Reviews

Before watching this film, its low rating here on IMDB (of 5.1 as of 02/05/2024) almost deterred me from giving it a shot. I am glad I did. It might not be too hilarious, although some scenes did make me laugh, but it was certainly a fun and entertaining film to say the least.

Me and my girlfriend enjoyed this 'Me Time' even if some aspects of the narrative left something to be desired. For example, without spoiling or referring to anything, I felt that the friendship between the two characters of Sonny (Kevin Hart) and Huck (Mark Wahlberg) needed to be established better as it is integral to the story.

A fun and enjoyable watch even if it's more of a drama than a comedy at times.

If you watch any film written by and starring Steven Seagal, you know what to expect, more or less. I love Steven Seagal, there is a certain charm in these really mediocre, if not downright terrible, films of his. It is sort of a guilty pleasure of mine. Still, objectively-speaking, that does not justify this sort of lazy writing and pathetic production values of 'Shadow Man' which, while it is not the worst film Seagal has ever made, is still something deplorable.

From the excessive use of obvious body doubles for Steven Seagal and Imelda Staunton vocal and public displeasure with the film, 'Shadow Man' is a mess from beginning to end. I do not even know why it is called 'Shadow Man' at all. If you love Seagal and the atrocities he makes, then watch this, but objectively-speaking it is mediocre, to say the least, and not worthwhile.

An interesting modern slasher which focuses on the juxtaposition of two extreme moral perspectives; the completely amoral and the dangerous fanatical.

I won't get too much into the story, there are already some pretty good summaries by other reviewers here and I do not believe that should be the point of my review. I just want to share my critical opinion. I believe that this is a great slasher which could have been excellent as it lacked tension and the way the story is structured is not perfect. Again, the intention is not to spoil anything but I felt that if we knew less about the killer or if the killer was introduced differently then this would have made a better film. I also felt they could have expanded or focused more on some themes such as that of religion and morality to emphasize the killer's cause.

This memorable horror film intended for adults is way better than its current rating of 5.2 (as of 01/02/2023) suggests and definitely worth checking out if you are a fan of the genre.

An excellent film about mental health and corporate life (or death, depends how you look at things). Its current rating of 6.0 (as of 30/01/2024) shows that it is underappreciated.

I really liked the sense of mystery and guessing this film asks for from its audience. Until the ending I could not really say whether the room (I am not really spoiling anything here, this information is part of the main summary of this film and I am not revealing anything either) really exists or not. I also loved the acting, Jon Hamm is wonderful here as this is not a role you would normally think he would fit in anyway.

This film is worth checking out and it is also well-made with a great performance by Jon Hamm to boot.

As one reviewer here on IMDB put it, 'Unicorn Wars' is what happens when Care Bears meet 'Full Metal Jacket'. But it is more than just that. The art style is beautiful at times and you really have to admire the director's and writer's, who happens to be the same man called Alberto Vázquez, creativity.

There is not much to add here besides what I said in the introduction. I am excited to see more films based on this style and direction so Alberto Vázquez, if you are reading this, por favor haz más películas como esta.

This adult animated Spanish film is way better than I ever expected it to be at first glance. I particularly liked the ending but it is definitely worth checking out for the beautiful animation alone.

My girlfriend loves anything to do with UFOs or Aliens so we like to watch a good sci-fi film every now and again. 'UFO Sweden' is a very good addition to this genre and is very well-made.

This was a sterling effort from the production team and from the actors and actresses. Make no mistake about it, 'UFO Sweden' is a great contribution to the relevancy of European cinema which often struggles with more limited budgets than our American counterparts in the film industry.

Undoubtedly one of the best Swedish and European sci-fi films ever released, do not miss out on 'UFO Sweden' if you love sci-fi.

*Watched at the cinema on Christmas Day 2023.

As someone who really loves Roald Dahl and used to read all of his books from an early age, I was really excited for this film's release. And it sure did not disappoint.

While this is not technically a Christmas film, this film has a lot of heart-warming themes especially about loss and family and emotional scenes which makes it a good viewing for the Christmas period, when this film was actually released. And with its inventiveness and fun characters (the acting is terrific), 'Wonka' is the perfect homage to Roald Dahl and his literary vision and beloved classics.

When the first 'Orphan' film was released in 2009, I have to say that I had enjoyed that film despite some obvious plot inconsistencies such as how Esther/Leena managed to get from Estonia to an American orphanage alone!

This sequel, entitled 'First Kill', was nowhere near as enjoyable to me. Full of plot elements which makes you question the intellectuality of the writers, if there were any, this is a far cry from the original. Sure, they could not depend on the repetition of the plot twist from the first film that Esther was actually Leena all along, I get that. What I do not get is the stupidity and banality of most characters in this film, however psychotic they are supposed to be. There are so many examples it is hard to mention a few but these include a security guard and asylum ignoring all of the world's most obvious protocols even though they were just established in the film itself, Esther walking in a house completely unharmed even though it had been burning for a long time, and a detective who makes Lloyd Christmas look clever by comparison.

Really disappointing. The only reason I gave this a six out of ten anyway was because I was at least entertained by all the plot's stupidity, otherwise it would easily have been a three or four.

'La Trampa' ('The Trap' in English) is an enjoyable but amateurish comedy/drama film from the Dominican Republic. This is because after a confusing introduction, the film is entertaining enough to want you to keep watching but you sort of wish it had better writing or more comic relief as it could have been way better then.

What it lacks in comedic moments it makes up for in dramatic ones. If you watch this film expecting a comedy then it is not hard to be disappointed with 'La Trampa' although there are some arguably funny moments. It works better as a drama in my opinion.

This was the first film I had watched which was made in the Dominican Republic so I am not disappointed at all. However, there is certainly room for improvement.

This film has some of the most amateurish and inexperienced, if not incompetent, direction and writing I have seen in a long time.

In fact, it is difficult to mention some redeeming qualities this film might have to offer for those who have mercifully not watched it yet. However, I did laugh a couple of times but the writing is so awful it makes you feel as if the whole experience is a waste of time. And that is the film's biggest flaw besides the inexperienced direction, the uninspired writing. With a little more thought and better writing, this film could have been way better so it is a shame that the film-makers proceeded anyways with what they had.

The dramatic moments are somewhat better bot overall it feels like a missed opportunity. Should only be watched by fans of African-American comedies and acting.

It is remarkable what the film-makers managed to achieve with the budget they had to work with in this sci-fi film. Based on an anime released in 1974 with the same name, 'Space Battleship Yamato' features a good story, heartfelt performances and is entertaining despite being over two hours long (I honestly did not mind the longer-than-usual runtime of this film).

What I really like about this film is despite its rather limited budget, this still feels like a big-budget production. I also felt the ending was really emotional, it is of the rare times I really wished for a happy ending. Overall, I really recommend this obscure sci-fi Japanese film especially for fans of the genre of 'Star Trek' fans.

With a great story full of intrigue, deceit and action, a plot twist which keeps you thinking, and Kevin Costner at his best, 'No Way Out' is really an unforgettable piece of Hollywood magic.

That is not to say that this film is perfect though. As much as I love the ending and plot twist near the end of the film (one which makes you re-evaluate everything you have just watched for those who have understood its meaning), it feels as it was put together with less thought than the rest of the film. Without spoiling anything, Pritchard's final scene could have been more dramatic as he was a central character.

An unforgettable piece of Hollywood magic, despite some very minor flaws, 'No Way Out' should be on everyone's 'Must Watch List'.

'Eat Pray Love' is more than a brainless chick flick about love and about a woman (portrayed by Julia Roberts) trying to find herself after a divorce. There are significant moral and life messages trying to be conveyed here, such as how to overcome grief, sadness and learning to be content with oneself.

Different cultures, perspectives and philosophies are explored in unique ways in this film from the Roman Catholicism of Italy (whose culture is beautifully brought to life here) to the Hinduism and meditative culture of India.

It is slightly tedious at times (it is also over two hours long) but worth it if you are into these themes.

I expected to like this film way more than I did after watching it so it was a little bit of a disappointment. I love Ben Stiller but this is no 'Flirting with Disaster' (1996) which is a shame as the chosen topics such as mental health are pretty interesting.

In many ways this feels like a 'mumblecore' film as the plot itself has little to no substance and the real emphasis is really on the dialogue, despite some good production values and direction throughout. However, the love story here feels contrived (would a beautiful 25 year old really fall for an irritable man in his 40s with severe mental health issues?) and the topic of mental health is not exlpored as well as it should have been. I also felt the ending was pretty shallow and devoid of any true meaning or closure.

Being nominated for six Oscars including for Best Motion Picture of the Year and Best Achievement in Film Editing (which it deserved to win) is a huge honour and one which '127 Hours' by the one and only Danny Boyle totally deserves.

Based on the true story by Aron Ralston, this film is a lesson in editing among many other things such as the endurance of the human spirit, even against all odds. Aron's story is as horrific as it is inspiring, we just wish we could face such grim consequences he found himself in as courageously and as intelligently as he did!

It is a shame that this film did not win any Oscars as it deserved to win at least one of the categories in my opinion. Anyway, this was certainly one of the better films of 2010.

A banal and offensive film which one should watch and treat only as a piece of entertainment rather than anything else. I think it is a shame because the concept is ambitious and original, just badly executed.

That is not to say there are no enjoyable scenes or fun to be had, the scene at the diner in which an old woman called Gladys tries to attack everyone and climbs on the ceiling is pretty memorable and has become very popular on social media. However, a lot of other aspects pertaining to the actual Apocalypse itself are so ill-thought out as to be offensive. I think they made the people angels when they should have been demons in order to be different but that does not excuse the overall banality and stupidity that permeates throughout this film.

A banal but enjoyable film, there is not much more to say here really.

While the production values of this film leave a lot to be desired (its budget was obviously miniscule), it would be wrong to assume that the concept is not original and interesting, with a surprise ending that leaves one thinking.

With what little money they had to work with, it is surprising the creators managed to do what they do. The special effects in this film are convincing and while the acting is amateurish, it is not off-putting in any way.

If there is one thing 'Night Things' is not is that it is thankfully not clichéd and it is worth trying out for horror fans looking for something different.

Considered to be one of the worst films of 2010 in a lot of 'Top Ten Worst' list on YouTube, 'Johah Hex' is not as atrocious as all this negative criticism makes it out to be, despite all of its flaws such as a completely redundant female character, wasted casting of a star-studded cast including Josh Brolin, John Malkovich, Michael Fassbender and Megan Fox, and dubious plot decisions.

However, there were certainly less enjoyable films released in 2010 so it is nowhere near being the worst film to come out this year. The only valid argument in this regard is that when taking into consideration this film's budget and star-studded cast, then it might prove to be a disappointment for some, despite my point that for those who actually watch a lot of films, there are certainly worse films than a flawed but enjoyable 'Jonah Hex'.

In this game's introduction, we are treated to a quote by the poet W. B. Yeats: "The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper." If you do not appreciate the beauty behind these words then I doubt that this game is for you as it is all about discovering the magic in the world around us.

The game involves taking photographs of the flora and fauna that is to be found in Maravilla island (all unique) and there is a lot of fun to be had in this. However, the game itself is too short even if you take your time as the game obviously intends you to do. The controls are also too clunky at times and the graphics could use some work as some insects look too similar.

While this photography game is not as good as 'Toem' (2021), it is still a special game that is highly recommended for children or families.

I would be lying if I said that there is no fun to be had from watching this, but the whole thing feels like an experiment in absurdity rather than anything else and that is a shame as there is some real creativity here and there.

What I mean by creativity is that there are planes and cars made out of zombies, a zombie mother with a zombie baby still attached to her foetus which she uses as a weapon and, last but not least, the most insane zombie king and queen ever. But then the protagonist is an Alice rip-off (from the 'Resident Evil' film franchise).

In short, this film is a mixed bag in which the film-makers attempted to create the most absurd film ever. And I think they succeeded but at the expense of any real substance.

To be honest, I only heard about this game when it was included among the monthly free games for a subscription service that I pay for. Now that I have played it, I can say that I am so glad that games like 'Toem' still exist with all of their creativity, unique gameplay elements and fun even though it is like a 5 hour experience at the most (excluding the 'Balto' package which is basically a new location as DLC).

When you finish the last objective at the end on a mountain's peak (in Kiiruberg), it is hard not to be impressed by the whole experience Toem has to offer especially with how the symbolism of light is explored in the end ('Toem' is completely in black and white until this part in the game).

Do not miss out on this delightful little game which has a fairly easy platinum trophy to boot.

While not having an actual story as such, 'Curse of the Dead Gods' has an enjoyable and deep combat system that is sure to delight all of the fans of the action and roguelite genres. There is enough variety of enemies, bosses and weapon types to be sufficiently different from the rest.

However, I must admit that it takes some time getting into it as the lack of story makes it hard to be interested in the game at first so make sure to give it a chance. It was only after I cleared the third temple that I got really invested in this game and was a little unimpressed up until that point so it is important to keep this in mind.

I do not feel that this visually stunning film directed by none other than Luc Besson gets the love or recognition it deserves. Sure, some of the voice-acting in the English version is a little 'off' but it goes above and beyond what is expected from a family film of this sort with some astounding production values and great directorial touches by Besson such as the 'Star Wars' Darth Vader reference near the end.