sandykemp Reviews

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (2020)

Predictable but brilliantly executed and extremely funny!

[7/10 · 27 October 2020]

Borat is back with a vengeance! Yes it's more of the same sort of thing you'd expect but it still keeps you on the edge of your seat cringing (in a good way) throughout!

The Rudy Giuliani scene is worth the wait. Believe me.

I think Maria Bakalova has a bright future ahead of her as she seriously challenges Baron Cohen as to who is actually the funniest on this movie!

I never thought we'd get a Borat sequel let alone one that actual managed to deliver.

The Mandalorian (2019– )

The old school Star Wars vibes are strong with this one...

[9/10 · 17 November 2019]

Finally we have something totally new from Star Wars! Yet it has a familiar feel that just settles you into its world straight away.

George Lucas always did say Star Wars was an amalgamation of eastern and western culture. The Jedi/Sith clearly influenced by the samurai and Buddhism and the criminal underworld/bounty hunters influenced by the old west.

Here the Western vibes are off the chart and I'm loving it! This is the old school Star Wars we glimpsed throughout the original trilogy in places like the Mos Eisley Cantina, Fett's pursuit of Solo and Jabba's palace.

There are countless throwbacks already in the first two episodes but they're done tastefully and in a way that drives the story forward. Expanding upon idea we've only ever had a slight glimpse of in the past and brining in new concepts we had yet to see in a live action Star Wars project.

Pascal so far has done an amazing job as the titular Mandalorian and that's no mean feat with a helmet on at all times! I hope this series will explore the mythology and post Clone Wars/Empire history of the Mandalorians as there so much we don't know about them still.

The support cast have so far been great too. The atmosphere of the show is spot on. The effects are superb with a perfect blend of practical and CGI used in the right places so far. It really does look like a Star Wars movie! It definitely has a Rogue One-like visual vibe to it. Which, in my opinion, is no bad thing.

The episodes are quite short compared to other contemporary shows and I have seen a lot of negative comments about this aspect of the show. However I feel so far the episodes have been very well balanced and haven't went off on meandering tangents (unlike the prequels and even more so the sequels). It does remind me somewhat of the Clone Wars animated series - short instalments but to the point and we'll presented. However that may not come as a surprise since Dave Filoni is involved in both shows.

Perhaps the modern world is too used to online shows being presented in a "series dump" format where all episodes become available at once. I grew up in the 80s and part of the excitement of a serialised show was having to wait to the following week to see the next instalment! We didn't have any alternative back then. However we used that week to get excited for the next episode and talk to our friends about what we think might happen and wait in anticipation to see if we were right. Maybe we all need to get used to that again?

I'm glad Disney has decided to go back to a scheduled release format for this show as I think it really enhances the old school feel of it all. Plus it means that people who don't have the ability to binge watch the whole series aren't at a disadvantage on social media for spoilers etc.

Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)

Not as bad as I thought it would be...

[7/10 · 4 November 2019]

I was honestly surprised by Terminator: Dark Fate. I went in not expecting much but I won't lie...I found it pretty enjoyable. Flawed yes. However not as bad as some of the reviews have led me to believe.

The opening sequence is visceral and definitely not how you'd expect any Terminator movie to start. However it leaves us with a cleaner slate to start off with than previous sequels.

I'm not going to deny that the plot is a bit formulaic after that but it's an action movie after all and where I feel this movie succeeds is that it doesn't try to be more than just that.

Linda Hamilton delivers the goods as an older even more jaded Sarah Conner. She has some of the best lines in the movie and her interactions with Mackenzie Davis' Grace are great.

Of course this being Terminator we see the return of good old Arnie...again. "Carl", I have to admit, is far more palatable than "Pops" was. He still gets in a few quips and jokes here and but he's more of a back to business T-800 (like "Uncle Bob"). Despite his years he still manages to look and be kick-ass.

Speaking of Terminators Gabriel Luna does a pretty decent job as the Rev-9. He's like a greatest hits compilation of T-X and T-1000 rolled into one. I feel they could have made more of his ability to split more in the movie. The T-1000 was used to his full potential in T2 and it just feels the Rev-9 had more to offer but never got the chance to shine as bright as he could have.

The story does cherrypick elements from all the other Terminator movies (and the TV series) but it manages to stitch them together reasonably coherently. If you're looking for a revolutionary new take on Terminator then you will be disappointed. However if you're looking for some full throttle, over the top action you could do a lot worse.

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

Better Than I Expected...

[7/10 · 27 June 2018]

I went into this movie with pretty low expectations due to the largely negative press I had been hearing about it.

However I have to say I did enjoy it! Yes its not exactly groundbreaking...in fact its pretty predictable most of the time but I have to say it is non-stop action pretty much from start to finish. Also there are a lot of nods to the other movies of the franchise which I have to admit did make me smile at times.

I can understand why people have slated the film....although I feel Star Wars fans nowadays are becoming somewhat crazy about ripping into the new movie.

Yes the story isn't exactly a new one...its pieced together from bits of Legends and background stuff George Lucas spoke about years ago but it's nice to see it all put together and played out for once.

The cast do a pretty good job in their roles. Harrelson makes a great merc and Glover is the stand out performance for me as the young Lando. Emilia Clarke does well in the femme fatale role I have to admit but I feel L33T stole almost all of the scenes she was in.

There are a few interesting cameos from familiar (or not so familiar) characters which again link to the wider franchise and there is a rather interesting side story surrounding Enfys Nest which hints at bigger things going on in the Galaxy.

It's certainly not the best Star Wars film ever made by any means but for me I felt it was a pretty decent action romp that has filled the void until Episode IX for now.

I would like to see a continuation of where this movie leaves off but I have a bad feeling that its not very likely to happen!

With Rogue One being the only other "A Star Wars Story" to compare Solo with I have to say that Disney & Lucasfilm may be better off sticking with it's formula rather than delving into the back stories of legendary characters.

I've been a Star Wars fan most of my life. I grew up watching the original trilogy, I think I'm in the minority who actually liked the Prequels. I just feel that Star Wars fans expect too much from the new movies. If things don't go how they feel it should then they start a crusade to destroy the reputations of the people behind them. George Lucas faced their wrath over the Prequels and now because Lucasflm wants to try something new the Triggered Fan Boys are at it again!

I just hope that Solo's low performance doesn't derail Star Wars' future simply because some butthurt Fan Boys cause Disney to just can the whole thing.

Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)

"This is not going to go the way you think!"

[8/10 · 18 December 2017]

Ok I've seen the screeds upon screeds of negative reviews for TLJ all over the net, not just on IMDb! I can understand why a lot of people will be negative about this movie. In fact I feel theres been more negativity aimed at this installment of the Star Wars Saga than even any of the prequels!

The first thing I will say is it's different. VERY DIFFERENT!

This is perhaps why a lot of people aren't quite so enthusiastic about it. I have to admit that I left the cinema with A LOT of questions and a sense of WTF just happened to the Star Wars Universe!?

However after digesting things for a few days I have to admit I do like TLJ. I'm not gonna say it's the best Star Wars movie. Not by a long shot. However this installment has in fact broken a cycle that in many ways has hindered the Saga since the release of the prequels.

I have to say that since 1999 and the release of Episode I theres been a strange sense of deja vu within every Star Wars movie. The other two prequels, TFA, and Rogue One all suffered from it too! There was a comfortable familiarity within them all but at the same time it also brought an air of predictability to them!

Now TLJ does have some of these echoes throughout - Lost Jedi Master in Exile reluctant to teach a new pupil reeks of Empire; The separation of the main protagonists and their temptation to the darkside also has undertones of Empire and of Jedi (and ROTS to an extent); Crait looks like Hoth and the battle is a very similar set up; Slave children also play a big part in the overall story too!

However there are many new elements that have been brought to the table which whilst they may not sit well within the franchise now does mean that it's future will forever be broken from the deja vu cycle that Lucas had underwritten into his parts of the series.

Now I will admit that some of the new elements are perhaps not as well introduced as they could be! There are characters who I feel should have had a more expansive role in the story than they did. Also some of the new elements related to The Force are just sprung upon you with no real explanation given. That being said it does expand a lot on the new characters such as Rey, Kylo Ren, Poe and Finn. Its gives us more insight into their personalities and potential for the future.

The humour is another bone of contention with the fans. Personally I quite enjoyed a lot of the funnier parts of the movie. Some of the gags where perhaps lingered upon a little too long in some cases but again it was a fresher approach to some of the situations that could otherwise have been very repetitive if handled as they always were in Star Wars. The Porgs I have to admit were fun and funny. Theres also a lot of humour in a particular scene with an old friend that put a smile on my face! Yes some may consider it a deja vu moment like the ones I was slating earlier but I can forgive this one as it was probably the highlight of the movie for me being a life-long fan!

For once I now face the coming of Episode IX with a genuine sense that I have absolutely no idea what it will entail. For some that will be a scary prospect. Many people are already saying that Star Wars is dead after this movie but I say give it a chance!

The one thing I always wished for from the Sequel Trilogy is that we would get something different. TFA was criticised for being too similar to all that came before...now TLJ is being slated for being too different, Maybe, just maybe EP IX will get the balance right.

I know I may be in the minority of fans who actually like this entry to the Saga but I hope that in time people will realise that just because its different doesn't mean its bad.

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)

Unashamed tribute to Hong Kong Cinema & Kung Fu movies in general!

[8/10 · 18 February 2017]

Tarantino wears his influences proudly on his sleeve with this movie. Its a love letter to the Kung Fu craze of the 70s and the Uber-Violence of Hong Kong Cinema.

I loved every minute of this movie despite the absurdity of much of it! Its suppose to be OTT and off the wall. Thats the whole point of it.

Its like Marmite. You'll either love it or hate it.

Trolls (2016)

I have to confess I really enjoyed it!

[7/10 · 18 February 2017]

I expected this to be another identikit kids animated movie like we've seen so many times before over the years. You know....typical cash in on a franchise or trend doing the rounds at that time.

However I will admit I really did enjoy this movie. It has some great music in it. Some unexpected (and great!) 80s covers included throughout and overall it did have some great dialogue and funny little moments mixed in there.

Yeah so the story is pretty predictable but the voice talent and the animation carries it off so well you don't mind so much.

Its not gonna win any awards but there are worse ways to spend an afternoon with your kids.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

Yes there is a lot of Fan Service here...but it's been done so well it actually works!

[9/10 · 16 January 2017]

This film certainly puts the WAR in Star Wars! Action is not something lacking in Rogue One. In fact in some ways there's SO much action that the characters back stories do suffer a little from it.

That being said its a really enjoyable movie and wastes no time at all in getting to the action and the main plot points. The characters are well written and sufficiently complex enough to do the story justice. However there are parts where you feel there should have been more done to flesh the characters out a little so you care a little more about their struggle in the long run.

For fans of old-school Star Wars though there are plenty of moments that will have you grinning from ear to ear! From the return of classic ships and vehicles to some very unexpected but welcome cameos. (Not the ones getting the most press I might add.)

Like The Force Awakens it really benefits from a physical and hands on film-making style. It definitely expands and builds upon many things we first saw in A New Hope all those years ago and since watching Rogue One a re-visit to Episode IV now seems to give many scenes and occurrences within that movie take on a more intriguing and deeper meaning.

It has its faults however I was willing to let those little niggles slide simply because this was one roller-coaster ride of a movie! (Especially the last third of the story.) Hopefully with the success of Rogue One Lucasfilm will go ahead now and make more "Star Wars Story" movies that give die-hard fans like myself more of an insight into this vast and rich galaxy of heroes, rogues and villains.