Reviews

Why is this called Road House?

It' started off OK setting the scene for the fighting element but it quicky becomes quite a mediocre drama with some action. 45 mins in and theres only 1 significant bar fight involving Gyllenhall at the bar which is disappointing. Unlike the original that is almost all set at the Road House bar and as the title suggests is about the bar there is very little of this movie actually set in the Road House. Instead Liman has opted for franky uninteresting drama set pieces in and around the Kew West areas of Florida that add nothing to the story other than make you forget about the reason he is there, which is to bounce the bar and eradicate the bad element from it. Gone are the scenes of Dalton sussing out all the issues with the bar staff, the thieves, drug dealers and inept bouncing staff, also gone are the scenes training the competent staff on how to deal with unruly patrons. This was the stuff that was both charming and fun in the original movies so it's baffling this has been removed. It's less about the bar now and his ability as a fighter / cooler and more about Key West as a whole. Local businesses and residents. There's probably about 15 mins of this 1hr 40min movie actually set in the Road House which given the title is utterly stupid. Why even bother calling this a remake? Gyllenhall is great as per usual but he shouldn't have been involved with this. It's beneath him to be in this calibre of movie and for him to say he is a big fan of the original and then strip it of everything that was great about it shows he isn't a fan..The supporting cast with most screen time are just horrible in this. The love interest Daniela Merchoir is average looking and she can't act, McGregor is cringe prancing around in his little shorts (when he is wearing any) delivering crap one liners and Billy Magnusson is as clichéd as they come and isn't menacing in the slightest so never poses a threat. Unbelievably the cast members who are great don't get much screen time.

The job Dalton was hired to do he failed at miserably. In fact he destroyed the bar he was there to help and failed to turn it around in any way other than eliminate the son of the busineman who wanted the bar. He also gave the money he took to the bookstore owner and left the roadhouse with thousands of dollars worth of damage. It's ridiculous.

Really had high hopes for this after seeing the trailer but as they've just removed every element of the original movie that was good we are left with a Florida set action flop which rightly deserved a straight to VOD release.

Don't get me started in the completely unnecessary cut scenes to his time in the UFC that are peppered throughout the movie.

It's getting a generous 5 stars only because the music was decent and the fighting when we actually get any is well done.

I've watched all of the iterations of this show and this was the most frustrating. All the comedians are great fun and there are plenty of laughs for the audience however because this group are particularly good at resisting the humour of there peers the producers and host (Norton) gave out yellow and then red cards for the slightest infractions which as a viewer was frustrating. I get that the show needs eliminations but c'mon. Most of the cards were given for smiles, yes smiles and most of them took place alone away from the comedy or were self inflicted. Booooooooring!!! This put a whole dampner on the show overall. It's funny but not the best of this series.

Fast X redeems the franchise with a much-needed shift from its disappointing predecessor which I hated and was the reason I didn't spend my money watching part 10 at the cinema this year. The film's narrative is more engaging, rescuing the storyline from the pitfalls of its predecessor. Notably, Jason Mamoa's character brings a delightful touch of humor, providing a breath of fresh air amid the usual chaos.

While still embracing its over-the-top signature, Fast X wisely tones down the excessive stunts seen in the ninth installment and by that I mean there's no cars going into space. This adjustment allows for a more balanced viewing experience without sacrificing the franchise's core essence. The ensemble cast continues to display strong chemistry, adding to the movie's overall appeal.

Fast X may not reinvent the wheel, but it successfully corrects the course, making it a more enjoyable installment. Mamoa's very amusing portrayal adds a layer lacking in previous films, and the film strikes a better balance between action and storytelling. For fans disappointed by the previous entry, Fast X offers a welcome return to a more satisfying Fast and Furious experience, setting a more promising trajectory for future films in the series

Don't get me wrong it's still over the top far fetched nonsense but it's more pallatable this time for some reason.

I've just binged this entire series and the premise is great. Sourcing scrap type cars cheaper from Mexico and bringing them across the border to Texas to refurbish them back to their former glory. The problem however is the cast and the quality of the restorations. Apart from Rabbit the team on this show are pretty lacking in personality and their time on screen isn't very engaging as a viewer. Is this because they are serious car people and not TV personalities? Sadly no, the quality of work these guys do in comparison to other shows of the same kind is way below par. When they finish cars and take them for buyers to see you can see shoddy finishing on camera, bad paint work or the design they have chosen is just not nice. Take for example the Opal in the 1st episode with the honeycomb design. Just a horrible colour choose and hood design. The worst bit about the show though is the terrible scripted dilemmas and accidents that happen to find them. From an angry lady with a shoe as a weapon who thinks they are stealing a car to being stopped by federales moments after buying a car it's all insulting to the viewer. I've watched 5 seasons of the Gotham Garage show Rust to Riches which is also a Netflix show and this one is obviously try to emulate it but Gotham are leagues above this garage and the production on that show is so much better. Rust to Riches is obviously also scripted but it's done in a much more subtle way. If you haven't seen it spend your time on that and leave this one alone until it improves if it isn't cancelled first.

This movie is brilliant in every way except for the story which frankly was quite boring even for someone who has an appreciation for classical music and some musical scores. There's no doubt Bernstein was a creative genius of his time but his bisexual lifestyle and the relationship with his wife as controversial as it would have been at the time just doesn't make for an interesting 2 hours of cinema unfortunately. The acting, cinematography and directing here is absolute top tier and I spent a lot of the movie reminding myself that Bradley Cooper made this movie which is incredible to me having followed him since his turn as supporting character Will Tippin in the TV show Alias. Oscars will no doubt be dished out in abundance come March especially for the acting on display however I would hope the best picture and screenplay go to other movies (probably Oppenheimer) as it was a challenging 2 hours. That said this is exactly the sort of movie that the Oscars and critics fawn over and there is a history of movies like this winning over better movies e.g. English Patient (1997) for a masterclass in film production this is up there but it's not one many will return to for entertainment. 5 Stars.

Thankfully this wasn't the last episode as I'd thought and there is a 3rd part to the finale. It's a weak clips show signifying that they couldn't really be bothered ending this excellent sitcom strongly with a real storyline. Tim and the boys reflect on their lives in Detroit and 10 years of Tool Time. I hate compilation episodes in general but to have one to end a series is just insulting to viewers. Even the first part of this 3 part finale was pretty terrible quality. It really feels like the writers dialled this in. Hopefully the last episode saves this as it would be a shame to end on a low.

Here we go again. Grown adults complaining about a kids film. Honestly some people need to get a life. I'm a huge fan of the original movies and this one is a great addition to the franchise. Way better than 3 and 4 and It's actually very funny which I wasn't expecting and has loads of nods to the original movie and most importantly the kids loved it. My only criticism from an adult perspective is that the threat Max faces is from a married couple trying to retrieve something he stole so doesn't have the joepardy of the original criminals but perhaps this is a sign of the times and was deliberate given the target audience. Maybe for a sequel (optimistic I know) they should set the movie in the U. K and have a couple of seasoned British actors play the criminals. That said Kemper and Delaney are great and get put through their paces in the same way Pesci and Stern did. Slapstick to be proud of. Archie Yates who was introduced to the world in Jo Jo Rabbit is also excellent in this and has the charm Culkin did back in the 90s. One thing that is completely lost however and I will accept isn't as good is the journey of the mother travelling to get back to her son. They really lost the emotional journey element of the first movie and her arrival back to Max is glossed over. This is one part that made the original so good so it loses some stars because of this. It's not brilliant but it's a very entertaining Xmas romp and one this generation will grow to love. A solid 6.5 out of 10.

Was excited to see this as I enjoy Ben Affleck and Fichtner as actors and Rodriguez occasionally hits a home run but sadly not here. Years of making bad kids movies such as his Soy Kids franchise proves here that Rodriguez no longer has the creative intellect to make an action movie for adults. All the talent in the world can't save the dialogue sounding ridiculous and the premise as great as it sounded on paper / in the trailer is handled really really badly. Its too far fetched for a regular crime drama and isn't fantasy enough from the get go to be taken seriously by any self respecting movie lover. Had Fichtner and Braga's characters been supernatural beings manipulating humans this would have sat better with me but as super mentalists it's just farcical. It takes too long to reveal that this is very much a Sci Fi movie and not a regular crime thriller as suggested in the trailer. We are almost immediately meant to be on board with the fact there are government created David Blain types wandering amongst us with mind control powers and its simply proposterous. What really annoys me about movie making these days is that these things pass through the hands of producers and execs and then multiple test audiences and no one questions the believability of what they are making or if they do they choose to ignore the glaringly obvious flaws and this is exactly why a 65 million dollar movie makes 15 million at the box office. Also where exactly was 65 million spent on this movie? It's pretty effects light and the action set pieces or nothing out of the ordinary. You see similar or better in most TV shows nowadays so I must have gone on salaries as it's certainly not up on the screen. At one point everyone is dressed in red jackets which is the sort of thing you'd see in a student movie that has no budget. It's laughable when it happens and completely unnecessary as a plot device. This could have been a great little sci Fi movie has they just leaned into it and marketed it properly but as it stands it's a big ol' stinker on the Affleck résumé. It's a generous 4.5 stars.

Everyone comparing this to the original obviously forget how boring and repetative it got towards the end. I've just recently finished watchin Justified and it was extremely hit and miss between seasons and by the end was a complete chore to finish seasons so I was apprehensive of this new show. Turns out I didn't need to be. It's far more engaging being set in the city. The original being set in such a small town as Harlan where drug dealers and criminals seemed to run rampant killing people left right and centre with almost zero repercussions from the police was so far fetched and unbelievable it amazed me it lasted as many seasons as it did. Givens is far more suited to the city and has aged out of his former wreckless behaviour it seems which I like. As many have pointed out the casting of his real life daughter as his character daughter Willow is a mistake. She is very unlikable personality wise and is completely the wrong age to be playing the role so hopefully her exit in episode 3 is permanent as it was terrible casting by the showrunners. Boyd Holbrook is great as usual and plays bad guys very well (see Logan) so look forward to see his character ramp up the threat throughout. It's a solid 7 stars.

I think people just like to criticise Travolta these days due to his Scientology. Personally I don't care. I have much more issue with other religions to care about that one and it has zero impact on how he acts. This is a decent take on the stalker genre and Travolta having first hand experience with autism plays the character very well and for some reason reviewers think this part of the acting is funny. Clearly never had first hand experience dealing with adults with autism as if they had they would understand this is pretty accurate behaviour for some and his performance should be applauded not ridiculed but hey people are ignorant,what's new. The story nicely conveys the negatives of celebrity and highlights that some actors are indeed A holes to fans as we've seen all too often recently in the news. The ending is a bit weak as it implies Moose gets off scott free despite his actions but this isn't Oscar material so it gets a pass. Especially as his character is a likeable oaf. Not the best but still a very watchable 5 stars.

Went into this with apprehension purely because in my opinion movies that move their location to Europe usually take a hit in quality (Rush Hour 3, Taken 2) but part 3 of the Equalizer really turned out to be the exception. Paced in such a way that the bad guys doing bad things builds the anticipation of the destruction you know is coming their way. Having McCall injured lends really well to Denzel who lets face it is getting on in years so prob doesn't want to be doing a lot of stunt work, not that there isn't any and when the action takes place it's impressive. Not only did I thoroughly enjoy what appears to be the end of the franchise I think it's actually my favourite of the 3. It's beautifully shot, the location and his intentions lend perfectly to the characters original role as a man helping others out of bad situations and the dispatching of the baddies when it happens is brutal and satisfying. If I had a complaint about plot it would be the end set piece could have been better and was a bit basic. The final boss got off far too lightly in my opinion. The conclusion of the first movie in the home depot type location is hard to beat for this and is just a great bit of cinema set to a brilliant soundtrack. Complaints wise. Dakota Fanning being in the movie was completely pointless and was obvious fan service for those who saw and love Man of Fire. She's a pretty terrible actress now despite being a pretty good child actor and they would have been better off casting someone else in the role especially as she is barely in it. Other than that it's one I look forward to owning and re watching when it's released on blu ray. Solid 8.5 for me.

It genuinely angers me to think how much money was spent on this movie. Right from the start the pre credit set piece is lame and unengaging. It thinks it's Bond but it's more like a bad Alex Rider story . Dialogue is cringey, special effects are some of the worst you will see in recent times You won't care about any of the characters. Both protagonist and antagonists are one dimensional. Gadot is completely unconvincing as a secret agent despite her history in the action genre and her poor acting bring the rest of the cast down. The female antagonist is about as threatening as a call centre scammer. Jamie Dornan is instantly identified as the bad guy because why would he be in this movie playing 2nd fiddle on an Mi6 team so when the reveal happens quite early on that he's a baddie it has zero impact. Even the music in this movie sucked. The annoying theme music they play constantly any time Stone does anything remotely hi octane will get on your nerves repeatedly and it happens a lot. In case I'm not making myself clear here I hated this movie. It's offensively terrible and anyone reviewing this saying it's actually good obviously hates cinema or themselves

If films like Sharknado are the B movie equivalent of Jaws, Heart of Stone is this to James Bond. This feels less like a Netflix / Sundance production and more like a bad 6 part action drama you'd find on the British TV channel ITV.

I don't give 1 star reviews for movies as there is always something redeeming about a movie no matter how bad it is (usually music). In this case it's Paul Ready who I always watch baffled whenever I see him in acting roles as his portrayal of Kevin in Motherland is so bizarrely funny that it amazes me to see him doing anything else other than that character. Usually Sophie Okenedo would garner some stars but even she is awful in this movie playing a 3rd rate M character

For Paul it gets 3 Stars and that's me being very generous.

I hate these sort of episodes where you have a seller who doesn't actually want to sell anything but instead wants the cameras in to show off his or her collection. You can tell from the get go that Ron isn't a seller as 2 of his staff are surprised Mike and Robbie are there as according to them he never sells. What follows is Ron bragging about his cars and collection and shutting down any offers made. Even his shirt screams show off. These are my least favourite type of AP episodes as it's just giving attention seekers like Ron a platform and when he made Mike pay up on the Von Dutch book it just made me dislike him so much as he was a self declared billionaire and if he was a true collector and recognised the passion he would have seen the connection Mike had to the bike and given him a good deal. Hell if I was that rich I'd have given him the book. It just proves that those with that amount of money are @ssh0les in life. The 2nd half of the episode saves it and earns the 5 stars.

So we started watching this last week having put it off for a couple of years and have binged through a season and a half. Season 1 was great. An X Files type affair but centered around the Catholic church / religion. This was straightforward and worked well as a semi serious drama and I suspect most of the good reviews on IMDB are based on this first season but season 2 takes a weird turn and the show has become a really odd and quirky mess that borders on farce. The female lead is a murderer, the male lead is almost redundant as a character, the comedy relief skeptic is dating a woman who has a supernatural twin sister and all 3 of them regularly see demons and creatures yet never mention this to each other despite what they do for a living. None of this lends to the show in a good way. The writers really changed direction and it's more of Grimm type show now for fantasy and Sci Fi fans which is a shame as the format of season one was so much better. We've stuck with it but not really sure why as it's already passed the point of plausibility. Don't even get me started on the plotline with her mother. Ridiculous.

The first one was bad but this tops it in the pointless gore with zero plot stakes. Yes the practical effects are good but this is basically the horror movie equivalent of a porn movie. Terrible acting, no plot, at times good to look at. A movie of this calibre has no right being over 2 hours long either. There is so much filler in this film and barely.90 mins of actual watchable material. I hear a lot of reviewers sayin "it is what it is" and what it is if you are honest with yourself is terrible. It's the sort of output that you can watch on you tube in a best kills of terrifer 1 & 2 video and save yourself 3 and half hours of time. The fact the writer director feels he needed to put his name to the 2bd movie in the title when the only good thing about the movie is the effects is baffling. No one is hiring him for anything other than gore. Stinks of egomania. I looked at my watch 10 mins in and groaned a sigh of relief when it ended. It gets 3 stars for the practical effects and the 80s score.

On par with GoT for worst finale to a series. Interestingly the title of the episode is "That's it" here in the UK and it's way more fitting than "WoW" because I'm sure a lot more people were saying "That's it!!!" When it finished. A lack luster rushed season that ends with a real fizzle. All the 10 star reviews are obviously from bot farms as there is no way fans of this otherwise excellent show were happy with that last episode which was lazy and frankly boring. Not mad with Barry's demise which was to be expected but how he went out and the fact it was glossed over was just poor. Never liked Sally as a character so having her and Barry jnr conclude the episode was just grating. What a big disappointment. 4 stars.

Proving that producing something and writing it makes a world of difference. Really wanted this to be the next big action show I'd dedicate the next few years to but sadly it's not very good and not something the Russo's should have their name attached to given their track record of excellent Marvel projects. Madden has the acting chops for this sort of role. Those who saw Bodyguard will attest he is excellent in a thriller but here the writing let's him down as it's lazy and clichéd. "Activate Ski Boots" really?? It's 2023 guys. Chopra Jonas as she now goes by is better than she has been in previous shows but the benchmark isn't high and getting top billing in this feels premature. She's not a bad actress but she's also not A list and it always feels in interviews that she thinks she is. The stand out here is Roland Muller who plays henchmen in a dual role to the shady government villain. I first encountered him in the excellent a bluebird in my heart and he fits the baddie role perfectly. I will stick this out til the end of the season unless it gets unbearable but I'm not expecting a renewal given the budget so my advice is find something else to watch and see if this improves before committing.