Change Your Image
squodge
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
Black Mirror: Mazey Day (2023)
An unusual BM episode
I can undertand why a lot of people have rated this episode so low, and it's most likely due to it not being enough about "technology taking over the world", etc.
But I think BM should be afforded the occasional episode that departs from its usual genre format, as this breathes fresh air into the series.
The acting is impeccable, the dialogue works fine, and the story makes sense, although apparently many people found the story "hard to believe". I'm not sure that even makes sense, since the whole point of BM is that it's all fictional!
I have just one more episode of Season 6 left to watch, and so far this episode is my favourite. I like that it was 'leftfield' for a BM episode :)
Ava (2020)
Chastain and Malkovich are what push this to a 7
This is not an original concept in storytelling, but it's still a decent outing. The lead Ava, played by Chastain, is likeable and someone we can identify with on some level. Malkovich gives his usual great performances as ever.
The real problem I have with the film is the casting. The actor who played Michael was badly cast. First off, he can't act. He sticks out like a sore thumb in the film - it's almost like they chose him to play the token black guy. The casting director should have chosen someone better, regardless of colour. I seriously would have have issues with an all-white cast.
Geena Davis is a huge disappointment. She looks like she's "acting by numbers", literally just rattling off lines in order to get her paycheck and go home. She no longer has a 'sparkle' to her performances.
Either way, it's still a decent way to spend about 90 mins of your time. It won't win awards for anything, but it's still entertaining if you can look past Davis's lacklustre performance and Common's awful acting.
Black Mirror: Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too (2019)
One of the weakest episodes, sad that it's the season finale.
It's not a bad episode, just not a good one either. It's formulaic, everything is predictable, and Miley Cyrus basically just plays herself so no real acting skill is needed. Also, having never heard her talk in really life, I didn't realise she sounded like a dude - but, whatever.
To end the series like this is a travesty. This should have been the middle episode - sandwiched between two better episodes. The use of technology in the episode is done well, but the story deserved better development.
Clickbait (2019)
Not bad, just a tad short at under 90 mins
This is a horror satire film, which clocks in at under 90 mins. The pacing of the film is mostly on spec, but occasionally drags because the Toot Strudels adverts weren't always funny, but they are intelligently woven into each Str33ker's flashes.
This is a world where people vie for popularity over an app called Str33ker, which I guess is a parody of Twitter. And the popularity involves creating very short videos, which they call 'flashes' (or 'Vines' in the old days). Bailey and Emma are a duo - Bailey is the face, and Emma does the filming.
The satire mostly works, with only a few moments where I felt the humour fell flat. The film's budget must have been low because, well, the horror and gore moments are what you'd expect from a student film. However, as a horror satire it works absolutely fine.
The sound is a bit problematic at times... dialogue was sharp, but there were times when the sound was murky when I don't think it meant to be. Did I mention the film is a tad short? With the fairly fast pacing, the script could have added an extra scene or two - not to pad it out, but to extend the satire.
Last but not least, I feel the film title 'Clickabait' doesn't suit the film at all. The Str33kers don't seem to be using clickbait titles and, if anything, it's the Toot Strudel ads that hogs a fair bit of airtime. Nevertheless, I give the film a solid 7. Great performances, satire punches about its weight, and both lead actresses are excellent in their roles, especially Brandi Aguilar.
Better Watch Out (2016)
Solid black comedy horror
I've read other reviews and it seems a lot of people don't understand the black comedy in the film. I can't really comment on what goes on in the film, as that would spoil it completely.
What I can say is, the performance of all the actors is great. No one seems out of place in the film. The film is less than 90 mins long, so it's not going to waste your time like some films where the director feels that 3 hours is somehow a reasonable duration.
Do not watch the trailers, do not read professional reviews (e.g. Roger Ebert, etc.), avoid reviews with spoilers. In fact, just watch it and make your own mind up. Judging purely by reviews is like saying creme brulee isn't nice because your uncle doesn't like it.
8/10 - solid film. Don't analyse it too much, it's not supposed to be Cloud Atlas.
Wish Upon (2017)
Entertaining film, just don't expect an Oscar-winning story
I read the usual drivel that people write on here (and have the cheek to call a 'review'). The usual cliches like "it's nothing original" or "it's kind of like another film".
First off, is Wish Upon original? Well, hardly. But then, neither are any of the Marvel or DC hero films (they're all based on comics, so therefore not original). Therefore, it's hardly a crime if a film isn't based on an original screenplay. Fast & Furious has released almost 10 films, none of which are original, not even the first one.
That out the way... is Wish Upon entertaining? Yeah, I'd say so. Some of it is predictable, including the ending, but that doesn't make it bad. All the Scream films were predictable, but no one would say they were awful films (they weren't Oscar-worthy either, but definitely not 1 out of 10 bad).
Wish Upon does something that a lot of modern films still don't do - it actually has two Asian actors with more than 5 seconds of screen time. Usually films only bother having black or Hispanic actors if the protagonist is white, but this time it was great to see some representation of other ethnic minorities. It's not like blacks and Hispanics are the only ethnic minorities.
The acting is fine, what you might expect from a young adult black comedy horror film; the narrative isn't awful by any means. It's derivative, but by no means bad. Some people have criticised the protagonist Clare's choices - but these critics conveniently forget that the Wish Upon artefact causes its user to slowly go crazy. Of course she's going to make bad choices... you can't really use that as an example of bad writing.
Iif you want an easy-viewing film that has slight Final Destination vibes, then I think Wish Upon can fill the gap. I rate it a 7 out of 10 because I found the film did what it set out to do - entertain.
Peppermint (2018)
This film is basically John Wick, but with a woman instead.
It's funny how John Wick is considered an amazing film (plus its sequels), yet the critics pan this film. Peppermint has a high death count in it, just like John Wick - both feature a protagonist who've lost two loved ones (in Wick's case, his wife and his dog).
The main difference that I can tell between the two films is that John Wick is a pretentious film, whereas Peppermint just gets on with it. Perhaps that's why the critics hate Peppermint... because it feels too 'raw', whereas John Wick is all "nice and shiny". John Wick is praised for having OTT killing; Peppermint is criticised for it.
Okay, so Peppermint is never going to win 'best film' award or anything like that, but I get the impression the writers and director just wanted to create an action film that didn't require too much cranium activity. In other words, John Wick but with a woman instead. Both films are forgettable for the same reasons, but they are also both enjoyable rollercoaster rides. Bring out the popcorn, bring out the booze, switch off your brain (because this film isn't about Stephen Hawking's theory on the universe), and enjoy!
My score 7.5 out of 10 (rounded up to 8). The score is based on enjoyment, not on cerebral activity requirements.
The Odds (2018)
I can only assume that the low ratings are from people who didn't understand the narrative
I decided to take a chance with this film because the premise is pretty good - a woman plays a game to win $1m, enduring different things every round.
I find it bizarre that the previous review said the film has no plot, sense or script - the reviewer is possibly braindead or didn't actually watch the film. The fact they rated it 1/10 is astonishing - that rating is for films like "Sharknado".
PLOT
The film definitely has a plot - this is mentioned in the synopsis. There's also character development throughout the film, so I'm not sure what some people are watching, because it's certainly not this film.
SENSE
A lot of people I know said that "Saw" was senseless and just "mindless violence", and I've heard the same said about "Hostel". This film is the same as those two films - it definitely has sense, and once you realise what's going on, it make 100% sense. If it doesn't make sense to a viewer, then I can only assume they're not paying attention.
SCRIPT
It's not the most original story, but it certainly has a script. I felt the pacing was just about right, and there was enough intrigue to keep you guessing what's really happening. My feeling is that this possibly would've been better as a TV episode (Outer Limits, Black Mirror, those kind of shows), as 1h40m is a little long deliver the punchline.
Overall, I give the film a solid 8/10 for solid acting, a good script, and plenty of atmosphere.
District 9 (2009)
A film about hope
Just the other day, I was lamenting the fact that films these days seem to spend less than 5 minutes building up the story and developing characters. Then this film came along.
District 9 started off in a documentary/news style, which made it appear more 'real'. The film took its time building up the kind of man that Wikus was, and we the audience are better for it. From start to finish, there is a real transition in his character development, which is something that's generally lacking in films (not just science fiction films).
What sets District 9 from other alien films is that it avoids sci-fi techspeak. Yes, there are some great CGI effects, and we see all manner of explosions. But the way the story is delivered, it was social commentary disguised as a sci-fi film. It reminds us that we're all suspicious and prejudiced against things we don't understand.
This film made me feel the same way as The Shawshank Redemption. Ultimately, it's a film about hope. A film that shows how cruel people are (or can be), and how (despite all that) the protagonist is shown not to have acted in vain.
If you like films that aren't completely predictable and even a little leftfield form the norm, you won't be disappointed with District 9. Yes, certainly elements of the film are predictable (as with any film), but ultimately I doubt many viewers can actually 'see' where the film is going after the first 30 minutes.
~ squodge ~
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
Without the special effects and battle scenes, this is a pointless film.
Well, what can I say that hasn't already been said? So many people spilling out so many superlative about this film, I may as well be the one who disses it.
Fundamentally, this film fails in the same way as "Gone in 60 Seconds". In other words, if you're not into cars (or battle scenes, as is the case of The Two Towers) then this film is kind of pointless. It supposedly follows Frodo on his trail of adventures, but every single hindrance is a battle of some type.
As far as I'm concerned, films are supposed to be the director and producer's interpretation of a script. They've made no attempt to interpret anything here. It's just battle scene after battle scene.
Even the humour attempted is very poor. There is the play on the dwarf's height, which is over-done, it's stale. I must say that, for a film that's serious, the humorous moments should have been a lot funnier. I'm not expecting belly laughs all the way, but something to at least make me laugh a bit would have been nice.
Anyway, I'm sure the whole world and his dog will go and see this film. For those of you want to be adventurous, try a different film instead. Try "Ring" (or "Ringu" as it's transliterated from the Japanese) which has far more suspense than this pile of cr*p.
All in all, a waste of time of a film, except for Lord of the Rings fanatics and those who really don't know what the genre of film is supposed to be about.
Mean Girls (2004)
Ordinary film with extraordinary performances and dialogue - GO SEE IT!
I watched this film on a flight back from Japan and it was possibly the best film I'd seen in the last twelve months, which is saying something because I've seen about 300 films since January this year.
Basically, I was expecting your average teen flick, but I discovered that this film has a lot more going for it. The usual gags are there, as well as the usual stereotypes. But stereotypes can be exploited in a positive way - in Mean Girls, the stereotypes were there to help us identify with the characters very quickly so less time is spent on character development.
The scene in the gym where the teachers ask each kid to atone for their sins (after the 'book' is found) is classic. It was hilarious watching the kids say nasty things and then apologise for them.
After seeing the awful Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, I was expecting the worse from this film. How I was so wrong! If you ain't seen this, take off your thinking cap and enjoy ^__^
~ squodge ~
Century Hotel (2001)
A little disappointing, but still some some moments worth savouring...
I got this film on the strength of one actress that I like... Lindy Booth. Her performance in Century Hotel seems a little below par, but it was adequate.
The film doesn't seem to go anyway in the first hour, but then it unfolds nicely after that. Which is unfortunate since the film is only about 90 minutes long.
The Cantonese pronunciations were absolutely crap. I didn't they just stick to using imitation bad English (Canadian) accents instead of getting the actors to speak very poor Cantonese? Or perhaps they should have rewritten that part of the script. Sorry, it's a nitpick, but I believe films are an art form and, as such, should be given more TLC than Century Hotel was given.
I did like the little "twist" regarding the soldier guy who was soon to be married to his sweetheart who he hadn't seen for a long time. Watch the film and you'll find out!
All in all, this wasn't a bad film. But they could've done so much more with it. 6/10 is a fair indication of its entertainment value.
Oktober (1998)
Great drama, sadly unavailable anywhere.
I didn't realise that this mini-series of three episodes was only 5 years old! I remember seeing the first episode and thought it was amazing drama. The final scenes were nothing short of breath-taking; although some of it was predictable.
Nonetheless, I'm surprised that the producers never thought of releasing this to the public on DVD or VHS. It would certainly give some people something entertaining to watch on a Sunday night.
I think at the time when Oktober came out, there was a lot of promising British TV, but unfortunately most of them were either canned or really dumbed-down for the audience. I can remember seeing "Crime Traveller" and thought that was fun, although nothing new.
There was also "Cracker", which came out a little earlier, I think. "Cracker" was controversial at the time because, if I recall, there was a sex scene that came just seconds after the watershed and provoked outcry by those members of the UK society who obviously had nothing better to do.
Anyway, catch Oktober if you can. Not sure where you'll get it. But it's fun, albeit in a dark sense!
Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain (2001)
Great cinematography!
LyCifer says that this film has been "done before". Well, tell me which film hasn't been "done before". Good cinema is not judged by originality, but on entertainment value and good cinematography.
If a film can inspire you, make you cry, make you laugh, make you think, and make you feel good after you watch it, then it has done well. All films should be approached in this way. All films provoke some of those responses... but Amelie provoked all those responses in me.
If you haven't seen this film, you have missed out on an odyssey of emotions and feeling. Watch it with friends. Watch it alone. Above all, watch it! You won't be disappointed... unless you watch the Polish dubbed version. You have been warned!
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
Without the special effects and battle scenes, this is a pointless film.
Well, what can I say that hasn't already been said? So many people spilling out so many superlative about this film, I may as well be the one who disses it.
Fundamentally, this film fails in the same way as "Gone in 60 Seconds". In other words, if you're not into cars (or battle scenes, as is the case of The Two Towers) then this film is kind of pointless. It supposedly follows Frodo on his trail of adventures, but every single hindrance is a battle of some type.
As far as I'm concerned, films are supposed to be the director and producer's interpretation of a script. They've made no attempt to interpret anything here. It's just battle scene after battle scene.
Even the humour attempted is very poor. There is the play on the dwarf's height, which is over-done, it's stale. I must say that, for a film that's serious, the humorous moments should have been a lot funnier. I'm not expecting belly laughs all the way, but something to at least make me laugh a bit would have been nice.
Anyway, I'm sure the whole world and his dog will go and see this film. For those of you want to be adventurous, try a different film instead. Try "Ring" (or "Ringu" as it's transliterated from the Japanese) which has far more suspense than this pile of cr*p.
All in all, a waste of time of a film, except for Lord of the Rings fanatics and those who really don't know what the genre of film is supposed to be about.
Alias (2001)
Half-decent viewing amid today's poor taste TV
The pilot episode showed how television has not really progressed much. Much of the elements of the so-called-plot were predictable, such as Sydney escaping, her father being somehow involved in it right from the start, and discovering certain things like her mother is dead. These seem to be a staple in American television shows. Are ALL families this dysfunctional?
That said, I think Alias has a lot of promise. The characterisations are stereotyped - we have the kick-ass heroine in Sydney, the over-complex Jack Bristow, the jealous friend Will, the token black girl Francie, the rather clumsy-sounding Marshall, and the typical baddie-types like Suit and Glasses.
I think the stereotypes actually work in its favour here. Usually, in an espionage/thriller series, it is hard to remember who is who, etc. But the characterisations help here.
Only time will tell whether Alias will actually get anywhere. The stories tend to end in cliffhangers, which is all good and well, but sooner or later, the show will have to give closure. Otherwise it will end up with the same fate as Dark Angel, a another show that started out with huge promise, but disintegrated from poor scripting and even worse acting.
Points out of ten? 6/10
Virtual Nightmare (2000)
Could have done so much more...
Virtual Nightmare is one of those films you catch on cable television by accident. I was one of the lucky people who did just that, over the Christmas period in 2002.
This was one of those films that did well to show the acting talents of virtual nobodies. The only criticism I have of the film is the ending, which I felt was a little unsatisfactory. That said, Virtual Nightmare does give food for thought, and the last film that made me think in this kind of way was "Cube", which was a completely different genre, but still made me feel "claustrophobic".
Nevertheless, this is one film that should be seen. It highlights the rot of consumerism and globalisation, and how we are all blind to it.
Dark Angel (2000)
Let Dark Angel die a peaceful death
Dark Angel started off full of promise. However, just like most contemporary American television, producers seem to think that good looking actresses make for good viewing. They don't.
Dark Angel suffered from about the second or third episode into the second season, and the television networks did well to drop it like the proverbial plague. Bad storylines coupled with poor acting made this one of the worst shows ever. Even "The Simpson" has better acting, and they're all celluloid!
I think Cameron should have made Dark Angel a movie rather than a television series. He should have spent more on a script and drafted a decent actress. And it was scandalous how they dropped John Savage without warning - he was definitely one of the highlights of the show.
Bring back Dark Angel? No, let it die in peace. Lots of good moments, but sadly far too many duff ones. There was also too much stereotyping. Main star (Alba) is eye candy, then there's the black girl friend with "yo mama" speech built-in, and a nerdy type (Eyes Only). Pur-lease! Show some originality! This typecasting was evident in Knight Rider of the 1980's...why, oh why, are producers still coming out with formulaic stuff? Especially when it fails to work.