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alanhorkan
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alanhorkan
Location
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About Me
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Genres I like
Comedy, Sci-Fi, Action, All Movies
Reviewed by
alanhorkan
Just because you can do it doesn't mean you should. I skipped the 3D version and went for 2D but from the nauseating (seasick?) camera work I expect to hear about all the "freedom" the computer animation gave to the film makers.
Aside from that it is a fun family film full of slapstick. The motion capture animation is still a little strange but a lot less creepy than I'd expected and except for Daniel Craig I got used it mostly.
For Tintin fans the story includes: The Crab with the Golden Claws, The Secret of the Unicorn, and Red Rackham's Treasure.
I wasn't amazed but I'm optimistic the next film will be even better.
Reviewed by
alanhorkan
From the director of Gattaca ... an interesting science fiction premise but for the second half it all goes a bit "Bonnie and Clyde" and there isn't a lot more to it than that. Neither of the leads particuarly grab me, if you're a fan of either perhaps you'll enjoy the film a bit more. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon but nothing special.
Reviewed by
alanhorkan
The director Paul WS Anderson is enough to put off many from seeing this film but normally I find his video game adaptations and other films to be fairly enjoyable and amusing but not this time.
The swordfights were good and the action passable but the rest was poor, and I struggled through it waiting for the next bit of swordplay. The story was weak in so many ways: if a film is going to introduce retro-futuristic machines then even more should have been made of it; the characters could at least pronounce each others names consistently; you'd expect a smaller ship would be able to outmanouver a bigger ship, but they say they can't and then ten minutes later go and outmanouver the bigger ship. The Anglo-American heroes against the German-European villians gives the film an odd mix for a French story, but I think that has more to do with financing than any attempt at subtext. Having seen far more devious versions of Milady in other versions of this story were she uses her wits and charm, the change of her into an action hero spy Milla Jovovich was disappointing. The addition of James Cordon as the bumbling sidekick only annoyed me further. I don't care much for 3D to begin with but it is pointless as ever in this film.
This film generally seems as if it is aimed at a PG audience but that makes it seem so strange when characters half-curse saying a cut-off "sh__" and make coy references to Buckingham having a past relationship with the Queen.
If go in not expecting much you might extract some amusement from this film but there are plenty of other better versions of the Three Musketeers.
Reviewed by
alanhorkan
You know this a Vampire film right? Thankfully so do the film makers and they don't waste too much time getting to the point, and taking on "Jerry" the Vampire. Colin Farrell is suitably menacing as the pyschopath next door (no sparkly vampires here) and Anton Yelchin plays the hopeless hero, desperately trying to survive.
The 3D is nicely done but as usual, unnecessary and largely pointless throwing of things directly at the audience trying to make you flinch.
Good fun for vampire fans but nothing new (it is a remake).
Reviewed by
alanhorkan
A serious and brooding Ryan Gosling not saying much, born to drive. It's the quiet ones you have to watch out for. Was great to see this as a surprise film at MovieFest, knowing less about it heightened the drama.
Set in the present but with eighties styling (obligatory rubix cube) giving it an eerie timeless quality. A film called Drive has to have a car chase or two, and although there is action this is a slow boiling crime drama. This is a great film that could easily be spoiled by mis-marketing and overhype. Well worth checking out.
Reviewed by
alanhorkan
Doubt I would have bothered to see this except for the MovieFest preview screening.
Amusing. Two idiots force two other idiots to rob a bank. Nice car chase. Neatly finished story.
Jesse Eisenberg not exactly breaking out of his rut, more of the same, finding the dumb schtick from Danny McBride tiresome already.
Reviewed by
alanhorkan
Shown August 14 as part of MovieFest.
Death does not like being cheated and with this the 5th installment of the franchise you should know what to expect: a disaster avoided, providing only a temporary escape from an impending implausibly elaborate death.
The slightly different angle this time is that if someone else dies in your place you might get to live out their time instead.
I'm not a big fan of 3D but in a rollercoaster ride of a film like this, with sharp objects flying right at you, the 3D gimmick sort of works.
The story is complete and stands alone but for those who have seen the whole series there is a nice nod to the first film near the end and also some highlights of the franchise.
Not the greatest film ever but a lot of silly fun and something of a guilty pleasure.
Reviewed by
alanhorkan
The film struggles to go beyond the jokey premise and do something more. It delivers Cowboys and Aliens and bit of action but not much more than that.
Spoiler:
I'd have been more surprised if a certain character had turned out not to be an alien, was my first guess when I saw the trailers.
Reviewed by
alanhorkan
Maybe I should give this film 3 out of 5, since it is well made and does seem to achieve what it sets out to do, but it just didn't like it very much.
With all the superhero movies out there I wonder how many people will think this is a comic book movie? There's no double meaning in the title. The Super 8 of title refers to a type of video camera used by the kids in the film: yes it's a film within a film, the tedious cliche of write-about-what-you-know strikes again. During the end credits the film within in film is shown, it is one of the more fun moments in the film.
This film is a few parts ET, and a few parts monster/disaster feature. JJ Abrahams is no Hitchcock, there are big bangs and suprises but no real tension, and his signature godawful amounts of lens flare.
I liked how the alien was only shown in shadow but that only added to my disappointment when it was finally revealed.
Maybe a good family film, so long as it isn't too scary for younger children. Not a bad way to pass the time but it didn't really grab me.
Reviewed by
alanhorkan
I was unprepared for just how poor this film was.
There were a few interesting visuals and ideas but the execution was labouriously long, too repetative and too predictable. The amusing side characters were even less amusing than ever. The drop in replacement makes Megan Fox look good, although in fairness they were never given a lot to work with.
I didn't bother seeing it in 3D maybe that would have helped. Unless you enjoyed the second of the series don't expect to enjoy this one, it is only marginally better, which is to say still pretty poor.