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Reviews
Harvest Love (2017)
Easy watching
Apart from the pears I enjoyed this movie. It was easy to watch, it had a gentle pace and there wasn't the traumatic break-up get-back-together scenes in the final stages that Hallmark likes to include in its movies. After all, we know they are going to get together and sort it all out so why the angst?
I like Jen Lilley in her roles and this one was no different. She smiles a lot and has wonderful huge eyes which overall I find appealing. The male lead was good, too. A bit more approachable than some of the other Hallmark male leads.
The pears! They're not apples!! How could the cast and crew spend time on a pear farm and not know the difference. I checked on the web and I was right. There are NO species of pears that ripen on the tree and then fall off. Apples and other fruit do. Pears mature on the tree (softer but still green) but if left they stay on the tree, overdevelop and rot during the winter. Usually I pick my pears when I harvest the apples, ie. When the apples start to drop. I leave the pears mixed with the apples and the outgassing from the apples ripens the pears in a few days. High school stuff so why couldn't Hallmark get it right?
Road to Christmas (2018)
A Different Christmas movie
Sure a girl meets a guy in this movie but it's much more about the guy's family. A very different storyline to the usual Christmas movie. I was particularly moved by this movie, perhaps because I'm the oldest of three brothers and could relate so well to much of it. The leads made it all believable without going soppy.
Help for the Holidays (2012)
Best Santa Ever!
This was a much more enjoyable movie than I expected, even as a 'Christmas' movie. However, the total standout has to be Steve Larkin. His performance was so good it almost had me believing in Santa. A better than average screenplay and good performances from the two main leads helped to give the movie extra appeal.
Jingle Bell Princess (2021)
A different Royal movie
I enjoyed this movie in part because it was a lot more serious than the average Hallmark/GAC 'fall in love with a prince or princess movie'. Of course, the storyline stretches the imagination but that's typical for these movies. I spend a lot of time with English people and I have no problem with Merritt's accent. The script had a lot to say and the lead actors, especially Merritt, made the most of it and gave solid performances. If, however, you prefer to view royalty with rose-coloured glasses, there are many other Hallmark/GAC movies which would suit you better.
Shadow in the Cloud (2020)
Totally unbelievable but a fun action film
You have to suspend your belief in reality but as an off-the-wall action film with comic book elements, I enjoyed Shadow in the Cloud.
Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
Ignore the haters
I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and thought it was a good sequel to Wonder Woman (which is about the only DC movie which I have bothered to watch more than once). The huge volume of very low reviews is really weird.
Monster Hunter (2020)
Pure popcorn
If you want non-stop action and humans fighting aliens, then this is a great ride. If you want soldiers missing loved ones, character development, talk of fighting for a cause, long pauses, romance, then pick another movie. Milla's best role and movie that I've seen in a long while.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Underwhelmed
If you are going to do a two-part movie, you need to flesh out the second movie before you make the first one. Infinity Wars - why did Dr Strange give away his stone? - Endgame - I don't know. Infinity Wars - if to take the Soul Stone requires a soul, what happens when you return it? - Endgame - I don't know. Infinity Wars - if there was only one hope for victory, what was it? Endgame - I don't know. Dr Strange refuses to tell and obviously a few Avengers had a chance of taking and using the hand, even in Infinity. So is Dr Strange BS or what? Endgame has the biggest fight scene of the Marvel series but for the most part it was an all-in brawl. Dr Strange's group and Ebony Maw seemed to have a plan but no-one else did. To look real battle scenes do need to be choreographed.
So it's the end of an era and presumably the start of a new one. Afro-Americans did well. They have Black Panther, Cheadle stays on as War Machine (takes over the Ironman position?? )and Falcon becomes Captain America. Women fill a host of secondary positions but only Black Widow has been at the core of the Avengers and Captain Marvel was distanced from the Avengers (ie. underutilised) in Endgame. Black Widow went without any sign of a replacement so yep, we now have an all-male Avenger Squad. WTH?
As a movie Endgame was good but as a sequel and a wind-up of the series, it was lame.
The Kid Who Would Be King (2019)
A lot of fun
This is a kid's movie. it doesn't pretend to be anything else, and it delivers where most kid's movies pull up short. The plot keeps a good pace, the acting isn't dumbed down, the script is good, there is enough humour to entertain, it shouldn't offend the Arthurians, the opponents are scary enough and the moral of the movie is there but not OTT. An A- production where typically these movies are C+ or C-
Justice League (2017)
After Wonder Woman, best DC movie so far
I'm adding my review so that I can boost Justice League ahead of Batman vs Superman. The two movies aren't in the same league (no pun intended). In both movies Superman comes across as a sensitive new age guy. Hardly the 'Man of Steel'. DC needs to seriously rethink this character as well as the previously feisty Lois Lane who's now a sugar puff. However, in Justice League Batman gets an overhaul. No longer the deeply troubled troublemaker in need of a shrink, Batman is now funny and proactive - and still a bit disturbed. Wonder Woman dominated her own movie and she stands out in this one. Flash, Cyborg and Aquaman fill out the ensemble cast. Not the best movie ever made, but so much better than Batman vs Superman.
Precious Cargo (2016)
Good fun
I am quick to knock a bad movie but this isn't one of them. I was thoroughly entertained from start to finish. The script is sharp, witty and oddball, the action evenly paced, the acting good. I enjoyed Jack's crazy but smart and Logan's almost deadpan but also deadly serious banter. Other reviewers seemed to want more emotion, but hey, these people are cold killers. In real life, the humour would be misplaced but this is definitely a comedy. The colourful crew they pull together adds to the mix. I'd like a sequel. I could definitely watch more of Jack and Logan. I also liked how the team put an effort (often implausible) into beating the bad guys instead of being the most stupidest people on the planet and still winning, as happens in other movies.
Harvest Moon (2015)
Predictable and enjoyable
Having moved from the city to the country, this is probably my favourite city/ country movie, even allowing for the fact that it is Hallmark and cheesy (aren't they all?).
We're not true country folk - we can't talk about how many generations we've been in the valley - but there are few errors in the film that made us laugh. They're 'mistakes' but somehow they make the movie even more enjoyable.
The fence didn't fall down. It's not a fence but a cockie's gate - I believe they're called wire gates in the US. Wire gates have their uses but if Brett wants to keep the cows, he's going to have to use something a lot stronger. Don't ask how we know.
Brett tells Jen to leave her fencing tools in the paddock, even though a storm is coming. No, just no. Even if they're stainless steel, we don't know a farmer who would leave their tools in the paddock. Finding them again is part of the problem.
They get up on horses to ride around the property. A few minutes later they would be back off again, instead of riding around romantically. 40 acres would probably suffice for a pumpkin farm. Add the homestead and the barns and that's it. No room for the wide open grazing land shown in the movie. 40 acres is a big walk but it's not the Ponderosa!
A lighthearted enjoyable movie nonetheless .