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