Change Your Image
venkmanuk
Reviews
Home Sweet Home Alone (2021)
Simply atrocious! Avoid at all costs
There really is nothing positive to say about this utter garbage! It lacks any form of humor, finesse or the basics that made the original so charming. A rich, spoilt little irritant gets forgotten in a mix up on flights and has to protect his home from unwelcome guests blah blah blah you know the rest...
The story is so uninspiring it's not even worth mentioning, but in short it revolves around an old doll worth thousands being the golden ticket to saving a struggling families house which they are being forced into selling due to the main breadwinner losing his job. The kid who is struggling with a weak bladder visits during an open house viewing to simply use the toilet, He discovers a rare doll which he informs the owner is worth thousands. This suddenly disappears not long after their meeting. Confusion and misunderstanding then ensues!
The traditional home alone slip and slide begins as well as the usual smash them up with every unique tool that comes to hand whilst the badly miscast kid makes one expected unfunny pun after another. The casting of a British family and a lead who is uncharismatic as it gets is the films biggest fault. It simply doesn't work at all and as a character he has zero redeeming feature and doesn't have the cute appeal Macaulay had in abundance. Max as a character is awful. He goes through the motions but it all feels forced and you kind of hope they wring his neck! Even the stunts are appalling, which is mad considering it's a full 30 years after the original where it was deemed a stunt masterclass for it's day!
Simply avoid it, it won't make you feel chrismassy nor will it give you that nice heartwarming glow the first (and second one) did. Save your time and revisit the originals as after multiple viewings you'll still laugh more than you will at this.
Pinocchio (2019)
Simply beautiful, stunning cinematography, completely underrated
This was one of the the most stunningly beautiful adaptations I've seen in years. It's the shame the dubbing is so strong as it would have got 10. This is the original story of Pinocchio which was closer to the original story than the animated Disney adaptation. Yes it's weird, trippy and somewhat dark in its look, but it's not a film designed for young children. To be honest it is likely to scare any under the age of 10. I find it amazing how stupid some grown adults can be as this was NEVER touted as a live adaptation of the Disney animation, and has zero influence or input from Disney. Some excellent casting and The Italian scenery is stunning, the effects are beautiful. The makers produced some breathtaking make up and this is a massively underrated film. Those intelligent enough to give it a chance will see what a breathtaking film this really is. A must watch for those with the emotional intelligence to understand it and it's true meaning and want a pure visual treat
Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020)
Simply Awful, Avoid like a Pandemic!
Boy, where do you start with this atrocious sack of garbage? Not a single laugh, no real comedy association with the previous two films and most shockingly a film that actually made Keanu look old on the screen! Fair play to both Alex and Keanu they have both aged phenomenally well, if only the same could be said about the humour, the jokes and the Bill & Ted phenomena. Bodacious this ain't, and the only Wyld Stallyns you'll want are ones to get yourself away from this mess of a movie!
Life After Flash (2017)
Fantastic fan base documentary that demonstrates the universal love of this classic
Few could argue the influence of Queen's pounding, exhilarating soundtrack enhanced an already visually stunning piece of work in Flash Gordon. This iconic classic of the 80s benefitted from their additional musical vision, as it did Highlander in its day. This stroke of genius to bring Queen into the project halfway into the films production was one which would set it aside from its peers for years to come. Dino De Laurentiis provided the mega budget to get his vision of Flash onto the big screen, and after a number of stop starts and issues documented in the film his vision of Flash Gordon was finally cast. We were introduced to the blonde haired, blue eyed, ex marine Sam Jones (Except he was not originally blonde, nor blue eyed!)
Sam J Jones is one of the "Lost to Hollywood" elite and were it not for some bad decisions (most of which Sam himself acknowledges) he could have been something big. However, all being said one cannot argue the true love of the man amongst his friends, family and peers alike. The years have mellowed Sam and he is finally at peace with the painful memories of how he was treated by Dino and how his love of the Hollywood life waned. We now get to see a compassionate, loving, sensitive family man who deserves all the love life can bring him. Now stable in his own skin he remains grounded and one of the most sought after and universally loved members of the Film convention circuit (Point of note, we don't see you enough over here in the UK Sam). He shows genuine consideration and respect for his fans, and this is returned in abundance by the fans who adore him. Few can argue this tower of a man is worth every bit of that adulation.
The documentary itself covers all aspects of the production of the film from casting issues, issues between Sam and Dino, as well as Brian Mays input how Queens stunning score was written and completed. There is considerable input from the main players of the film: Sam himself, the still stunningly beautiful Melody Anderson, the power force that is Brian Blessed (who shares the rudest anecdotes), Topol, Deep Roy as well as the sadly missed Peter Wyngarde who was the understated star of the hit 70s series Jason King. Coupled with valuable input from Peter Duncan, Richard O'Brien (The film sadly missing any input from Max Von Sydow or Timothy Dalton) as well as how the film influenced a number of celebrity fans including Robert Rodriguez and Michael Rooker. My only gripe being a little too much input from Rich Fulcher (Of Mighty Boosh fame) who merely uses it a means to enhance his own unique brand of humour. This small gripe aside there is valuable insight to the overall dimensions of the film, how it enhanced their lives and subsequent careers. There really is something for any fan of this 1980s classic.
With both the Blu Ray and DVD (Region Free) having slightly different special features there is much more to see once the film is over, most of which was worthy of inclusion within the film. True to form its directed in a way so as not to underplay any of those Special Features, taking nothing away from the film itself, and allowing us to enjoy these events separately.
A must watch for any fan of this genre, not just fans of the film!