This superior action adventure film uses an historical setting to weave it's cinematic poetry. It has a fantastic cast and production value. The story is king here with an extremely compelling and dramatic screenplay, a rousing film score and focused direction. All which come together quite nicely with only a few limits within the type of effects that were possible at the time standing out on my modern 85 inch mini led TV setup. Even in such an overcrowded genre as this, 13 th warrior holds up very well indeed.
Decent casting and production budget aren't quite enough to budge this tense spy thriller beyond the average needle instead choosing to double down on the blue and teal shakey cam style of its day. No time to breathe, just a constant bombardment of colour, movement. A real assault on the senses if you're in the mood. There are soooo many far superior movies within this genre that it's actually a compliment to say it's a 5/10. Worth a look for fans in this genre.
If you can leave your brain at the door and allow this all female cast to lead you to the comedy it has a good heart and a couple laugh out loud moments. There's little original material here considering it's genre, but the spirit of fun and faris' and stones performances kept me locked in till the end. A fun distraction if you're in the mood!
A great cast and production budget weren't enough to carry the audience to the finish line. Much like the protagonist, the film fails to reach the target falling short on each attempt. As with all moster Vs army squad pictures , much of the tension comes from the threat of the antagonists. Here we have a terrible, terrible design that just doesn't bring anything substantial to the mood. If you can put that aside, for a genre piece it's not half bad and certainly will entertain especially if you're a fan of the cast. Either a waste of time or time well wasted depending on your viewpoint!
Equally as entertaining as it is kinda cringe inducing, if youre a fan of these constant random magic set pieces or the cast then it will likely entertain you! Perfect to watch with a family setting.
Average plot, average screenplay, average performances with an average budget gives a pretty average overall experience. Bizarre reconning of the yautja gives less of a "predator" like vibe instead delivering a more nuanced culture like a kilingon star trek episode with articulated words rather than noises. Overall this felt like an entertaingly wasteful use of the (no doubt) expensive IP.
Average movie with a high VFX production budget. The cast deliver decent performances, sadly the accidental magic that happened with galaxy quest didn't quite manifest here.
The forgettable plot and girl boss accompanied by weak male characters blend into the background as the incredibly talented animators breathe life into the zany colourful world of Zootopia. Beautiful to watch on a modern display but thats about it.
A hair above the average-ometer, the rip delivers a tense action/drama/thriller in which a group of law enforcement try to contain an unusually large gang cash stash. A slow start leading toits inevitable bombastic conclusion.
Occasionally touching dramedy with Fraser delivering a decent performance as the lead protagonist. Comedic set pieces aside there's some very human stuff in here marred by some distracting choices made in the storyline that took me out if the "reality" of its premise. The interesting cinematography kept me engaged from start to end.
Superb cinematography and pacing make the surfer a joy to watch. The masochistic writing is a bittersweet pill as we continue to watch the collapse of the protagonist's psyche. Gonna be honest seeing cage here is pretty distracting
An amazing piece of storytelling helmed by a seminal performance from Mr cheadle. The supporting cast, screenplay and direction all help ground the high stakes action and drama. Blistering stuff!
Out of the countless many other films in this genre,wws only manages to just about go over the average mark. The casting and production budget are huge here but the execution rarely brings any surprises instead opting for occasional shocking imagery NAD close ups to dictate the mood. Entertaining enough for what's here i suppose.
Cheap thrills from a cheap movie. Sadly it turned out to be a duds. And yet the soundtrack is extremely good, threw in some very nice stunts (sadly this resulted in a crewman's death) and it wasn't entirely fruitless. In a word, grungy.
With the world such as it is in 2025, we all of us need a reason to smile and enjoy the occasional joke here and there. Fackham hall provides this relief in spades. I must say one is rather impressed by ones dialogue choices and casting. The refreshingly serious dedication to "playing the humour straight" really is quite charming. The production quality is charmingly high I must say. I shall now pop the kettle on and enjoy a celebratory crumpet.
Touching dramedy set in an "afterlife" scenario. The casting, production quality, soundtrack and screenplay are all excellent. I suppose the only issue is its just not as breathtaking or memorable as other examples in this genre (ghost, always).A decent outing overall.
Slightly above average whodunnit with an impressive cast and cinematography balanced upon a seemingly unlimited production budget. Interesting if unoriginal flick if youre in the mood.
Great acting from Shannon. The strong production quality and direction combines with an interesting and dramatic story. Sadly after much well executed ambiguity the film decides to indulge the more fantastical nature of the characters neurosis making the whole film a clairvoyant episode of sorts. Weird choice foran otherwise heartfelt exploration of mental health issues in a family.
In a nutshell TA is an above average franchise blockbuster with a very impressive budget. Cast, soundtrack,vfx and editing/pacing/production quality all impressed with storyline being its weakest area. OG Tron fans, don't believe the haters and give this movie a try!
This dramedy hits just above the average marker for me landing somewhere on a 6. Ultimately this ended up feeling like a couple 90's er episodes with various technobable moments to show the pros at work. I only wished they'd toned down some of the humour as when that juxtaposed with the dramatic scenesit sort of feels off.
Noticeably poor iteration of the first movie which itself was an iteration of true lies (which itself was a remake of a the original french movie). On the positive side the entire family cast return to reprise their roles. The cinematography was again the highlight and its clear there is a large production budget at work here. Sadly the quality of the screenplay took a huge nosedive into "second screen" territory and so every plot point is telegraphed with no need to cognitively process anything. If you don't mind the sensation of feeling the Grey matter leave your own face then maybe this will entertain you.
Unwatchable trash. The editing and direction fail to build upon anything or create scenarios for the audience to track the motivation and agency of its characters. I tried for 15 mins but nope, quick cut after quick cut with overtly sexual girl boss plus a non stop ADHD soundtrack blasts lest we remain still for a minute to consider anything. Utter trash.
High production quality, impressive cinematography and well paced direction and editing give the vanilla storyline room to breathe. The cast is fantastic and the plot holds up well until the last third when it leans further into the action. Feels like a spiritual remake of true lies. Fun, but ultimately vacuous.
The great production quality deliver a beautiful drama with a star cast and beautiful cinematography telling the at times quite emotional story of the krogans. Just a notch above average.
Its a film we've seen countless times before as we watch a smaller armed force hold its own against an overwhelmingly larger one. What it lacks in originality it makes up for in style. There's a large production budget that's clear in every scene and the cast and set pieces work well to build the tension of the seige itself. I feel the political storylines were the weakest aspect even with mark strong doing his thing well enough but it just felt like a pacing cleanser after a long battle sequence so that juxtaposition kind of took me out of the tension really. Overall if you're in the mood for this kind of movie then yes,it is that kind of movie.
Fun coming of age dramedy carries itself over the average mark with superb cinematography, direction and a very talented cast. The screenplay is decent but underlying story beats never quite carry the audience into anything too unforgettable in spite of its adventurous tone and feel. Very entertaining!
Beautiful cinematography, talented cast, impressive vfx and a high quality budget all coalesce into its well told story. The nearly two and half hour runtime breezes past with great editing and direction to keep the pacing succinct.That said, I didn't feel the emotional beats of the movie ever rose above the average meter for me personally and so in such an over saturated genre it didn't quite do enough to rise above the 7 mark.
This high quality production serves as a vehicle to showcase Dwayne's more dramatic acting talents. Its a slight notch above average and while I enjoyed the commitment to realism it never managed to create enough "spark" to really takee there, emotionally. Worth a watch for any sports genre fans.
Watching in 2025 its still surprising how little high budget vfx and a stellar cast is in producing a good film. Sadly the screenplay just doesn't know if its playing for comedy, spoof or action adventure sci fi. Instead we get an interesting if garbled mess. The iconic comic book imagery of the martians still looks great but this really is not as magical as it felt back in 1996.
Watch as the high production quality and use of the game license are squandered instead made into a very generic horror film with a day resetting format (similar to happy death day). Even at its best, cinematography, casting and screenplay are barely average, amateurish at their worst. If you were thinking of watching this as a fan of the game I'd say best not to bother as there's very little that carries over (aside from the psychologist returning from the og game cast). Unessential, barely average horror thrills.
Spirited effort to bring a Stephen king premise to life. The limited effects show their age here but it is another quintessential 80s horror fest with all the usual tropes present. What it lacks in a quality screenplay it males up for in sheer positivity. Well worth a watch if you're in the mood.
Directors cut offers the best of Del Toros restrained efforts to bring his style to the big screen. Superb cinematography, production quality, casting and soundtrack with a some what average screenplay. Its very entertaining, great pacing but just missing that extra spark of greatness Del toro is known for.
I still remember watching this on its release in UK and I remember teenager me, nervously joking with my pals munching on sweets in anticipation only to turn around, literally seeing a group of elderly veterans, medals on display sitting stoically. We quietened down and Spielberg took us all for the ride of our lives. It still holds up well today in part due to how it set the terms for the now over used handheld documentary style of action movies and its subdued colour palette. I can't quite express but the experience was so realistic and visceral to me it just felt like I was inside the real wartime experience. This became the peak for the director and the casting, writing, vfx sound effects and overall production quality are all just the peak of what cinema was/is capable of in terms of storytelling. It raised the bar for war movies few directors have reached this again!
Breathtaking visuals, impressive casting, superb soundtrack, a compelling screenplay, editing and direction all come together to make the near 3 hour runtime zip past quickly. Putting all the technical feats to one side, the story is probably the weakest point with all the high concept sci fi elements serving as an excuse to create the drama and grand action sequences (unobtainium anyone?). What it lacks in originality it makes up for in using the cinema format so well to tell its story. Still very watchable in 2025 although the vfx now show their age surprisingly! A great SciFi cinematic experience.
OGF is often filled with disturbing ultra violent imagery. Combined with a uniquely slow pacing, beautiful cinematography, a solid cast and arresting combination of slow jam beats and surrealism crafts a unique tone which is very hard to do in such an over saturated genre like this. The crime/gangster/brutal police elements mostly serve as a backdrop to the violence as we reach the enivitable conclusion. Overall a fascinating watch!
A strong atmosphere and stylized use of film grain with many other 70's-80's influences in costumes, props and even lens effects carry this barebones plot and screenplay to its inevitable extremely loud, violent conclusion. The casting and soundtrack are decent but the pacing, cinematography and dialogue never truly reached the intended horror potential it teases to offer the viewer. A flaccid but intriguing horror outing.
An interesting and very Paul verhoeven fictionalized take on the life of Benedetta. With a large dose of his classic penchant for eroticism and violence, there are some interesting dramatic moments and a constant sense of an unreliable narrator as we get to witness her visions without knowing if they are true or not. We are often presented with moments of evidence leaning both to her divinity with god and that she may be unstable/mad/compulsively lying. While I love we never get a definitive answer either way, its presented as such that the viewer is forced to question what they think they know (although I strongly suspect verhoeven believes the latter). Overall the pacing is good and cinematography is fine with some compelling direction and editing to keep the pacing tight. Overall in spite of all of does well, it tries to be a jack of all trades and becomes a master of none.
Hugo serves as Martin Scorceses love letter to early cinema in particular the works of Georges Méliès. This high budget fictionalized retelling of George's subsequent rediscovery takes the form of a peripheral character named Hugo. We follow hugo closely and the first half of the movie focuses on hus struggles living a **** life behind the walls of a train station. The casting, production quality, direction, editing, vfx, soundtrack and themes are handles extremely well. Sadly the often stilted dialogue and morose themes never quite gel with the fairytale/fantasy style well enough to delivery the kind of dramatic payoff that is thrown about at times. Also the relentless accordion reminding us we're in France does get a bit much. However what it lacks in this delivery it makes up for in sheer charm and creativity. Well worth a watch and I must say it looked stunning in Dolby vision on my 85inch TV in 2025.
White people bad. As if we needed more segregated racially biased storytelling right now. I found this to be distractingly racist trash. Its a shame and feels like a missed opportunity as if only the writing had treated its characters as normal human beings and not just as another vehicle for such charged divisive rhetoric, it could've been fun to watch. Ah well.
Decent cast, production quality, screenplay and editing coalesce to bring the emotional story of a wayward young woman who creates a bond with her sniffer dog during her military career. All the right emotional beats are hit well thanks to the talented direction and performances. Whilst not wholly original type of movie, it is hopeful and heartfelt. Very entertaining to watch!
Superior casting, screenplay, cinematography and direction bring to life a dramatic story of romance, deception and drama to its cold hearted conclusion. Whilst not the best in the genre its extremely well done with an expertly poised sense of tension at almost all times. Gosh I miss how films used to be made when it was OK to have attractive male and female talent on the big screen. Ah well.
