The Call Of The Wild (2020) Review

The Call Of The Wild (2020) Review 

 I am a huge fan of Harrison Ford so when I saw the trailer for this film I was interested and I have now seen The Call Of The Wild and this is my review. The premise of the film sees a dog taken from a life of luxury and attempt to adapt to a new lifestyle when he meets humans and animals that will have a huge effect on his life. 

Main Character

Now I know I mentioned Harrison Ford but the actual main character of the film is that of the dog Buck. Now this film could have been very cheesy and silly especially if the dog had started talking but luckily it doesn't do that. Buck is one of the most fleshed out characters of the year so far and that is crazy when you consider he doesn't speak one word in the film. You just see in his body language and the way he acts the way he is speaking and you really do grow to care about Buck and want to see him succeed in the film. 

Supporting Characters

Now on to Harrison Ford, he isn't actually in the film as much as the trailer makes out but when he is he does a great job. He seems to care in this film which is important for Ford and leads him to give a strong performance which has a great blend of drama and humour. He has the most personal connection with Buck in the film and you really grow to see there friendship and it is really nice and powerful to watch. It is especially impressive when you think that the majority of his acting in this film is with a CGI Dog. Omar Sy plays the first person to come across Buck and I thought he bought a real energy to the film, I liked how his character and Buck interacted and grew a bond, it was nice to see how it comes across and how both of them benefit from their friendship. Dan Stevens is in this film and he plays an antagonist that is after Ford and Buck in the film and even though he isn't given very much to work with he looks like he is having quite a bit of fun in the film and seems to revel in his corny villanous role. 

Story

Now the first half of the story for me was excellent, it was fun and exciting but also had the appropriate amount of depth especially between Buck and the head of his new pack, it is a compelling part of the film and one that really works. However, the 2nd half of the film moves at a slower pace and I didn't really find it that interesting, seeing Ford and Buck interact was nice to see and it had a good ending but I just feel like the film couldn't quite keep the energy that the first half of the film had. 

Script

This is an interesting script as the main character doesn't speak one word in the whole film, with the dialogue for the human characters it is fine. The drama feels well handled especially for Ford's character as he has quite an emotional backstory and it is well handled and some of the little bits of humour was nice. But, there is nothing that is very memorable about this script, not many lines I can remember or exchanges that I found to be overly interesting.

Style

The style of the film looks great mostly, the film is shot really nicely and there are some stunning visuals to look at. There are also some really fun sequences that are exciting and sometimes dramatic to watch. Though the biggest issue I have is that Buck himself looks incredibly CGI, now obviously I know he is a CGI dog but the good CGI is when you forget that the character is CGI such as Thanos in Avengers Infinity War, in this film it just looked really fake and at times it made me feel like i was watching a CGI creature. 

Overall

Overall this is a really good film, it has quite a bit of heart to it and this is a good watch for families and people who are dog owners for sure. It's not one that you need to rush out to see but if you do see it you will be entertained for sure.

Rating - 7/10

Better Call Saul Season 3 (2017) Review

Better Call Saul Season 3 (2017) Review

 After a little break I have just finished the third season of Better Call Saul and this is my review of the season. After being tricked by his brother at the end of last season Jimmy McGill is forced onto the defensive to protect his future as a lawyer. Meanwhile, Mike finds himself in the middle of a turf war between two drug kingpins.

Main Character

Bob Odenkirk is back as Jimmy McGill and I thought this season might have been his best work yet in the show. You can see throughout this season by some of the actions he decides on he is getting closer to becoming the true Saul Goodman that we saw on Breaking Bad. But he also has more compassion then Goodman which shows that he is still trying to do the right thing even though it sometimes doesn't work out for him. His character is full of shades of grey but overall you root for him even though there are some things he does that make you question why you are rooting for him. 

Supporting Characters

Jonathan Banks as Mike is given a larger role this season and he is fantastic in the role, it is really cool to see the genesis of some of his relationships with characters that will take place on Breaking Bad. His story takes over the majority of the first half of the season and it is great seeing Banks being given a bit more time to shine this season. Rhea Seehorn is Kim Wexler and her character goes through quite a bit this seaosn, she like Odenkirk has real shades of grey to her character but you can tell she is more law abiding then he is. Their chemistry together is fantastic and you are really rooting for them to succeed as lawyers and as a couple. Patrick Fabian as Howard & Michael Mckean as Chuck are real highlights of the show they are great antagonists on the show, they made me dislike them so much that I really wanted to see McGill beat them. But they also have depth to them and you see they have issues themselves that makes them human and even feel a bit sorry for them especially Chuck at times which is handled very well. A character that has been present but not hand much to do is Michael Mando as Nacho but this changes a bit this season, he is given more to do and it is interesting to see how he fits in the gang war between the drug lords who I won't reveal who they are in case you don't know. 

Story

As mentioned it feels like the first half of the season really focuses on Mike and the gang warfare element whereas the 2nd half focused more on Jimmy and his issues. I enjoyed both thoroughly but feel like they maybe could have been condensed to make it more compelling as there is a few parts of the plot I felt was less compelling to watch. Also it takes like the first two episodes for anything to happen in the gang plot but if you have seen Breaking Bad you know more then the characters which makes it a bit of a frustrating watch and you just wish it could move a little bit quicker. The end of the season is really handled well though and it really gets you interested in the next season and what is to come. 

Script

The script is great on this show, the humour is reall well done and seeing McGill charm his way out of lots of potentially dangerous situations is very gratifing to watch. Also the drama is really well handled, the courtroom scenes in particular bring real emotion out of the characters that feels very real and personal. 

Style

This Season the show focuses on the courtroom aspect of the show and I Love it, I am a sucker for great courtroom scenes and episodes of shows as it is fascinating watching it develop with our characters and trying to work out what will happen next. However, my complaint with the show since I started watching it is the pacing, the tension and aggressive pacing of Breaking Bad is not to be seen here and that is fine as this is a different show but there are times when it really does drag and I feel like maybe it could have done with being 8 episodes instead of 10.

Overall

Overall this is another great season of the show, you can really see the evolution of Jimmy McGill's character and this is a great watch of a show that really focuses on interesting characters. 

Rating - 8/10 

The Last Thing He Wanted (2020) Review

The Last Thing He Wanted (2020) Review

 This film has just come onto Netflix and has a pretty blockbuster cast So I was interested to watch this film and this is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees a journalist who is fed up at work go on a job for her father which causes her to question if the story is worth the effort. 

Main Character

Anne Hathaway is one of the best actresses around and she is fantastic in this role, she delivers a very memorable and interesting role here. She has some very quick and snappy lines which mixed with her dramatic moments really provides a pretty real character that you can actually sympathise with and was easily the best part of this film. 

Supporting Characters

Willem Dafoe plays her father in the film and he does a really good job in the role, his character is clearly very shady and messed up but I liked his relationship with Hathaway and felt it was probably the most interesting part in the film and I wish we could have seen more. Ben Affleck is in this film and he does an okay job with what he is given but his character is really boring in this film. He isn't in the film a huge amount and they don't do enough to make you interested in his character. Rosie Perez is also in this film and I just didn't find her character interesting either, she is just Hathaway's friend in the film and doesn't have a defined character in the film.

Story

The story is in my opinion the weakest aspect of the film, it just moves all over the place and feels very jarring. It is very confusing and clearly thinks it is clever then it actually is, when Hatheways character works things out it just doesn't make any sense and it leads to lots of characters poping up that don't provide anything to the story. Plus the ending is absolutley crazy and again makes no sense and just leaves more questions then answers and not in an interesting way like some films can. 

Script

The script has some pretty quick and clever lines especially from Hathaway but the question is whether that is good scripting or whether it is just her performance. The fact that nobody else has any interesting lines in the film I have to believe that is was just her and the script is poor. 

Style

The style of the film is really nice to look at, it is shot really well and there are some films that build the tension pretty well. But this films pacing is pretty boring it is very slow but isn't interesting which makes it feel longer then it actually is. 

Overall

Overall this is a very forgettable film that has some decent things about it but really isn't worth a watch.

Rating - 4/10

Sonic The Hedgehog (2020) Review

Sonic The Hedgehog (2020) Review

 As a big video game fan I have played many Sonic games, some good & some bad but when The Sonic film was announced I was interested. Now some backstory to this film, when the first trailer was released Sonic's look was heavily slated, so in an unprecedented move Paramount & Sega decided to change the look to a more faithful version to the game. This move really was a great way to get support for this film and I think this film should be supported for this decision, anyway this is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees an alien hedgehog with superspeed trying to survive with a police officer from an evil genius.

Main Character

Ben Schwartz voices Sonic in this film and I feel like he does an alright job in the voice, he is very charming and entertaining in the role. Also you grow to care about him a lot as there is some depth to his character and you do feel sympathy for him, I also liked the way he addressed pop culture as it was a constant way to get laughs. However, there was a point where I thought that he just became a bit too annoying also I don't understand the need to try and make more and characters like Deadpool, first of all Harley Quinn in Birds Of Prey & now Sonic in this film and I don't feel like every character has to narrate their own film and it does take away from the film. 

Supporting Characters

James Marsden plays the police officer that Sonic befriends in the film and I thought he did a good job in the film, he is your likeable average guy that is pretty easy to root for. The relationship between the two characters is handled well and even though it is a pretty generic journey I did get emotionally invested in there story in the film. Now we get to the thing I couldn't stand in this film and that was Jim Carrey's performance as Dr Robotnik, he was just so over the top I thought I had been transported back to the 1990s. I know this film isn't meant to be taken too seriously but he is just so off the walls that it is so hard to take his character seriously at all even when the film tries to make you feel that way. 

Story

The story is at its strength when it focuses on Marsden & Sonics relationship, it is quite heartwarming and nice to see this friendship develop throughout the film. However, one thing that should be noticed in this film is that it is really safe, it is a very predictable film that is pretty paint by numbers. Even though this is an entertaining film if you can easily predict the film all the way through then it does take away from your experience even if it is a film that is meant for families. 

Script 

Some of the humour does work in this film, as I mentioned earlier I did like the pop culture references used by Sonic, also the drama was suprisingly well handled and it made me care about the two main protagonists in the film. But I will admit sometimes, there are just a few too many references in the film and it can sometimes take away from some good character moments and good dramatic moments.

Style

The style of the film is easily the best part of this film, it is very bright and colourful and feels like it is straight from the video game. Sonic looks great in the film and I am so happy they changed the design and it is a great thing to see this version of Sonic on the big screen instead of the horrible version in the first trailer. The action scenes are exciting and entertaining with moments that feel appropriate for this film and the age group that the film is aimed at.

Overall

Overall this is an entertaining film for sure that starts to make Sonic a more mainstream character again, there was definitley some issues for the film but if you like fun action films then Sonic might be worth a watch for you.

Rating - 6/10

White House Farm (2020) Mini Series Review

White House Farm (2020) Mini Series Review

 This show is based on a real life tragic story and looked interesting so I have now watched the mini series of White House Farm and this is my review of it. The premise of the show sees a family all murdered except the Son, it seems like a clear cut case but not is all that it seems. 

Main Character

Freddie Fox plays Jeffrey Bamber the Son who survives the incident and he is great in this show. You are meant to feel uneasy about his character and he is slimy enough for you really not to like him. However, his performance is so good that you aren't sure if he is genuine or whether he is putting on an act and it keeps you guessing. 

Supporting Characters

Everybody does a great job in this show, Mark Addy who played Robert Baratheon on Game Of Thrones is the one detective who thinks there is more to the case then meets the eye. He is the character we are really meant to root for on the show and he does a great job at doing that as ou really support him in the role and want to see him be right about his suspiscions. His clashes with Stephen Graham are some of the most entertaining and dramatic scenes in the whole show, Graham is the detective who thinks the case is open and shut. You see both these characters point of view and even though you are meant to root for Addy you see Grahams point of view and that is what makes there clashes so interesting. Alexa Davies, Gemma Whelan & Mark Stanley are all great on the show and really do great jobs in there roles and add quite a bit to the roles to make them not 1 dimensional characters.

Story

The story is interesting as I like how the investigation is handled and how different evidence comes to light over time in different circumstances. The last couple of episodes hit some really high heights as the investigation comes to its climax, but I must admit I found this show a bit predictable. Obviously, this show is based on real life events so you can't change much up but I kind of guessed how it was going even without knowing about the backstory. Also there are some elements of the story that felt a bit tacked on such as Alfie Allen's character as that really doesn't go anywhere. 

Script

The script is really good, the dramatic dialogue really provides some heated moments and great clashes, obviously because of the subject matter there isn't much humour but it feels appropriate to the show and it really nails the darker more intense feeling that the show should have. 

Style

The style of the show has a really deliberate pacing about it, it doesn't come across as slow and keeps you interested throughout as you really want to know what is exactly going on and just how they are going to find out the information is required. Seeing the different reactions of the characters to the murders is fascinating to watch and it really brings out the different feelings between the people involved with the incident.

Overall

Overall this is a fantastic dramatic show, if you want an intense more deep mini series then this is a show that could be right up your ally. 

Rating - 9/10

Emma (2020) Review

Emma (2020) Review

 I must admit this was not a film I thought I would be seeing this week but a family member managed to convince me to see Emma so this is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees a young woman attempt to meddle with other peoples love life while craving to be an independant woman. 

Main Character

Anya Taylor-Joy is a really great actress probably known for her great performance in Split and her role in the sequel Glass. She does fit the role of Emma very well for sure, she has the look of a period drama actress and she has the acting ability to pull off the lead in this role. But the problem was with the character of Emma herself, she is just rather unlikeable, yes I understand that this was the point of the film but never in this film did I care about her, root for her or feel sympathy for her even though the film really wants you too. 

Supporting Characters

Johnny Flynn plays the main supporting role in the film and he is very good in this film, one aspect of the film I did like was his chemistry with Joy and how the two characters clashed a lot and he basically calls her out for her flaws as he is the only character that does this in the film. Billy Nighy has a role in the film and he is basically the comic relief in the film with very little character, still he was entertaining in his role and it is nice to see him in this role as I haven't seen Nighy in much recently. There are plenty of other characters in this film, probably a few too many but none of them are particularly interesting I just didn't care about any of them ore there plights because for the most part Emma didn't seem to care and that's who we see the film through. 

Story

This film is based on the book written by Jane Austen, so I expected at least an interesting narrative in the film and some depth to the characters but I just didn't find it in this film, nothing really happens in this film. The plot moves at a snails place and just focuses on the romance storylines but doesn't look past that and try and make the story more interesting. Plus I know it is based on material but this film is really predictable, the film ended exactly as I expected and there was nothing to suprise or interest me here. 

Script

The script has some funny moments and dialogue which does work but it is not good enough to carry this film as a comedy but the film doesn't have good enough dramatic dialogue to make this anywhere close to a drama. This means there was some okay moments but not enough to flesh out the characters or make them funny.

Style

Now this is a period drama, so this film looks great. All the costumes and designs are top notch, a big compliment to the people who worked on this aspect of the film because it felt very authentic. However, this films tone is never properly defined, apparently it is meant to be a comedy but it isn't that funny so it fails there. Also the pacing of the film, the film is 2 hours long but I swear feels like double that, I was so bored I cannot explain. 

Overall

Overall, if you like period dramas you might like this film but to me it is just a boring film that is just not worth a watch.

Rating - 4/10

Horse Girl (2020) Review

Horse Girl (2020) Review 

 This film has just recently come onto Netflix and I have now seen Horse Girl and this is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees an antisocial girl struggle to work out what is happening in her dreams or real life. 

Main Character

Alison Brie plays the lead character in this film and she really tries her best in this film to carry this film and she is easily the best part of this film though that is not saying much. But her character is just really bland and boring to watch, she is one of the most bizzare characters to have been put on film and I just never saw a reason to care about her character and the plight that she was put in. 

Supporting Characters

There isn't really any other important characters in this film, I mean Molly Shannon is in the film but she really doesn't do anything and the rest of the characters are really paint by numbers aswell. 

Story

The story in the film is pretty weird, it is a really hard to explain, seeing this woman go through all her problems really isn't interesting to watch and you just question how crazy her character is. It just feels like the story never gets going, the plot moves forward at a snails pace and it just isn't interesting to watch at all with a pretty ridiculous ending that feels very silly.

Script

The script doesn't help in making any of the characters interesting, this film is meant to be about people but it doesn't feel like these are real people at all. Nobody has any sense of humour in this film and the drama never gets high enough for it to see the characters really conflict in the film. 

Style

The film attempts to ask plenty of questionsbut it misses the mark completley, what makes it worse is that there are no answers in the film and the poor attempt just feels really out of place. Also this film feels incredibly slow, the film takes so long to get even some sort of story going but even then it doesn't go anywhere at all.

Overall

Overall this is one of the worst films I have seen in a long time, it is so slow and boring to watch, it tries to be more philosophical then it is and will be a waste of time if you watch it.

Rating - 1/10

Parasite (2020) Review

Parasite (2020) Review

 This is a film that has been in the news lately as it picked up 4 Oscars including Best Director & Best Picture which is huge for a non english speaking film. I have now had the chance to see the film and this is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees a poor family look to gain an opportunity by gaining jobs in a higher class family and gain the advantages from that. 

Main Character

Now there are quite a few characters in this film but really Woo-Sik Choi plays the son in the family and he does a great job in the film, you can see he has pretty honest intentions at first but things start to unravel for him and he doesn't quite know what to do. He is likeable but you aren't sure if you should root for him and that creates a multi layered character that keeps you interested throughout. 

Supporting Characters

Everybody gives a superb performance in the film, I won't go through everybody's names as they are quite long but whether it is the poor family or the rich family everybody is believeable and real in the film. These characters are as mentioned before multi layered and you just aren't exactly sure who exactly to root for. The one actor I will mention is Kang-Ho Song as the Father of the poor family, he is truly brilliant in this film, he probably goes through the most in this film and he is the most interesting person in this film and honestly he should have probably got nominated for the Best Supporting Actor at The Oscars but nonetheless he is great in this film. 

Story

The first 20 minutes of this film I wasn't exactly sure where this film was going but it is super fascinating watching the dynamics between the two families and seeing the different personalities and motivations which really blurs the line. I don't want to go into the plot too much as I had no idea what this film was about before I watched it so it should be the same for you. Also to put it on top the ending for this movie is so thought provoking and perfect for the film that has been going on. 

Script

The script even though in Korean is brilliant, this film suprisingly has tons of humour in it, I laughed quite a bit in this film which shows just how well the writing is to make these characters feel multi dimensional. The drama also really works to make you truly care about what is going on and what is happening to the characters that you are watching. 

Style

First of all lets mention that obviously this film has subtitles, this should not be something to worry about as it is fine and the film is so strong that it doesn't matter. Okay this film has a bit of everything in a stylistic way, it looks great and has bits of comedy, thriller, drama & horror, it is a perfect blend that keeps you on the edge of your seat and excited to see what comes next.

Overall

Overall, this is one of the best films I have seen in the last few years, it just has a bit of everything to it and was well worthy of its Best Picture win at the Oscars. If you are put off by foreign films and reading subtitles, don't be as this is a truly special film that has to be seen to truly appreciate just how good it really is.

Rating - 10/10

First Look Of Robert Pattinson As Batman Revealed

First Look Of Robert Pattinson as Batman Revealed 

 So today I woke up to a quick video that reveals the first look of Robert Pattinson as Batman and I have to admit I have been waiting for this for a while as I wasn't convinced Pattinson was the right choice for the role but if you are judging by just looks alone he is Batman. These are a few things I noticed from the short clip. 

The score shows a more noir take on the character

Along with the first look I want to talk about the music used in this quick video, Michael Giacchino scores this film and he is fantastic at his job. This score makes this seem like a more noir and mysterious take on Batman, we have never really seen a full on noir detective version of Batman but judging by all the things that have been said in interviews and this score I believe we may be getting a very different Batman to any we have seen on the big screen before. 

The Bat Symbol looks incredibly sleek 

The bat symbol on the suit looks great, a smaller version then the one used on Ben Afflecks suit, it looks more appropriate for a gadget filled Batman. The more metallic look of the design also makes me think that this film may actually be set in present day which means that it would be set in a different universe to all the other DC Films which would give it more creative freedom such as Joker had. 

The smaller frame really works for this suit

One thing that was different about Ben Affleck's Batman was that he was incredibly bulky, it made sense because obvioulsy he had to clash with characters like Superman, Doomsday and Steppenwolf so he had to be larger. But Pattison's is clearly a more nimble and athletic Batman which hopefully leads to some different action scenes and a Batman who is a bit more tactical in the fighting scenes. 

This suit seems to be inspired by Marvel's Daredevil

One thing to notice about this reveal is that the suit looks similar to Charlie Cox's Daredevil from the Netflix series and with the red background I would believe that there was some inspiration from that excellent show with a great costume. 

Overall

Overall this is the first step forward for Pattinson as Batman and I am now highly positive about this film and believe if the story and script are strong then this could be an excellent Batman Film. 

The Pharmacist (2020) Limited Series Review

The Pharmacist (2020) Limited Series Review 

 This documentary has a really interesting story behind it and by reading the premise of The Pharmacist I was compelled to watch this 4 episode documentary on Netlflix. Similarly to my Aaron Hernandez documentary review I will just say what interests me about this documentary without going into too much detail so you can experience it for yourself. The premise of the documentary sees a Pharmacist lose his son due to a drug related murder, while investigating the situation he comes across startling reveals and a country wide epidemic that will affect his entire life.

Dan Schneider is the main guy for this documentary and he has a fascinating story, you can see just how much his sons passing really affects him and his family but what interested me the most is that he didn't really grieve and decided to do something about this tragic event which maybe wasn't the most healthy decision but possibly helped him to grieve. 

Sometimes this documentary feels like it is just crazy and from a made up crime thriller, but this is all real and takes twists and turns that you really couldn't predict or expect but makes this show pretty thrilling and fascinating. It has interviews from people from different points of view and it is interesting to see these different opinions and their opinion on this subject.

My only criticism of this show is in my opinion even though it had some, the show didn't have enough screen time from one particular person that required more to really try and understand their perspective and why they did what they did.

Overall this is a very compelling series, it is only 4 episodes long but you learn so much in that time with plenty of horrifying scenes and things that bring out the emotion in you.

Rating - 9/10

Better Call Saul Season 2 (2016) Review

Better Call Saul Season 2 (2016) Review

 In getting ready for the new season coming this month I have now finished Season 2 of Better Call Saul and this is my review for it. The premise of the season sees Jimmy McGill with a slightly less honest practise as he tries to navigate through a big case. 

Main Character

Bob Odenkirk plays Jimmy McGill and he is just fantastic in this role, he is so charming and charismatic in the role and you do really care about him as a character. He does some questionable things in the season but you see why he does what he does and you still root for him despite his flaws which he definitley has as a character. 

Supporting Characters

Jonathan Banks plays Mike and he is given an interesting story this season, it pretty much splits from Jimmy's story but does enough to keep you interested especially when it involves characters that are from Breaking Bad which makes it fascinating seeing them interact before that show. Rhea Seehorn plays Kim on the show and her character is much more interesting this season then she was in the first season. Her and Jimmy's relationship is more advanced this season and seeing them interact is a highlight of the show with them having a good chemistry together on screen. Patrick Fabian plays Howard and he is a good douchebag on the show, he isn't the most complex character on the show but his job is to be unlikeable and it is really easy to not really like him. Michael McKean plays Chuck and he is a really interesting character, he comes across as unlikeable at times but he has much more depth to him then Howard and you see some great debates between him and Jimmy this season.

Story

This season sees Jimmy in a few different locations and companies and I found it interesting seeing him trying to stay the boring good lawyer even though you know he wants to just be himself and be the charismatic guy that he will become when he arrives in Breaking Bad. Also Mike's story is interesting as it deals with the darker parts of the story and the more action heavy parts of the season which is a good compliment of the show. However, as mentioned above these seasons feel really seperate and sometimes you do wonder if they actually connect that well, also when it comes to Jimmy's story it takes too long to get to the main meat of the plot which means the last few episodes are exciting but there are a few episodes that could have been considered as filler this season.

Script 

The script for this show is really good, a fantastic mix of humour and drama to really make some complex characters, the drama was better this season and Bob Odenkirk knows how to add good humour to pretty much anything that he is a part off. 

Style

The show has a very unique style, you are interested in what McGill is going to do next as a character as he is really unpredictable. But I know I shouldn't but I compare this show to it's parent show Breaking Bad and it is just knowhere near as intense and exciting to watch, it doesn't have you on the edge of your seat as that show did. Also as mentioned this season has more filler in it and maybe it could have done with being an 8 episode season which would have made it really strong.

Overall

Overall this is a great season of television, I preffered it slightly to the first season but not by much. If you are a fan of entertaining character driven shows then Better Call Saul Season 2 is worth a watch for sure. 

Rating - 8/10

Dolittle (2020) Review

Dolittle (2020) Review

 With this being Robert Downey Jnr's first project since leaving the role of Iron Man I had some intrigue in seeing this film and I now have and this is my review for Dolittle. The premise of the film sees an eccentric doctor who can talk to animals dragged on a journey by a young boy in order to save a persons life. 

Main Character

As mentioned Robert Downey Jnr plays the lead in this film and I think he does an okay job in this film, he still has quite a bit of charm and charisma about him and there is a bit of an emotional arc his character has to go through in the film that does work. However, I felt like his accent really didn't fit this character and made him a bit difficult to understand at times also honestly throughout the film he isn't the most likeable character in my opinion and I did at times find it difficult to root for him and care about his character. 

Supporting Characters

Out Of all the animals there was really only one I grew to really like and that was Rami Malek as the Gorilla Chee - Chee, he was very loveable and charming and I actually enjoyed watching his character develop throughout the film, it was probably the most enjoyable part of the film. Antonio Banderas also has a fun role in the film and I liked his character in the film and his fun interactions with Downey Jnr. However, I never really grew to care about any of the other animals in the film even though they are voiced by some big Hollywood actors such as Emma Thompson, Tom Holland & John Cena. Also the boy that accompanies Dolittle isn't particularly good and doesn't provide a strong performance in the film but that is probably due to the weak script that is given. 

Story

The story has a few characters go through interesting development in the film such as Dolittle and Chee-Chee which just about gives this subject the benefit of the doubt. But this film has a very predictable and boring plot, there are no curveballs and no interesting plot twists to invest the viewer and is just a simple journey to watch.

Script

As I said earlier the script is really weak in this film, there are a few chuckle worthy moments but the majority of it fails to land and the drama just doesn't work aswell as it truly could and that is because of the clear aim at pleasing children which weakens this film. 

Style

The film has some vibrant colours and is definitley pleasing on the eye to look at, with some impressive set pieces in it aswell. But I felt like the tone of the film was a bit all over the place, every time the film tried something dramatic it ruined it by putting in an unneccessary joke that just totally ruins the dramatic moment.

Overall

This film was pretty much what I expected, a below average colourful film that could be a good time for families but as a film it isn't particularly good and isn't worth a watch unless you are trying to entertain the children.

Rating - 4/10 

Birds Of Prey (2020) Review

Birds Of Prey (2020) Review

 After many months of anticipation Birds Of Prey is finally with us and I have seen it and this is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees Harley Quinn break up with The Joker which alerts a criminal head honcho who aims to take advantage of her and a group of other women in Gotham City.

Main Character

Even though this film is called Birds Of Prey it should really just be called a Harley Quinn film and Margot Robbie is fantastic in this film. It is clear that they are trying to make her the DC version of Deadpool and she is very charismatic in the role and has some really good lines in the film, I feel like she has a real good grip on this character and it feels like she really enjoys playing the role of Harley Quinn. 

Supporting Characters

Ewan McGregor plays Roman Sionis AKA The Black Mask in this film and it is clear that he is having a blast in this role, his character is very charismatic and a bit off the wall but that works because of the film that he is in and he is definitley an entertaining villain in this film. Now we get to the rest of the Birds Of Prey - Rosie Perez as Renee Montoya, Mary Elizabeth Winestead as The Huntress & Jurnee Smollet-Bell, they all do their best in their roles especially in the action scenes but they just aren't given enough to do in the film. I didn't really care about their characters and I think this was because there backstories are choppily presented and not given as much screen time as Harley Quinn is clearly presented as the most important character in the film.

Story

This film has an interesting story when it comes to Harley's story, it deals with how she is dealing with her situation with The Joker and dealing with being a bit of a better person and I thought that was handled pretty well. But as mentioned before all the other characters stories and motivations aren't really explored enough to make you care and give them a real reason for being a part of this group. 

Script 

This film has some funny lines and dialogue in the film especially when the film is doing its best to break the fourth wall and be a bit more interesting then many comic book films. Some of the drama is okay but it doesn't really hit the levels that I think it was going for and as mentioned previously it doesn't elevate any of the supporting characters above being okay characters. 

Style

This film has a really unique style. the action scenes are fantastic, really fun and unique. The film does a great job of showcasing the characters different fighting styles to create some meorable and really fun action sequences. However, the pacing of the film is a bit messy, the film jumps all over the place which I get was a stylistic choice but it becomes a bit jarring as you are interested to new characters often and the film isn't in order so it can make it a bit hard to follow. 

Overall 

Overall this film reminds me quite a bit of Suicide Squad which is why it gets the same rating, an above average film that could have done with focusing up a bit more and showed the group together more and interacting. But this is a fun time at the movies and if you don't take this film too seriously then it can be an enjoyable watch for sure. 

Rating - 6/10 

Batman & Harley Quinn (2017) Review

Batman & Harley Quinn (2017) Review 

 So with Birds Of Prey finally with us tomorrow I decided to do some late revision and watch the Animated Film Batman & Harley Quinn from a few years ago and this is my review for it. The premise of the film sees Batman & Nightwing forced into teaming up Harley Quinn in order to stop Poison Ivy and The Floronic Man from turning everyone in the world into nature. 

Main Character

For me possibly the most iconic portrayal of Batman has to be this one, Kevin Conroy as the voice of Batman takes me back to my childhood and to the excellent Arkham games that have come out over the last decade. He has the perfect voice for the caped crusader and for me this is one of the best versions of the character ever, he nails the brooding nature of Batman but has a little bit of fun in the role to allow a more complete performance as Batman. Melissa Rauch voices Harley Quinn in this film and she does a really good job, this was the only time that she voiced the character but I thought she delivered a fun take on the Harley Quinn character, there is some depth there and she has some really funny lines in the film that make you like her as she isn't the most evil version of the character and is a pretty easy character to root for given the circumstances. 

Supporting Characters

Paget Brewster voices Poison Ivy in the film and I have always liked the animated version of Ivy as I feel like it is given some real depth and even though she clearly isn't the most likeable of characters the film does a good job of selling her point of view and making you kind of understand why she does the things that she does. Kevin Michael Richardson plays The Floronic Man and I have to admit this is a character I know nothing about from the comics but he played the role well as the hulking henchman but he also had some depth to his motivations and I thought him and Ivy were a good pairing as the antagonists in this film. It is a bit unfair that this film isn't called Batman, Nightwing & Harley Quinn as Loren Lester & Nightwing is along for the journey the entire film and he fills his role well, I thought the trio bounced off each other very well and were fun to watch. 

Story

I thought as mentioned the concept of Batman & Nightwing having to work with Harley Quinn is an interesting one and I thought they did a good job of really showing the difference between the two heroes and Quinn. Also as mentioned I felt the villains had decent motivations and I liked how they fit in the history between Harley & Ivy in the film. However, my biggest negative of this film is the ending, the last 5 minutes are utter nonsense and include an incredibly pointless cameo that seems to be just there as a bit of fan service. Also it is just how abrupt the ending is, I felt like I was expecting at least another 10 minutes but no the film just ended and I really wasn't satisfied with the ending. 

Script

This film has some good drama in it, especially between Harley & Ivy to make you care about their friendship and relationship and also some good lines from Batman. The humour is a bit of a mixed bag for me, some of it worked and did make me laugh but they also resorted with some childish humour which makes no sense as this film is definitley not aimed for kids.

Style

I thought that the more mature tone taken for this film was a good decision, with a character like Harley Quinn as one of the leads it made sense for this film to have a bit more adult content in it, also all the action scenes were well handled and felt exciting to watch. But I can't stop thinking about the pacing of the film and how it just ends abruptly and doesn't really answer any of the questions from the film.

Overall

Overall this is a fun easy to watch film that is just over an hour long so won't take up too much of your time. If you are a fan of Batman The Animated Series then you will probably like this film, just be prepared that it doesn't provide the payoff like that epic show did.

Rating - 7/10

Rise Of Empires: Ottoman (2020) Mini Series Review

Rise Of Empires: Ottoman (2020) Mini Series Review 

 This show has recently premiered on Netflix and I have an interest in war and Empires so I decided to give this mini series a watch and this is my review of it. The premise of the series sees a young new Sultan attempt to take over a major Roman City and start his ascension to a true world power. This is accompanied by interviews from experts that give context about what the historical significance is of some of these events. 

Main Character

The series focuses on Sultan Mehmed of the Ottoman Empire and I really liked his character, he is the character we learn the most about in this show and I actually cared about his ascension to the top of the Ottoman Empire. I also found it interesting seeing the pressure that he is under as this conquest begins and drags on and you really see the different sides of his character as the show progresses. 

Supporting Characters

The supporting characters were mostly interesting aswell, both the Roman Emperor and the Catholic Mercenary leader have really good arcs on the show and their characters go on a real journey throughout the show. Also even though the Ottomans are the main focus of the show, it does a really good job of showing the conquest from their point of view and the intrigue that comes with it. I also liked the story of The head advisor to The Sultan as you see the political debate between him and The Sultan and it creates intrigue to who is in the right and who has the better strategy.

Story

As mentioned before the main characters all have really satisfying and interesting arcs about them that really shows the moral shades of grey of war. There aren't really clear heroes and villains as you can see both points of view and see the reasons for both sides to need to win this war. However, I felt there were some lessar stories especially involving the female characters that just weren't that interesting and weren't given enough screen time for you to really care. 

Script

The script is good with some decent dramatic dialogue and well acted scenes, though, due to some of the thick accents I didn't feel like this was the strongest script in the world as I sometimes found it hard to understand the actors but for the most part they got there point across in a decent way. 

Style

The style of this show looks great, the action scenes are truly epic and feel as good as shows like Game Of Thrones and films like The Lord Of The Rings. They are brutal but easy to follow and appropriate for the show that you are watching. But we must now talk about the format of the show, I kind of wished this had just been a fantasy series and got rid of the documentary style that goes with it. Yes some of the context is quite interesting but it breaks the flow of the story and sometimes just feels unneccessary and even though Charles Dance was a great choice of Narrator there were times when I felt like he wasn't needed and the show could have advanced organically.

Overall

Overall this is a good show, if you are interested in the history of Empires and conquest then this should be one you put at the top of your list, for me there were a few things mentioned that holds it back from being a great show but at 6 episodes it is an interesting and entertaining watch. 

Rating - 7/10 

Falcon & Winter Soldier (2020) Wandavision (2020) & Loki (2021) Trailer review

Falcon & Winter Soldier (2020) Wandavision (2020) & Loki (2021) Trailer Review 

So during the Superbowl last night there was a few small trailers but really the most important trailer that was shown was a really short one which was by Marvel Studios and gave us the first look at Falcon & Winter Soldier, Wandavision & Loki and these are a few things I noticed in this 30 seconds of footage. 

Falcon hasn't fully transitioned into Captain America and still uses The Falcon persona 

At the end of Avengers:Endgame Steve Rodgers seemed to pass the mantle of Captain America over to Sam Wilson, so it was assumed that Wilson would be Captain America on this show but that doesn't seem to fully be the case. The trailer shows him practising with the shield but also in action scenes he is clearly in the Falcon gear so it is clear to see he hasn't decided to take on the mantle yet. It will be interesting to see if Wilson ends up taking on the mantle of Captain America or whether somehow Bucky Barnes ends up taking the mantle likes he does in the comics. 

There is a new Captain America

An interesting scene in the trailer shows a man dressed in Captain America gear running onto an American Football Pitch and it seems like there will be a new Captain America that is decided by the american government. This will probably bring up some interesting morality issues on the show as there will probably be a clash about who will be the real Captain America on this show.

It seems like Hydra might have returned 

When you see the enemies that Wilson and Barnes are clashing with they are clearly in dark green and yellow outfits, these are the traditional colours of the organisation of Hydra in the comics. Hydra have had a huge role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe but have been on the shelf for a bit now but the organisation are highly linked to the characters of Falcon & The Winter Soldier aswell as Captain America. 

Scarlett Witch has her comic book costume 

There isn't much footage of Wandavision and what there is seems pretty weird and out there but the one thing that people have been talking about is that Wanda Maximoff is seen in a costume that is pretty accurate to the one used in the comic books. Obviously the costume won't be as skimpy as the one in the comic books for good reason but it is nice to see this callback to the comics and further shows how unique this show will be. 

The Time Variance Authority are after Loki

In Avengers:Endgame the version of Loki from the first Avengers film manages to escape with The Tesseract which means that this version of Loki will be the one that we will be watching in Loki. This means that he will be pretty much a straight up villain having not gone through his anti-hero phase yet in this timeline. In the trailer the letters TVA are on Loki's shirt and these are the initials of The Time Variance Authority who are clearly hunting Loki through time and probably trying to stop him from doing some evil things to further his own gains.

Falcon And Winter Soldier is set to come out to Disney + in August 2020 starring Antony Mackie & Sebastian Stan. 

Wandavision is set to come out to Disney + in Fall 2020 starring Elizabeth Olson & Paul Bettany 

Loki is set to come out to Disney + in 2021 starring Tom Hiddelston 

Uncut Gems (2020) Review

Uncut Gems (2020) Review 

 This film has been gaining quite a bit of buzz recently and on Friday Netflix released this film and now I have seen it and this is my review for this film. The premise for the film shows the life of a charismatic Jewel dealer and how he can try and make a large score to pay off people he owes money too. 

Main Character

Now I have to admit Adam Sandler for me was seen as pretty washed up and you would only see him in pretty awful comedy but my opinion has now changed, this is probably the best performance of his career and can stretch his career out for years to come. He is so charismatic in this role but not in the annoying way you expect, he clearly knows what he is doing in the role and you can't take your eyes off of him when he is on screen. His dramatic performance is also great, he really goes through the emotional ringer in this film and I just couldn't believe it was Adam Sandler giving this excellent performance and I really hope we see him do more dramatic roles in the future.

Supporting Characters

Julia Fox plays Sandler's girlfriend in the film and she hasn't done much before this but I thought she did a good job in the film,, there chemistry together was there in the film and I thought she did a decent in the film. However, the rest of the people in this film aren't intreresting at all in the film, plenty of people come in and leave the film but there isn't much context to them and because Sandler completely owns the film these other people are mostly just there. 

Story 

It is really interesting seeing the life of this guy as he deals with all these different things going on and showing just how chaotic this world gets to. The film does a great job of building the tension because of how this story builds and builds throughout, I also really liked the end of the film and felt it was appropriate for the story that has been told. However, as mentioned with the supporting characters I felt that especially in the first 20 mins the film could have done with a bit more explanation as to why certain characters are after Sandler as it is never really explained. 

Script

The script is really good, a great mix of humour and drama to it, especially when Sandler is delivering the lines you believe everything that he is saying. Though I noticed that during the film that characters talk over each other lots in this film, I am fine with it for a bit because it is natural and like real life but it becomes a bit too much throughout the film and it feels like people are just trying to get there lines in over the other people. 

Style

This film has a great style to it, you feel the same way as Sandler's character in the film and you go on the journey with him and start to break down as he does. As the film goes on it just gets more and more intense and you feel the tension building that it keeps you watching and really makes you wonder exactly what is going to happen. 

Overall

Overall this is a good film that is led by a truly brilliant performance by Adam Sandler. This film was good but nothing groundbreaking and will pretty much only be remembered for Sandler's performance.

Rating - 7/10

 

Fast & Furious 9 (2020) Trailer Review

Fast & Furious 9 (2020) Trailer Review 

 It is that time again for amazingly the 9th Fast and Furious film and the trailer has just hit the internet and these are the things I noticed in it.

John Cena is playing Dominic Torreto's brother 

Obviously with 9 films, the writers have to come up with new reasons for these characters to go on these crazy journey. John Cena is the antagonist in this film and to be honest he looks like he will fit into this franchise very well and there is some potential for a more dramatic take on the story but it does bring up the question as to why he hasn't turned up in any of the previous films or why Dom hasn't even mentioned him in any of the previous films. 

Mia is back but obviously no Paul Walker 

One thing the film is going to have to explain is that the character of Mia is back for this film even though they seemed to right her out in previous films. But obviously due to Paul Walker's real life death the character of Brian won't be in this film so they are going to have to find a way to explain just why Mia is back but Brian didn't make the trip which can be easily done but I wonder how they will do it.

Have we seen the craziest action scenes in the trailer?

These films are known for their crazy action scenes in it but I do wonder whether we have seen the best action scenes in the trailer. Such scenes as the cars flying off cliffs and Vin Diesel and John Cena flying off of trailers, I just think maybe this film has shown too much but I wouldn't put it past this franchise to have something more mad planned.

Han is back from the dead and I hate it

Now first of all I really like the character of Han but he was clearly killed off in Furious 7 by Deckard Shaw and that was the emotional arc of that movie and why the two groups clash. However, since then Shaw was a protagonist in Furious 8 and Hobbs & Shaw so this comes across as a clear message from the franchise that Shaw hasn't done anything wrong and that he is a good guy even though we know he would have been capable of killing Han and had a clear motivation for it. I feel this ressurection takes away from Furious 7 as a film and really hurts the character of Deckard Shaw and makes him more of a one dimensional character. 

Fast and Furious 9 is due to come out on the 22nd May 2020 starring Vin Diesel & John Cena.