it keeps you pulled along.

And just as well because, as much as it pains me to say it, it IS Craig who carries this film. The other actors are good, don't get me wrong, but they're screen time is considerably shorter. They are all believable and flesh out the small part of the world we're shown but, they don't hang around for long. Then we are left with the story; something we have seen a million times before.

In summary: guy gets out of prison, vowing to never go back. His brother is in trouble with local criminals and, so, Craig is pulled back into the seedier side of life. That it is. Nothing original here but it is, at least, done well. Shots are nice, colour grading gritty, sound decent enough and Craig really pulls it all along.

Will I watch it again? No. Does it make me change my mind about what I've seen of Craig? Not a chance. But it did at least show me that while he might be hot-headed on set, at least there is some range there.

Silent Night (I) (2021)

Enjoyed this but

[8/10 · 5 December 2021]

.... you need a dark sense of humour for the comedy (I've got a dark sense of humour so was chuckling throughout).

Good acting, nice directing and a believable story (which is kind of scary when you think about it).

What I did find funny is how the cast and crew raced through the end of the production to get the shoot finished before our own government lockdown. Perfect timing right there, given the story.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

Good for fans, not great for "newbies"

[7/10 · 18 November 2021]

If you're a fan of the original films (forgetting the 2016 embarrassment) then you'll find much to love in this film. There are so many nods to the first films and, it's a great trip down memory lane - especially with familiar faces popping up. The "problem" is that when you don't have a throwback in your face, it's just an "okay" film.

For the most part, the characters seem a little two dimensional. They say their lines and play their role but, that's it. In fact, I watched the film an hour ago and can only remember 3 of the characters by their name. Meanwhile Peter, Ray, Egon, Winston, Janine, Louis Tully have stayed with me for almost 40 years of my life.

The young lady who plays the granddaughter is perfect in her role though and deserves all the praise. Paul Rudd provides some comedy but is underused. The mother is probably the worst "character", not that the actress did a bad job - just not enough to work with.

The story itself barely works. We're supposed to believe Egon abandoned all his friends to go off to this little town. Given how they saved the world (or at least New York) twice because of Egon, I think they would listen to him if he said trouble was brewing but, I guess they needed Egon out of the way given Harold Ramis is no longer with us (RIP). It's not to say it is a bad story. It just has a few loopholes although, with the nostalgia and the Easter eggs and direct references, I was still more than happy to go along for the ride, as a fan. If you're not familiar with the originals, or even the characters, then I think it's actually a pretty slow film. The original Ghostbusters moved along at a pretty fast pace and this one seemed to want to build these new characters up (without actually building the characters to a level where we care enough) and so it took a little while to get going.

I left the cinema with my parents (close to their 70s) and myself and we all enjoyed the film so don't think I am dumping on it. It's a good film because we remember the first and we were entertained well enough. It's just no where near the same level as either of the first two films (and let's not forget the hate Ghostbusters 2 got when it first came out).

What I didn't expect was for the film to be so emotional though in a couple of moments. I won't say what, so as not to spoil it. But, I damn near cried, which would have been embarrassing.

Bottom line: Like the originals? See it. New to the franchise: Lower expectations.

The Last Duel (2021)

Interesting take on "the truth".

[8/10 · 15 October 2021]

Trailer recap: wife gets raped, attacker denies it and says it was consensual, husband sides with wife and challenges attacker to a duel to the death. That's it. That's the story.

At nearly 3 hours long, this could have been a disaster but it is told through the eyes of the husband, the "villain" and the wife - each putting their own spin on the proceedings. This isn't done in court debates but by breaking the film into chapters and going back to the start of the story and following the other character. It's interesting as in one version this person says one thing "heroic" but, in the other version, it's the other person who says it. Lots of little things like that, which stopped it from becoming dull. You then get to see their personalities shine through.

Matt Damon: cheated out of things in life over and over. Loyal to the kind.

Adam Driver: hardworking, loyal to Matt Damon, falls for the wrong woman.

But then Jodie's character comes in and you think - hang on - both men are tits actually. This had a knock on impact for the fight for me where - whilst I was entertained - I didn't actually care who won. I just wanted to see them kick each other in (and they really, really do).

Adam and Jodie's characters had me questioning whether she really was raped. She seems to think she was in parts, but in other parts... Is there something in her eyes? Adam's character - in his version - clearly doesn't think he was and, it's clever in that you can see it from all sides.

With regards to what the "truth" was - you'll have to go and watch the film. Honestly, you won't be disappointed. The film DOES give you an answer but, in that answer you're also left with questions.

Old (2021)

Nothing redeeming about this film

[2/10 · 20 September 2021]

The idea is pretty good but the writing, directing, sound design, acting... It's all atrocious. Some of it just laughable in its execution. Terrible film.

Kate (I) (2021)

A nice surprise

[6/10 · 12 September 2021]

Bored, I put this on last night and when it came to the CGI car chase, I nearly turned it off and stuck my foot through the television in frustration. But, I'm glad I didn't.

A film that borrows way too heavily from both Leon and Crank (rising no where near the brilliance of Leon, I hasten to add), this was actually a surprisingly fun film. Sure there is very little originality in it but the action sequences are pretty much non-stop with some real nifty camera work in there.

Don't expect shocks or twists or surprises because you'll most likely know everything from start to finish within the first 20 minutes if you've engaged your brain but if you just want mindless action, shoot-outs and bone crunching then turn your brain off and go for the ride (just don't turn it off at the CGI car chase)...

Malignant (I) (2021)

Atrocious

[2/10 · 12 September 2021]

James Wan has had some great films under his belt so this was clearly "a bit of fun" for him, and something different. The problem is "a bit of fun" for him doesn't translate well for the rest of us. Also, to give you further warning about this film, there's clearly a paid campaign going on to give it positive reviews. If you look at the ten star reviews - they all have the same grammar, all say the same thing and most of them even call the director by the same wrong name (James Van). I hope whomever paid for such a campaign gets their money back but hey ho...

People say this film is a throwback to the 80s / 90s. Apparently THAT is why the acting is bad. Right, okay. Or, I don't know, it could just be bad acting? The rubbish CGI is because it is a throwback to the 80s and 90s too, right? Because, whilst not over used, it is horrible and pulls you right out of the sequence you're watching.

The storyline IS something out of that time period though and that's not necessarily a good thing. It could have been if handled properly but the script is clunky and the film overstays its welcome by a good thirty minutes. Had they trimmed the script and tightened it, it could have been an "okay" film but I almost gave up an hour into the film. At the hour and a half point there is an obvious twist which IS fun for about 5 minutes. Had this been at the end of the film (like the franchise "Saw" does) then unexpecting audience members would walk out with shock and have something to talk about. But no, the film carries on to try and wrap things up... Except it doesn't wrap things up and I can't say "why" because it will ruin it for people.

It's a shame this film turned out to be so lacklustre because I had high hopes for it but, honestly, this is such a misfire I don't understand how it even came to be.

What I will say is, the music is good and there's some great shots in there but - ultimately - this film is the director's joke which not many will laugh at.

Candyman (2021)

Someone take away Jordan Peele's crayons...

[4/10 · 27 August 2021]

How is Jordan Peele still writing? "US" was an intriguing film failed by a thoroughly stupid ending which rendered every frame before that a waste. One "twist" and the whole thing came crumbling down and no matter what angle you looked at it from, the film was riddled with plot holes and now, this, The Candyman reboot.

The acting, as with most of Peele's films to be fair, is great. No complaints. Some of the imagery is also great (such as Candyman being in the background of a shot but barely noticeable, just as a shame). It's creepy. It's well executed.

The music is good. Some of the storytelling techniques are good (with the puppet-type shadow play for example) but the story itself is a hot mess. There were multiple writers involved and I am guessing Peele got involved for the ending because it involves a wannabe M. Knight style twist, like his other films. And, it just doesn't work.

The first three quarters of the film are "okay". They're trying something new and whilst I wasn't overly keen with the direction they were taking I could appreciate it. Basically showing social injustices and white people versus black people BUT, the first film did that with Tony Todd's Candyman being a black slave who fell in love with a rich white woman (and was murdered for it). At times, this retelling felt like a lecture basically screaming that all white people are evil. I get it's social commentary but, come on.

Anyway the last quarter comes along and it falls apart. This is where the writers decided to give the fans what they would really want from a Candyman film but, it just doesn't work. The explanation is show-horned in abruptly although, ironically, the actual "reveal" is well signposted from early on and very, very predictable. So much so, in fact, I felt insulted by the time they finally said what we, the audience, already knew.

There's stupid moments too (such as the infected bee-sting). If you had something so very obviously wrong with you, you'd go to the doctors much faster and wouldn't wait until the character in question did. By this point you're just thinking he is an idiot and deserves what comes his way.

My biggest bug-bear though is the kills and violence. In the other films, when Candyman finally killed someone - you saw it. It was violent, it was nasty. Here, he pops up and we cut away. We will see some blood on the floor, we will cut to a different scene entirely and just leave the kills to our imaginations. Hard to say who is to blame though - is it the studio wanting a lower age rating or was it the director's design? Whoever was responsible needs to go away though because - it was annoying. This is Candyman... Let us see The Candyman do what he has done well for 3 films before!

Of all the films in the series, this is the weakest and a frustrating middle finger up to the original.

Free Guy (2021)

Loud set pieces, great action, funny as hell cameos.

[9/10 · 14 August 2021]

Loud set pieces, great action, funny as hell cameos.

The Truman Show meets Grand Theft Auto.

A non-playable character comes "to life" when he puts on a pair of sunglasses and sees what the game-players see; his world is a mishmash of quests and missions.

Filled with Ryan Reynolds' useful amount of dead-pan sarcasm and one-liners, complimented with an original story. This had me laughing out loud at several points and grinning away at references from other games / films.

Till Death (I) (2021)

Dumb but watchable

[5/10 · 13 August 2021]

A bit of a stupid film given the plot (guy finds out his mrs is having an affair and decides to teach her a lesson, after his own life spirals out of control).

A lot of the scenes will have you roll your eyes out at the stupidity of the characters (a few feet away from someone, did you know you're invisible if you lie down in snow). The plot is simplistic and could have been decent had we cared about Megan's character but, at the end of the day, she had an affair and dumped the guy to go running back to her rich husband. There's very little to like about her and that could have been fixed with showing why she could have had the affair, why she ran back to her partner etc. But, all of the characters are very 2D with basic acting on display from all.

It's not a terrible film. It just could have been better.

Jungle Cruise (2021)

Even the kids were bored.

[1/10 · 1 August 2021]

I don't know what Disney was thinking with this. They clearly didn't have much confidence in the product themselves given how the special effects look (cheap and nasty). Even the actors, normally good, seem to be on "cruise" mode. I'm almost embarrassed for Dwayne and the costume they had him wear.

The jokes do not land, even with the kids. The plot is thinner than a piece of paper. In fact, I will go so far as to say this film has zero redeeming factors about it whatsoever.

The Suicide Squad (2021)

The best film from DC for a long time.

[9/10 · 30 July 2021]

Finally DC managed to get a film "right". After so many poor attempts at bringing their characters to the big screen, we have one which is near on pitch perfect.

The characters are fully-fleshed out and you care about 90% of them, the jokes land well, the action scenes are exciting and the story itself is great. This coming from someone who was concerned about the "big bad" (seen in the trailers) but, nope - even the sight of that enemy didn't ruin anything for me.

James Gunn has given us The Suicide Squad we deserved. If only they'd let him have first crack at it and we could have avoided the last pitiful attempt.

PS: You don't need to see the first film to enjoy this one so my advice is - if you haven't seen the first one, just skip it and go to this.

Masters of the Universe: Revelation (2021)

Well... I WAS excited...

[2/10 · 23 July 2021]

I was excited to see He-Man back in action. A child of the 80s, I collected all the toys and loved the show growing up, even when they updated it and made He-Man a thin guy with blue jeans, a ponytail and put him up in space I could tolerate it.

POSITIVES: The animation is nice.

The voice work is good.

Was nice to see the characters again.

NEGATIVES: The story is just rubbish. He-Man disappears after the first episode and comes back in flashbacks, as does Skeletor. I'm sorry but when I watched Masters of the Universe, I did so because I wanted to watch He-Man and Skeletor fight. But no... We had that for about five minutes and that was it. Also, everyone seemed to be able to knock Skeletor on his backside. He's just a weak character and almost laughable.

The show follows Teela going on a quest to put the sword back together again and it's just boring. Why on earth they thought this was a good idea, I do not know. Maybe if it was leading onto more series and it's all about bringing He-Man back but apparently this is a one-off series of 10 episodes. 4 episodes in, I gave up with it. Just not interested.

If you want to put the female as the lead character in a He-Man cartoon, give up making a "He-Man" cartoon and just redraw Teela as She-Ra instead. Even that would have been better than this and would have made more sense. You have a powerful character there, waiting to be used. Teela (and others) were always supporting characters and, in this, she isn't even that good either.

They seriously dropped the ball here.

A Quiet Place Part II (2020)

A great sequel which stands up with the first film.

[9/10 · 28 May 2021]

I was worried when I heard this was coming out. The first film really didn't need a sequel and yet, here we are. It made money so a follow-up was commissioned. And I'm pretty thankful for that because Part 2 stands up strong with the first film as a worthy follow-up (continuation at of the story) and expands the universe.

No spoilers here but great acting, the creature effects are just as good as the first time around, the jump scares are plentiful (I don't normally jump in films but this one got me twice).

Now I just want Part 3 (and then hopefully they will stop there).