I am a fan of Clint Eastwood's movies and his craft in telling a story. For the opening 10-15 minutes I had a sinking feeling that I might be disappointed for the first time but the characters slowly fell into sync and took me along with them. When all seems lost a cowboy tough guy finds meaning in life while he still has a chance to enjoy it . It has a real western tale of redemption about it but in a slightly alternate setting . Some fun ,some great music and some poignant moments all add up to an enjoyable few hours .
Reviews
11 Reviews
Tenet
(2020)
More Action than Sci Fi
10 September 2020
On first viewing I will agree with many that the movie is a little difficult to follow . It's a demanding watch on plenty of levels . Where Interstellar and Inception both spent plenty of time throughout the film introducing the science behind it all Tenet ignores it , mostly . They do spell out the concept in a couple of brief scenes but then abandon any science in favour of action .There is plenty of relentless high voltage action if that's your thing and some genuine stunt work was great to see but it all becomes a little pointless if you don't really understand why it's all happening .If you don't like it really loud take some ear plugs . The score is thundering but a little overused for my liking . It is accomplished and brilliant film making but my first impressions were that I just didn't enjoy it as much as some of his previous films . I'll start with a 7 but I believe it has the potential to grow on me . It is a visual treat that's for sure .
The Stranger
(I) (2020)
It's OK but ...
23 April 2020
It requires you to turn a blind eye to inconsistent and illogical behaviour . There's little in the way of character development apart from the main detectives so I didn't really get to like any of the characters enough to care about what was happening to them . I found the music a bit generic and the editing and over use of it pretty irritating . That alone spoiled it for me most of the time . Good cast with some good moments , just not very watchable for me .
Ordinary People
(1980)
Excruciating ,emotional and brilliant .
1 April 2020
I saw this when I was quite young and only just took another look . I didn't appreciate it as much as I should have back then . 40 years on .... It knocked me out ! It really is incredible film making . Great script , great performances . Redford really did something great here . I'll have to re visit some more of his films and see what else I missed .
Terminator: Dark Fate
(2019)
If You Are Going To Cover A Song ... Do Something With It !
15 January 2020
Never was this piece of advice more applicable . I appreciate the effort put in by everyone on this film , but it misses the point . What made T1 and T2 so great was the story . The unveiling of the science . This film doesn't contribute anything new to the story or the science so it becomes tiring and uninteresting very quickly . I hate to be negative towards work people put their hearts into but I can't find any way around it . In of itself , its a well made movie but it suffers terribly in the shadow of it's comparison .
Ford v Ferrari
(2019)
Great Fun From Start to Finish .
15 January 2020
Like " The Worlds Fastest Indian " this film really has some heart . For any fans of motor sport its a given you will enjoy this film . For anyone else there is plenty to keep you engaged and entertained . The racing scenes are exciting and spectacular while the human interaction is warm and honest . Loved it .
1917
(2019)
Amazing Team Effort
15 January 2020
From the acting through to cinematography, sound design ,costumes , sets and an amazing score from Thomas Newman everyone involved seems to have given their absolute best here . Even the rats ! On a technical level the quality is staggering . Whatever CGI there is, is always seamless and subtle and the story delivers more than it first appears . Its an exciting and emotional ride . Hats off to Sam Mendes for going the extra mile here and giving us something really unique .
Alien: Covenant
(2017)
A Great Ride .
16 May 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Having followed the Alien story , in real time since 1979 , I remember coming home from Prometheus disappointed . Laughing about how a bunch of highly trained and intelligent scientists could make so many poor decisions . A geologist , who came across more like a 19th century possum hunter , not interested in discovering a new planet . When they started the spaceship with a "magic flute" I thought ... They have got to be kidding . I have seen Prometheus a few times since then and overlooked it's irritations . I mean , it does look fantastic and does manage to tune you out for a couple of hours . So with Alien : Covenant I approached it knowing it would be weak in certain areas , like most Hollywood sci-fi is these days . And it was as expected . Outside of Fassbender there are not any really engaging characters .There is a lack of any real science or detail and you do have to question the actions of another bunch of dumb scientists at times . But it looks even better than its predecessor and delivers plenty of excitement . The score is great and the sound design spectacular . Kudos to those who think it wasn't good enough. I totally understand why you would be disappointed , but lets face it , we are never going to get another film like the original Alien . Nothing much really happens in the original film for the first half an hour but it sets up first contact and the rest of the film brilliantly . Film studios have a tendency to sell it's customers short in the new millennium. I think they just assume today's audiences will struggle to concentrate for a whole two hours in a row . To the detriment of film making they may be right in some part . When it comes to big Hollywood films I can't see things changing anytime soon . At least we didn't get any Abba tracks appear out of nowhere . We have to be thankful for that ! Overall , I think Alien : Covenant delivers in spades and I really liked it .
The Edge
(1997)
Amazing Scenery ! And that's about it .
11 May 2017
Warning: Spoilers
The scenery is spectacular and you could watch it for this alone . Everything else is a bit ordinary . I didn't like the characters much . Hopkins didn't gel in this part and he was accompanied by some other useless whinny and unconvincing characters . There are too many plot holes and clichés , e.g. I thought they were out of matches ? How did they knock up some bear skin coats overnight ? Still a reasonable adventure though .
The Discovery
(I) (2017)
A Late Night Special
13 April 2017
i was engaged and entertained by this film . Despite a few deficiencies in the narrative it lulled me into its mood and took me somewhere else for a few hours , which is rare these days in film . It got me into this weird fuzzy place and wasn't afraid to let me stay there . It's old school in a good way .The old firm were fine but I thought Segal was really good in this role . A very minimalist approach with the music worked really well and never got in your face , just supported the emotions and let the film drift along . If you feel like getting under a blanket , with the lights out for a quiet late night movie , this could be just for you . I liked it .
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