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Reviews
Utopia (2020)
What Have You Done To Earn Your Place In The Cult of John Cusack?
Warning - Spoilers included for both this and the original British version.
Everything that made the original British version of Utopia special, intriguing and ultimately great is lost in this new version from writer, Gillian Flynn. The main thing that made the original show stand out so greatly was not just the story it created but through the visuals and the score, it was a stylised masterpiece. It was something we hadn't seen before. This is not that. In Gillian Flynn's own words, she wanted to make it "more gritty" and wanted to "Americanize" Utopia for the US audience and she's certainly succeeded in that, but at the same time, she has, as mentioned taken away all of its wonder.
The introduction of new character Samantha adds absolutely nothing at all and when she is killed abruptly there is no sadness from either the audience or really from the rest of the cast. She dies and the reaction is not one of mourning but just a bit of shock. Honestly though, as mentioned she was a nothing character anyway. The show was trying to build her up as "the leader" but it just felt like they were stretching Becky's original character across two characters instead and not leaving enough to make Becky interesting afterwards. Instead, both are barely a shade as interesting as the original character and 'Deals Syndrome' here is just a side-note. It may as well have not been mentioned.
But they don't get much better from there. Rod (Lee in the original) is killed off early but again had no personality really as the show instead tries incredibly hard not to pull focus away from how excessively weird Arby is this time around. Arby in the original show is conflicted and simple-minded, easy to please and later builds his own life, grows, tries to have a family and saves them. Arby never gets that respect this time, instead being turned into a stereotypical Autistic man who has the voice of a serial killer and you're never allowed to feel for him. He's given no backstory.
Jessica, obviously the main character in the original is given a little more time than others here but Sasha Lane's depiction of her is much like Arby's. In the original, yes she is brutally honest, forward and knows she has to get things done right to save herself and the others but she also has an almost child-like innocence about her - A sense of wonder if you will. She is seeing things for the first time. She is experiencing love for the first time, she smiles, finds things funny and develops a relationship with Grant that's almost like a big sister. Here, she is just brutal. Nothing else is given to her as a characteristic and it's just weird when she splits from the rest of the group and they have an embrace in the final episode. None of them ever got that close to one another so what are they embracing for? They don't like one another.
For some reason they've made Jessica's story that she wants to find her daddy and go home rather than seek revenge and save people too. She's selfish, yet cries her eyes out when she finds out daddy might be dead and that's just so out-of-character it's as weird as Arby.
Grant isn't given enough time either but Alice is given far more. Wilson, I have fewer complaints about and Desmin Borges was a solid choice in his role, as was Rainn Wilson as Michael.
The main issue though outside of not caring about any characters, the wonderful score being a series of dulcet tones this time around and the visuals being unspectacular is that in this version of the show, the audience have no choice on what to believe. It isn't until 42 minutes before the end that we're told what the real reason behind the entire conspiracy is. We are given just 42 minutes of the near-eight hours to think about Dr. Christie's world-saving sterilisation vaccine. In the original show we find this out around half-way through and it allows the audience to feel conflicted because we are given genuine reasons for it and enough information to allow us to truly think - what if?
There is so much that is lost in this version of Utopia that it ultimately isn't worth the time. Instead, Amazon should have just pushed the original show like Netflix has with The Fall. The original show was so unique and ahead of it's time that trying to re-make that was going to be a struggle and it does unfortunately fail here - As expected. Watching this version, we just feel like Dr. Christie is leading a cult who are trying to change the world with their "purpose" and it almost feels like this is because it is American. By that I mean, the original is more of a government conspiracy and I don't think a show about a viral pandemic being led by the government would go down very well right now so it's turned into a cult instead and it just feels silly.
And don't get me started on John Cusack's catchphrase, "What have you done today to earn your place in this crowded world?" - It is said SO MANY times that you just don't care. I think Flynn thought this sounded edgey and cool or something but it just sounds awkward, clunky and becomes a catchphrase for the cult. I never want to hear that phrase again.
Ultimately, it's predictable... We knew Colleen was on the bad guy's side. We knew Dr. Christie was Mr. Rabbit. Milner was pointless in this version too. At the end of the series, you're just left not really caring for anyone. Nobody is likeable except Michael and then he drives off into the sunset with an egg for some reason!
This is thankfully, just entirely forgetful and you can go back to the original and forget Gillian Flynn's Utopia ever happened. She just doesn't "get it" despite believing she did.
We Are Klang (2009)
Crap
Really, how did this show ever get commissioned? I've not seen anything worse than this... EVER. Why is it screened on BBC3 too? If the Producers really thought the programmes target audience would be BBC3 viewers they were terribly wrong and the only people who would find this remotely amusing would be about four years old. The guy from the Inbetweeners... I don't understand why he took this career turn either. He plays a strict bastard of a teacher in Inbetweeners and in this he is just plain stupid and twenty years too old for it.
This is just not amusing in the slightest and tries far too hard to be. It makes no sense why anyone would think it was worth making.
Brick (2005)
Brilliant Debut From Rian Johnson
Brick is at the moment the only movie I've watched on DVD along with all of the DVD extras. I have the soundtrack as well and wrote a 2000 words paper on it at University and will continue to be one of my favourite films for a long long time.
Rian Johnson spent a good six/seven years building up money to make Brick after writing the script and put all the time to good use as pre-production. When it came to shooting he knew exactly what he wanted and everything came out perfect. The small budget of $450,000 I think was perfect for the film. If Johnson was given loads more it may have become something that it shouldn't have tried to be and that money helped make Brick what it is.
It is a very experimental film and closed-minded people will hate it, the language the jumpy cutting and everything. Everything flowed perfectly and it is definitely a film that is one you need to watch twice. There are a lot of things you wouldn't see in mainstream cinema and there is no stand out that I would change about Brick.
Some people slate it but it is a love/hate film. I myself love it and can watch it again and again.
Gearhead (2003)
A decent story idea VERY badly executed!
I am very surprised at the success of this film in festivals and other such events. I saw it recently with Joe Magee presenting it to us and to be honest I thought it was a shocking piece of film.
The story isn't a bad idea but the editing and wanting to make it look creative and different ruins the story and takes your mind away from the story and instead you concentrate on how the lead male character is jumping a lot due to the editing. Rather than him walking forward he would literally take two steps forward and one step back. The film overall has nothing about it that stands out and makes you enjoy watching it.
The story for Gearhead was basic and a decent idea but Joe Magee is a guy who seems to not like anything slightly normal. I have saw two of his videos now, this and Hypnomart. Hypnomart is another film which is jumpy, uninteresting and has again bad editing. Magee has tried to do too much and failed miserably as he did with Hypomart as well.
A decent story idea VERY badly executed.
The Weather Man (2005)
Comedy in a Midlife Crisis? I don't get it.
This is a movie which I was expecting a lot of. I shouldn't have. It was a disappointment and a waste of an afternoon before work. Described as a really funny film I thought it'd be nice to go see it before a ten hour shift. If you think this is funny then your sense of humour is very different to that of mine.
This isn't really a comedy but more a movie about a guy in a midlife crisis involving divorce, a daughter who is getting called names, a son who is wanted by his paedophile psychiatrist and his dying father. If you can see a lot of comedy in that then again, much different to what I could.
I spoke to a friend who had also seen it and we both agreed. Cage is a brilliant actor and does well in this film also but it is a shocking film and one that you will struggle to keep your eyes open in.
Lucky Number Slevin (2006)
The Ending Makes The Whole Film
If you missed it at the Cinema you missed out. This is one of the movies you need to see and will always be loads better on the big screen.
Josh Hartnett's continuation to act in more demanding roles rather than romance films carries on and he does well in his role and Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman etc. put on performances that you would expect from them.
You think you know exactly what is happening throughout the whole film. You don't. Until the very end you don't know a thing and this is what makes the film what it is. Without the ending it is nothing. The ending puts you on the edge of your seat and makes you want more once it's finished. The build up is slow but it is understandable as to why once you get further in.
Definitely one to see.
Æon Flux (2005)
Good Movie, Good Story
Aeon Flux has been slated from one side of the world to the other but I thought it was a good movie with a good story and it was very well done.
You jump right into the story and think you know what is going on in the movie until very late on. I enjoy movies like that and it was good to see another one like this, the twists and other such happenings in the film were good, well thought out and executed well. Some good choreography with the moves that Charlize Theron has to pull off and I admire her for wanting to do her own stunts also.
Don't listen to the people who have said how bad this is, see it for yourself.
Date Movie (2006)
Don't Waste Your Time
There was a lot of excitement about this movie but I always thought it could be a huge disappointment. It was indeed that. Don't waste your time in seeing Date Movie. There are some slightly funny parts. Meet The Parents is shown a bit too much and the lead actor is a shocker.
You walk away hating the film and thinking how each part was crap. You don't remember any individual parts of the film and just remember it as a really really bad movie.
Scary Movie 1 was a good movie and was enjoyable but since then it's all gone downhill. Just wait until Scary Movie 4. Things will not get better.
Inside Man (2006)
First Time I've Fell Asleep In a Cinema
I have never EVER fell asleep watching a film at the Cinema before until I watched this film. I tried keeping my eyes open but I couldn't in the end. I love movies and love Cinema as much as anyone else who is a member here but this film up to the point that I saw was just like any other bank robbery film you've ever seen. There is nothing to it. There are robbers, there are hostages, there are negotiators. Nothing else apart from the bank owner sends Jodie Foster in there to get some of his belongings out.
You really never care about any of the characters in a movie and that always makes a movie harder to enjoy. The storyline (up to where I saw) was slow, boring and uninventive and I knew I wouldn't be able to stay away.
I work at the Cinema so saw the ending two days later and have to say there was nothing overly special about that either. This movie was a huge waste of time and I should've went home rather than watching it.
I have no idea why it has the great reviews it has got at all. Seen one bank robbery film? You've seen them all.
V for Vendetta (2005)
Perfect, Amazing, Must See
V For Vendetta was one of the movies which I wasn't sure about but knew I had to see anyway. I was really hopeful that it would be a good movie and I was not disappointed one bit. V For Vendetta is an amazing movie. Hugo Weaving puts on a brilliant performance. Having to wear a mask through the whole film you expect the acting to be second degree but his body language shows his emotions perfectly and you don't even notice that the mask has a huge smile on it because of the body language and how well Weaving makes sure the audience know what mood his character is in for each scene.
I was glad that Weaving's character 'V' never actually took his mask off. There was one point I was worried the mask was going to come off and show a really bad make up job but the mask wasn't taken off and kept him mysterious like he was throughout until that point.
Natalie Portman does a good job putting on an English accent and did really well in the shaved head scene which obviously they only had one chance to do. You couldn't have asked more from her and her performance is flawless. To kiss a mask as well and make it look convincing was a hard job but she did that perfect too.
The film is brilliant and I couldn't have asked for more. I haven't seen many films twice at the Cinema before but I may well go see this one again soon. It also makes me want to read the Comic series. Highly Recommended.
Hostel (2005)
An overrated below average film
With Takashi Miike, Quentin Tarantino and Eli Roth all involved in Hostel you expect it to be an extremely entertaining film to watch... It isn't.
There has been a lot of talk about this and I have to say I was disappointed. The ending was a disappointment as it was so sudden and the first 25 minutes are just an excuse to show loads and loads of topless women. I like them as much as anyone else but if I wanted to see that I would've hired a porn movie. As you kind of already know what the film is about you are sat there waiting for something to happen and you have to wait a while for it to happen and when it does finally happen it isn't long until it's over again which leaves you waiting for something more to happen.
From what there was at the main point of the film it was good apart from the "I'm American, I have to be a hero and save the girl" kind of thing which was in there and didn't help it's cause in making me like the movie. Overall I found it disappointing and has been built up so much due to the big names of Tarantino, Takashi Miike etc. that you expect it to be amazing. It doesn't live up to expectations.
Don't get me wrong it's an OK film but my expectations were pretty high for it so it left me disappointed and the ending was a bit sudden. I can maybe see a sequel... sadly.