chrisandmark-44838 Reviews

Scream (I) (2022)

Wish my expectations weren't so high...

[5/10 · 16 January 2022]

So I'm sure I was like every other Scream fan out there, excited with anticipation when the news broke that Scream (5) was making its return to the big screen! I personally put aside the obvious in that its been pretty down hill for the franchise with every sequel that followed the classic first movie (with that said Scream 2 is probably my favourite) and was certain that this movie would offer a substantial and multi layered story with a twist and reveal on a epic scale that would make previous reveals look pale in comparison....how wrong I was....

Scream offers little more than cheesy high camp acting, with forced and cheap humour delivered in the form of out dated, cringe inducing one liners. The storyline feels thrown together and nonsensical and at times damn silly. I mean no spoilers but how long does it take for the police to arrive to a murder in a small town like Hillsboro?

The new characters, come at you full steam ahead and give you little reason to care about their fate as none of the characters have anything in the way of substance or meaning.

The return of the Sidney, Gail and Dewey is what it is and they looked to be just going through the motions and waiting for their salaries for the movie to clear in the bank. I mean Sidney and Gail both take a hell of a beating in the closing scenes yet look fresh as daisy's in the closing dialogue before the movie ends. Its just silly.

The special effects are the saving grace for this movie and really induce horror and shock at how graphic they are, I applaud the director and producers for allowing it to be as daring and life like as it was.

I don't know what I was expecting or why I was expecting Oscar worthy story telling or acting but what I do know is, this needs to be the end, the franchise has become a cheap cash cow and it is tarnishing what was and maybe still is, a classic as far as movie franchises go.

'the reveal' of the killers at the end was very 'so what' I couldn't tell you what their names were 5 minutes after leaving the cinema or what their motive was. Clearly the characters and story made little impression on me, maybe because there wasn't one.

It should of had depth, flashbacks to previous movies, more creativity, pacing and editing, the dialogue could of had more substance, a scene with Sidney recounting her past experiences with heart and compassion and emotion would have really gave the movie depth and dimension as found in most certainly the first 3 movies.

Its high camp, silly, overly modern and largely forgettable.

Everybody's Talking About Jamie (2021)

I thought it was going to be good...I was wrong it was fabulous!

[10/10 · 18 September 2021]

I had mixed expectations before I pressed play...I expected this to be low budget, with so so acting and only just managing to cross the line in regards to delivering any sort of meaningful message.

I'm so happy to say I was wrong! I absolutely loved it...

What is ultimately given to us with this movie, is a story with depth, heart, meaning, history and truth. Everybody Loves Jamie could of easily and adequately delivered a fast paced and high camp but largely forgettable romp but instead this movie was well rounded, multi-layered and expertly paced to allow for not only the expected high camp, high fashion and tap for you foot musical number but also heart renching and impactful scenes made to teach and enlighten and give a unexpected but accomplished serious tone to the movie to which I personally appreciated and admired. Its in these scenes which deal with real emotion and issues in todays society that this movie really shines and becomes more than just a throw away yet well intended bog standard message movie.

The musical numbers could of easily been a little bit to much to bare and taken away from the meaning and intentions of the movie but instead they give platform and spotlight to the message especially in the dramatic scenes in which the lyrics from the warm and touching ballads really tug on your heart strings.

From the always reliable Sarah Lancaster to the bold and fierce Richard E Grant (who also adds a lovely little touch of star power to the movie) the movie is held steady by honest and effortless acting that makes it so easy to watch and invest in because of the believability in they dialogue and ultimately emotions of the characters . Max Harwood is a sensation and the supporting cast are on point.

I applaud this movie for being more than it had any right in being, I applaud its bold and unashamed attempt to teach young viewers of the battles gay men have faced in the past and in the present and sadly to a degree in the future. The use of footage of the Aids pandemic, Princess Diana, Freddie Mercury is inspired and elevates the movie from what it could of easily have been (and personally what I expected it to be) and instead becomes a must see movie for anyone, any age, gay, straight and everyone in between.

I laughed and I cried but overall I was blown away.

The Little Things (2021)

Brilliant - Old School Detective Movie

[9/10 · 14 February 2021]

If like me your a fan of the 90s mystery, detective thriller that requires no CGI or special effects or other modern day movie magic effects then The Little Things is for you.

Its a shame that Hollywood appears to have has lost its faith in scripts like this one. The Little Things offers up a taste of the old school with its simple but effective plot that doesn't pretend to be anything that its not. The acting and dialogue is intelligent, subtle and effective. Denzel Washington, Rami Malek and Jared Leto all bring to the table a absorbing, masterful and truthful performances that really help bring a sense of long forgotten class to the movie.

The sub-plot that explores the past events of Washington's character for me felt a little off but was well explained as it subtly drifts in and out of the movie as more and more is added leading to it tying nicely together with the main plot. I personally loved the 90's Jagged Edge style twist at the end that although isn't earth shattering its fun and commendable.

The Little Things is a gripping and subtly tense movie that serves us commendable performances and a very well done simple but intelligent good guy vs bad guy plot.

Solid Entertainment and here's me thinking they don't make them like that anymore but after watching The Little Things.....I'm glad to see they do!

The Undoing (2020)

Little bits of magic....however comes undone at times.

[8/10 · 16 November 2020]

I'm 4 episodes in and felt compelled to write a review so here goes.

I fell upon the Undoing and was intrigued by the story, mystery and the change in role by a typically typecast Hugh Grant. Expectations were high and I really felt this could be terrific and so far so good.

The story is pretty straight forward thus far and is keeping me entertained, the mystery is intriguing but I have my theories 4 episodes in, I'll be disappointed if they pann out because my theories are hardly shock inducing and I'd rather a mega twist cap off this show than some obvious run of the mill ending I or we could see coming a mile away.

Nicole Kidman is whimsical and magical in her role but I feel out of all they actors in this series Nicole is the one struggling to breathe life in to clumsy and at times weak script and dialogue. The short bursts of dialogue feel rained in and tire some, which fails to really enthral and capture my intention and as stated Nicole appears to be out of place in delivering the already weakend dialogue with any strength, gumption or believability.

Hugh Grant is trying his absolute best and I take my hat off to him. Seeing him in this role is refreshing and because it's so out of character it feels believable. You can see him bursting to deliver a worthy performance and whilst not earth shattering its very well done.

For me the showstealer is Donald Sutherland who effortlessly brings class, dynamics, truth and a real sense of purpose in what he is doing. His subtle ways are captivating and just a pleasure to watch. The man is a seasoned legendary pro who elevates with ease the previously stated lacklustre dialogue.

Frustratingly its Nicole that I am struggling with, I feel her character is oddly playing with the detectives and giving them no real reason not to suspect her. Shes hardly shouting it from the roof tops that she is innocent and when they do confront her she is cold hearted and unsympathetic to the crime/victim. Her ice cold performance gives me no real reason to show the character sympathy for being cheated on and hurt and involved in all this mess. I should be rooting for her to uncover what happened as the woman scorned but shes acting more of a bad guy than her husbad who is supposed to be the bad guy.

It's my hope that as the season progresses we see the brakes and the raines come off and we see some truly great scenes with heartfelt passionate dialogue that leads us powerfully to a explosive ending. I live in hope because this has the makings to be a excellent TV series.

Broadchurch (2013–2017)

Standard Who Dunnit Let Down By Comedic Acting

[6/10 · 16 May 2020]

So I'm a little late to the party when it comes to Broadchurch writing this in 2020 but I can recall vividly when this was first shown it seemed like everyone was talking about it and the explosive end reveal. Well I'm not there yet, I'm about half way through the first season but I had to come here and vent my frustrations, I mean what was all the fuss about?

So far Broadchurch has offered me a thinly woven storyline that is by the numbers that instead of keeping me on the edge of my seat has almost caused me to fall asleep in my seat. I mean the characters who are supposed to have depth and layers instead have routine cliché back stories that makes each of them a suspect in a case that the mother of the boy seemed to get bored of after the first episode, did she even shed a tear?

The acting is awful and comedic at times which lets down what should be a dramatic, captivating and enthralling series brimming with heavy emotion, gripping dialogue and layered performances, instead we are offered typical British by cookie cutter characters portrayed by actors who look fresh out high school drama class. Special shout out to the Dads plumber friend I mean really, he just looked like he couldn't contain his excitement on camera that he even got cast in the first place.

David Tennant...I don't know there is just something unlikeable about him and I can't buy in to his tough guy detective when he looks like a substitute teacher or a doctor (sorry I couldn't resist)

Oliva Colman comes across dumb and ditzy, like she shouldn't be anywhere near a shop lifting case never mind a murder. Her comedic portrayal intentional or not comes across misplaced in a what I'm guessing is meant to be a series crime thriller/drama.

Its like Mid Summer Murders except its trying to be taken seriously and failing miserably thus far.

Unless Season 1 ends on a high note and is mind blowing then I wont be rushing to watch Season 2

Who done it? I'm half way through and I don't really care to be honest

Falling Down (1993)

By the numbers and weak cheesy acting let's this movie down.

[5/10 · 2 May 2020]

Falling down is one of those movies you hear great things about but never get around to seeing and then I finally did with high expectations I expected absolute thrill ride with epic performances and a solid storyline that would have me gripped from start to finish. Instead what I got was a movie that had a story to tell each scene felt like it fit to easily in to a jigsaw that was overly thought out in order to drive home the message with a bazooka with little in the way of depth or subtlety.

The acting was horrendous and lazy. The actress playing the cashier in the restaurant looked like she on a different plant smiling and giddy throughout a scene were a man is holding a gun! The acting in general was cheesy and over the top and really let down what is meant to be a serious film.

It felt dated and obvious and comedic at times.

Michael Douglas and Robert Duvall seemed to be going through the motions and their performances were hardly shakesphere.

A miss for me which is a damn shame as it could have been so much more but with little in the way of depth and actors who looked and acted like they stepped out of a low budget soap opera it just didn't work for me.

Just Mercy (2019)

Great Story But Not Much Else

[6/10 · 19 February 2020]

I love a good true story, especially a court room drama based on wrongful convictions but I am starting to realise that these incredible stories are being told in a very routine way when you breakdown movies similar to this such as Hilary Swanks Conviction or Denzel Washingtons the Hurricane and others.

Individual wrongly convicted and placed on Death Row and then hot shot lawyer comes along and gets them off in the end but along the way faces the routine setbacks you have seen in all of these types of movies but justice always prevails in the end. Now I'm not saying that these stories don't warrant being told on the big screen and as they should add a trilling car chase or death defying leap of a tall building in to the screenplay but at the heart of it if you have seen one of these movies you have seen them all.

However, that could change if a movie of this type offered us something new or gave us portrayals that blew us away with captivating dialogue or if the movie and characters had depth, dimensions and layers but I struggle to raise a argument that Just Mercy offers any of these.

Michael B Jordan is fine actor and his heart is in the right place, you cant help but admire his choice of previous projects as well as this one. He has integrity and passion for his craft but that passions fails to come through in his portrayal in this movie, instead we are given a pretty standard lawyer performance that is at times wooden and bland. I wanted to see some conviction in trying to over turn the conviction but Jordan instead walks his way through the movie at a snails pace and fails to get into 2nd gear. His characteristics and body language gave little in the way of depth and conveying of emotions his character was feeling. His dialogue was rolled off the tongue with out any effort to make us believe in what he was saying to us.

Jamie Foxx for the most part can do know wrong what Michael lacked in conviction, nuances and body language no matter how subtle yet still captivating Jamie served with truth and skill throughout the movie. Jamie doesn't have to do a whole lot to serve up realness because it just has that something in his eyes. His dialogue comes from a place deep within again its subtle but its just pure acting skill and ability to real make us believe in what he is saying.

The story plods along and fails to really over or under achieve at any point in the movie. Theres no real emotional or thrilling moments in the movie probably because its based on a true story and you know what happens at the end but the thrills could have been found else were even in the dialogue between the characters that failed to get above lukewarm.

Its a case of I have seen it all before and the shame of it is....I have seen it done better.

Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists (2019)

Hasn't got the magic or thrills like PLL but still worth a watch

[7/10 · 10 May 2019]

I watched PPL pretty late and had to binge watch all the series but had no problem doing so. PPL was engaging, captivating and kept you on guessing and wanting more from start to finish. The PPL characters had depth and dimensions that made them interesting and a joy to watch, with twists and turns expertly wrote.

The Perfectionists had/has big stilettos to fill and so far around 8 episodes in although there's is something keeping me watching I'm struggling to find any real depth to the story and characters. It all feels a bit to easy, like there is a key ingredient missing. I am enjoying the references to the original PPL and hope and pray that over time the bond gets closer but the fact that my attention is still on PPL and I'm waiting for those references from the past doesn't say alot about the Perfectionists writingn that on its own fails to keep me in the present and absorbed by the goings on at Beacon Heights.

The PPL characters for as much as they had their character flaws we loved them and routed for them and enjoyed the dark and the bad as much as the light and the good in each character. The Perfectionists gives us very little infomation to build a reason to care about the central characters and at times feels as though they are just plain flawed individuals, which makes it hard to care about the story they are trying to tell and a reason to care about them.

Although the plot is keeping my attention it's not keeping me on the edge of my seat as it all feels a little bit to mellow with twists and thrills coming very far between and when they do they are hardly earth shattering OMG moments.

I'm watching for the soul reason that it's a PPL spin off and Alison and Mona are involved but it's a such a shame they are required in that way due to the new characters being largely forgettable and lacking in dimensions.

I hold out hope that because it's early days and we can expect more depth and dimensions, twists and turns and more importantly character development and eith that the missing ingredient is found giving us some real spice to what is at the moment pretty little and bland.

Freak Show (2017)

Did what it needed to do...but needed to do so much more! The subject matter deserves it.

[6/10 · 25 January 2018]

Freak Show has easily been my most eagerly awaited movie of the past year and when it was finally released I waisted no time in seeing it however I was left deflated and in need of something more, ultimately the story being told is important and deserved a better script, with more fleshed out characters, potrayls, more feeling, emotion, warmth and it was good for what it was but it could have really been special if they had of tried more.

I'm new to the boundfully talented Alex Lawther and I have quickly signed myself up as a fan of his so when I realised that he was the lead in this movie I was thrilled and when you throw in Bette Midler who has been attached to this project since they beginning then I settled myself in for what I expected to be quite the treat of a movie.

Early on in the movie I found myself mesmerized by Lawther, he captivates you with his genuine, awkward, honest and charming potrayal of Billy Bloom. His refreshing and quiet brilliant style of acting with his subtle yet on the money mannerisms, movements and playfulness with the dialogue is wonderful however it's just a shame that all this talent was for the most part waisted on what could have been something really special.

Going in to this movie I wasn't sure what message I was going to get at the end but expected for the movie to be more multi layered than what was offered. I was expecting a world wind of emotion, anger and frustration due to story being told at the heart of the movie being unfairly and frustratingly as real in today's society as it has for generations, they issue and story deserves better and more than a one-dimentional, phone it in movie that overall for me felt like an educational movie that would be played in schools. Were was the backstory and multi-layered characters...why should I believe in and releate to Billy Bloom or get angry or a better understanding of the beliefs of Abigail Breslins character? The characters were flat and stereotypical with no depth. I wanted warmth and emotion from Billy Bloom as he fought to be who he wanted to be...i wanted anger and frustration...tears and fight when he was told he couldn't be who he wanted to be and I have no doubt that given the right material Alex Lawther could have truly shined in this role.

Bette Midler as Muv was really Bette Midler being the usual Bette Midler, her character was a mess and not fully explained and appeared to be a after thought when it came to meaning and point but the same can be said for the rest of the supporting cast who looked to be phoning it in and bored throughout.

Lawther is fabulous but at times can overly theatrical in a way that distracted me from what was happening in a scene, i wanted less costume changes and more storytelling...ok he is flamboyant gay but we didn't need 8-9 costume changes to make that point...less is more and I think the movie relied to much on the visual than the dialogue and meaning of why this story and issue needed to be told.

In the end I wanted less FREAK SHOW and more just good old storytelling...the subject matter deserved a lot more.