Reviews

Before eyes start rolling, trolls start trolling, i LOVE star wars, i grew up with the originals, have seen them countless times, waited with enthusiasm for the prequals, was disappointed beyond measure when they lost the force, laughed scornfully when heard Disney got hold of rights, sneered at idea that yet again star wars was being sold to the highest bidder BUT i loved it and with shame i had to admit within the opening scenes that this was going to be epic. there are going to be certain individuals that will tear apart any attempt to relaunch a much loved story, but i left that behind and sat with wonder while my boyfriend gaped with glee. the outstanding contribution from the actors, extending through to the extras made each scene moving, exhilarating, a true space opera. part of what made Star Wars magical was the level of detail, the busyness of the landscapes, the feel of a very much alive galaxy far far away. this was back with new technology giving everything a polish. body language plays a huge roll, as it did with the magnificent Vader, we were reliant on the nuance of motion, a tilt of the head, a catch in the voice to get behind the mask of the new antagonist. (the voice acting was superb, deep and resonating with emotion). likewise without seeing the face, we are introduced to a storm trooper who sees with clarity what he has become. The musical score was ever present, swelling at times and yet unnoticeable as a separate thing. it became part of the landscape, and lacked the gimmicky trills and flamboyancy of the prequels (thank goodness) The space battles were glorious and not overdone. each one having purpose and power. the droids were funny and witty, restoring the humour as it was originally. The driving force of the story returns to the notion of family,the destruction of not having one, the loss of loved ones, and the idea that power and family are not compatible. some felt the antagonist Kylo Wren was spoilt and shallow, but in him i saw and felt the despair of a family touched by power (lets not forget the Jedi trained separated from all influence light or dark to avoid corruption) and in him we see that to have power is very lonely indeed. Cannot wait for the next installment, to follow the enchanting Rey on her journey. Don't let trolls make your mind up, watch it and decide.

i give it 10/10 because it was just outright funny and entertaining. a perfect family film. bright colourful characters, charming animation style and an entertaining plot.

its not going to change the world, but in terms of 90 minutes of entertainment, i laughed, i laughed again and wiped a tear. loved the first film, love that they give the minions more screen time in this one. a perfect movie to cheer up a weary heart or entertain the kiddies.

nothing for parents to be concerned with, no swearing no adult themes, just fun.

where to start on this one...

i think opinions on this film will be formed from personal life experience and how much someone can relate to the characters. myself, I'm similar in age and circumstance to Leigh and recently made a life change much like hers (moving back home from the city) and while the mistakes and tumbles she makes are outright irresponsible, i could not help but like her character and the maturity she showed at the end.

the romance aspect of this movie, whilst most definitely *inappropriate* does reflect the mental state of the main female character played by Kristen bell. stifled by her routine adult life and the responsibilities that come with it, she finds solace in a younger group who bring out her inner teen as it were. i think this is extremely well portrayed in the film through the three main adult cast members, who were friends in highschool, that upon the return of Leigh (KB) all suddenly start to regress and rebel against the adult strains put on them. all three characters go a little wild and forget that 'time only moves in one direction' and their subsequent battles to re-balance themselves as adults was interesting to watch.

the strength of the young actors in this film prevented it from becoming smut. David Lambert had enough charisma that it was plausible that a confused and disturbed woman would be drawn to him, whilst still maintaining that young innocence that made the story equally as much about him maturing as it was about KBs character. Alex Shaffer was impressive and moving in his portrayal of a tormented young man.

could it have been done better? absolutely. does it contain inappropriate feelings and relationships...obviously yes. Does it convey the ability of people to mess up in the most stupid irresponsible ways....yup. i liked it. i wouldn't watch it again, but it was a good film. comedy it is not however and the tag-line cheapens the movie.

This wasn't a terrible movie, i quite enjoyed most of it.

However, there was a major issue for me that completely ruined it. The concept and characters COULD have lead to a funny and wholesome story about a man who has lost his passion for magic and finds it again through the realisation that magic is about giving an experience of wonder rather than being the experience. It had everything in place, excellent cast, interesting characters and then....

bad, just flat out nasty.

I'm used to the offensive nature of Jim and Steve's humour and actually am a huge fan of them both, but ultimately i found the humour in this film to actually be really disgusting and offensive. the movie was set up to have a satisfying ending, which was, for some unknown reason, twisted into something that made all of the characters involved into really unlikable sick twisted people. Olivias character, who showed such a strong moral stance on magic and its impact on people suddenly didn't care as long as she got on the stage.

poor tasteless talentless writing made this a movie that was just offensive in the end and trampled all over the otherwise excellent character development.

Not recommended

story 6/10 characters 8/10 visuals 8/10

this movie was not at all what i was expecting. i thought it would be very much like cloverfield (found footage)but was pleasantly surprised that it was a movie about a journey both emotional and physical.

the alien elements were not as prominent as i thought they would have been. at first this disappointed me, i love sci fi/horror, but as the movie progressed i began to appreciate the subtleness.

As it was this movie could have been about two people travelling through any dangerous area but the aliens did give it a fresh feeling and kept me entertained.

the acting was impressive, the characters very real and flawed. i don't think there was a social commentary intended in this movie, though you do feel elements of it coming through (mostly in regards to controlling of borders)

effects were stunning yet simple and an excellent example of how a limited budget can be used effectively.

this movie isn't for people that prefer action over drama,but although this one was different to what it was marketed as, and what i was expecting, i still enjoyed it. Definitely worth watch for those who enjoy stunning scenery and character development.

*sigh* oh dear, i watched the trailer for this and practically peed my pants. the series will never be a mainstream winner, but i really enjoy the films for what they are.

this one, while a good scare, was so abundant in its flaws that it left me wondering why the hell they didn't include the footage from the trailers.

poor editing choices let this one down. i only hope an extended cut is released to fully do it justice.

could have been terrifyingly awesome, as it was, only a handful of scenes stood out and were diminished by the complete lack of build up.

worth watching if u are a fan of the genre but other than that i'd say don't bother

im not going to bother going into the ins and outs of the story, there's plenty of info out there for that.

despite the negative reviews this one got, i quite enjoyed watching it, for a Sunday afternoon time passer. yeah the animation is a bit lacking, and the story is so cliché its painful, but, there were a few laugh out loud moments and in general an all round OK movie

don't watch if your into something that pushes the boundaries of animation techniques or story telling.

do watch if like me, u have a soft spot for the simple stories that help pass a relaxing afternoon.

absolutely fine for the kiddies really, some really obscure sexual references to appeal to the older kiddies but nothing to worry about. definitely a rainy day film

I'm not a fan of westerns, but feel I've shoved myself in a sci fi horror orientated corner of ignorance so am slowly working my way through the IMDb top 250 in an attempt to broaden my horizons (and possibly catch that rare film that blows u away without expecting it) I did REALLY appreciate the level of accomplishment this film expressed. For its time the cinematic atmosphere of comedy, emotion and gritty drama was clearly above average for even now, and the acting skills were brilliant and really added personality.

however (and i don't think its cuz I'm a girl) this film just wasn't for me. it was very slowly paced and i didn't manage to follow or care much for the characters stories.

that said, i would definitely recommend watching it as its surely one of those films that depends heavily on personal tastes, and judging it as a western just doesn't give it the respect it warrants.

well, firstly let me say that this movie was very watchable, but the reason for me giving it 4 out of 10 was due to the fact it started out so brilliantly and then went totally off track.

Like i said, the beginning was fantastic. Me and my friend actually cried out at the opening scenes which had my stomach lurching with both misery and disgust. ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE OPENINGS TO A HORROR i have seen, and i have seen a fair few! with the opening scenes offering so much promise i settled myself in and the first 40 mins or so thoroughly delivered with gut wrenching tension and plenty of hide behind a pillow moments. it very much followed the old school horror where you only get hints of whats lurking in the dark.

The second half of the movie however completely lacked substance and really started to grate on me. the tension was constantly building, but instead of winding me up tighter than a spring i found myself making myself a cup of tea and waiting for something significant to happen.

i waited a long time. right towards the end of the movie actually.

the ending was, if you take it out of context, quite an interesting if unoriginal twist that had the film discounted the ridiculous theme of a decaying monster would have made the whole film a very clever and entertaining movie.

As it was, the ending didn't really offer anything, apart from one majorly huge plot hole (i wont explain as anyone watching it I'm sure will be intelligent enough to spot it)and as mentioned made the whole monster aspect completely redundant and ridiculous.

As a horror fan id say watch it, but my friend who has a passing interest in horror at best was left feeling confused and disappointed at the end. As a horror fan myself i was left slightly miffed that a really promising story was completely vandalised by the presence of a ridiculous monster that bared no relation to the deeper plot and which stole the focus away from what was actually the most interesting aspect of the movie.

good one off watch but don't watch it if you want something deeper.

firstly, I'm a HUGE fan of the horror genre, and I will watch anything with a horror theme. That said, i REALLY struggled to keep awake during this movie. I normally enjoy even really corny stupid horror movies but this one just pushed me a tad bit too far.

Story 3/10: The storyline is extremely slow, and well, not really there. A bunch of college kids trying to get home, oki but there was absolutely NO character development so the deaths really didn't hit home as they should have done. Explanation of how the 'virus' was spreading was non existent, there's no back story like your expected to know the subject inside an out. Its not like there is a lot to figure out though, so there's no brain strain there.

acting 3/10: BLEH i cant remember a single characters name, can barely remember their faces and the chemistry was non existent. The acting of the main characters did nothing to aid the story. However, the stereotyped 'survivor group of black people' (please note i refer to the stereotype in the movie and use as a reference ONLY) had a number of strong(er) performances but was so stereotyped i felt mildly insulted.

gore/sfx 6/10: pretty much the integral part of any commercialised horror the gore was pretty lame. The zombies up close were mostly CGI and i had to stop myself from laughing at the Sim like graphics at the start.

What i felt REALLY made this movie practically unwatchable was the preaching. I felt like I was being lectured, ranted at and got really fed up of the constant cramming of someones (i can only assume Romeros) views on the world today. It got really tedious towards the end and more than a little pedantic.

This movie didn't have the strength of characters to pull of a light hearted horror flick and completely lacked the sophistication to pull of a deeper meaning.

I give this movie 3/10 purely because its a zombie movie and therefore coolies. I wouldn't recommend watching this unless your a avid fan of the genre, and even then you're likely to end up disappointed.

oki so im probably gunna piff some people off here, but i have to say i was a little disappointed with this movie.

I ADORE this kind of movie, and had me booked to see it on opening night. i did however leave feeling slightly let down.

the graphics as always are fantastic and fast paced.

the flaw i think came in the characters and the story lines. at the end of the day i just felt that there was TOO much going on. there was easily another movie in this, and what drew me to this movie was the whole dark side of spidey, which in the end turned out to be...well...corny badass. bad peter parker turned into some emo haired eyelined overly sexed character rather than some dark twisted mind. having said that there were a lot of laugh out loud moments.

there were probably 3 main story lines in this movie. the sandman story could have been a separate storyline in another movie, the relationship between peter and harry would have worked nicely as a side story to the main good spidey bad spidey but unfortunately the two stories didn't interact nearly as much as they could have.

it felt overly long, probably because they tried to cram 2 movies worth into one. i cant help but feel this really let the movie down from what it so easily could have been.

still worth watching, but not what was expected.

i cant understand how this movie could have got the credit its achieved when its completely misleading.

this is without a doubt NOT a fantasy movie. this movie is NOT as advertised as a dark exploration into fantasy, it is a very disjointed poor effort at attaining a level of creative genius that simply surpassed the skills of the director.

don't get me wrong, i can fully appreciate the excellent acting in this movie. i have no qualms about the talent seen on screen.

i am however struggling to understand how people can have reached such a level of dullness that they could see this movie and be astounded by its creative imagery.

do we not read anymore? do we not draw? do we not dream. this film completely lacked any skill any creative talent that was abundant in other films such as the original labyrinth movie and dark crystal. what has happened to imagination? this film exploited computer technology and advanced special effects to add polish to what was simply an extremely dull and lacking story.

perhaps what i found most displeasing about this movie, is its frankly insulting attitude to fantasy. this movie could have been done so well, and no this is not an attack on its Spanish origins. this movie simply splashes about special effects and crams in totally unneeded fantasy elements that simply do not fit. this film is NOT a fantasy, in fact the fantasy elements totalled to less than half an hour of the film and were so disjointed from the storyline that they completely failed to have any impact.

i cant help but feel like this movie that is being defended simply because its foreign actually managed to sit itself with the rest of the commercial drivel that seems to be coming out of America. this in itself is not terrible, i can enjoy a shallow meaningless movie for what it is. this movie however tries and fails to attain a level of creativity and depth that it set itself out to have.

really was so terribly disappointed with this movie. please please please do not confine your imagination to this absolute trash. only reason I'm giving it 4 is because the separate elements on their own have merit, but as a film, this was an absolute mess.

hm I'm a little shocked at the level of hatred for this film. I've seen it at least half a dozen times, and every time i cannot help but be touched.

i think a lot of people are taking it far too seriously.

i don't think this film is about all the events featured in it, its not about the moral implications of war, about the right and wrong way to live life, i don't even think its all that much about the "american dream" this film is about the way a simple minded innocent man LIVES through these experiences, its about his VIEWS on life.

i think its really sad that people can watch this film and completely miss what makes it so moving. if u watch this film as a walk-through of the life of an extremely likable character, if u see it as he sees things, you will undoubtedly enjoy this movie experience. if your going to watch it to pick faults in the personality and views presented then you will undoubtedly find a lot to complain about.

its a story about how one individual handles the situations that life throws at him. it is what makes this film so charming.

this movie totally blew me away. oki in terms of plot it was quite strong, considering most animated movies falter somewhat in that respect, but was a little confusing to follow if your not into the games, but still made sense.

The real wow factor of this movie is the animation. i mean WOW GOLLY GEE WHIZZ! i had no idea cgi had come along so far. The typical stiff movements expected in cgi animation is missing, instead replaced by smooth visually stunning graphics. each character has a number of expressions individual to themselves, they even walk differently and fight uniquely.

i was so entertained i didn't want it to stop. I'm just a lil disappointed that they skipped right to 7 meaning the story was a bit too evolved for my tastes.

but in all it was extremely impressive. worth watching even if your not a final fantasy player, though i think the real impact of this movie is for those who have an interest in animated film.

this film got so much hype and I'm such a HUGE fan of the genre i had to see it. i wasn't disappointed exactly but i was left more than a little confused and in general wanting a bit more action.

the graphics are impressive in places, really helping with the dark undertones of the story, but in some places they were weak, or there were places i felt some more cgi would have done wonders.

the biggest thing that got me about this film, was the whole vampire vs shape-shifter thing. i liked the way they portrayed the vampires, with their abilities to hide in shadows, but the shape-shifters were weak. the characters had no animalistic quirks that would suggest a shape shifter, and the two scenes where u see the animals were disappointing. i figure if ur a shape shifter that would be ur weapon and so would be used all the time, and while the vamps used their abilities the shape shifters stayed in human form, which seems a bit pointless to me.

in all i think the film would have worked better as a vamp flick, i know its based on a novel, but the shape-shifter side really let the film down (i don't know if its the same in the book or not) maybe the next film will see some more shape-shifter action.

its worth watching if you get the chance, but I'm a bit miffed i payed to rent it when there were other films that i could have watched. the plots confusing, in Russian and English, you have to watch everything to understand whats going on.

6/10

this movie is a must see. i was so anxious to see it after the impressive previews, but i was so unprepared for the actual experience.

i could EASILY go on and on about the superb twists and intricacies in the plot, but i think its best to see the movie to fully appreciate the power of this film. i was concerned, that this would turn out to be another comic book action movie, with cheap thrills (as much as i love em) and action packed scenes with little story line.

was i impressed.

the thing which really sets this film apart from the rest of its genre is the casting. i cannot remember ever being so immersed in individual characters, and Vendetta has plenty. V was cast perfectly, i was utterly enchanted and charmed, but at the same time frightened and horrified by his hate and twisted morals, i simply couldn't help but be drawn in by such a character. Hugo Weaving did a masterful portrayal of a deep emotional character, without ever taking the mask off. it was his presence and magnificent mastering of speech that made V such a charismatic and powerful character.

Natalie portman was magnificent, John Hurt masterful in his delivery, as well as Stephen Rea who tied the whole thing together.

the music score was powerful and moving, amplifying and exaggerating some of the most crucial scenes in such a way it had the hairs on my neck standing on end.

this movie had the potential to be a good action comic movie adaptation, but in reality achieved so much more.

the plot is not far fetched, is in fact running in parallel with a lot of recent events, and so convincing in its delivery that this film is a powerful statement of just where the world seems to be going.

one of the best movies i have seen for years, visually stunning, expertly directed and produced, powerful and flawless in the skills of its actors- the last scenes will take your breath away and have anyone British asking themselves if they would have been standing there with a mask too.

not art, just magnificent.

quite simply, this movie is one of the most thought provoking, disturbing and utterly human portrayal of real life that your ever going to get.

as a 19 year old, i went into it not fully understanding the subject matter, came out not really understanding all the details, but the main thing i got from this film, which was driven into my mind through the mesmirising acting of a superb cast, is that in war there is never one side to a story, no side is ever completely innocent.

i cannot possibly explain the impact this movie has. the realistic and gritty filming makes it seem almost as if your walking along with the characters. one of the group. you feel their emotion, and piece together information as they get it.

no comment is ever going to do this film justice. YOU HAVE TO SEE IT, you will remember it. this film is truly a masterpiece, and will be remembered for years to come. though the situation was based on real events, the emotions, and the concepts are easily applied to modern day.

what most upset me, was that 30 years on, and we are still making the same mistakes.

just because somebody is on the opposite side, does not make them the enemy.

i fight you because u fight me. you fight me because i fight you.

its horrific. this film is a must see.

i went into the cinema with mixed expectations, id read a lot of critics claiming it to be a masterpiece, had a lot of friends saying it was awful. i did however go in with an open mind and was hoping id have spent money on something worthwhile.

i was extremely disappointed.

the actual story was very deep, carnal and dark in its explorations of desire and guilt but was completely let down by appalling acting.

the characters were lacking in any real identity and personality, making it extremely hard to care what happened and how. there was no chemistry between the two main characters, chris and nola, and the emotional depth that would have been magnificent had it been achieved was tepid and underdeveloped.

this film had the potential to be something extremely dark and disturbing, as well as moving. however all i was left with was a feeling of disappointment, and resentment that i had wasted my money on this example of how not to cast a movie.

in short, i just didn't care what happened, which made the ending such a failure despite its completely unexpected angle. this movie lacked the talent and skill of its actors to show the depth of emotion needed for such an involved and deep plot to work.

i wouldn't recommend it

i think that a lot of people are not giving this movie credit where it is due. i am a HUGE fan of musicals and music in general, i have seen the original stage version and was completely mesmerised by it, yet i find that there are some people who cannot appreciate that not everyone has experienced music in that setting. the simple fact is, i took my brother (a 21 year old who listens to hardcore dance music) along to see the movie, and he was very dubious as to whether he was going to enjoy it or not, but throughout the movie he was intent and listening. not only that, but the cinema was PACKED with young people in my own age group (18) and all other generations too. i think it is sad to pick fault in something that has got this generation interested in music at is best. i agree that the music was 'funked'up, the voices considerably weak compared to the stage performers but i don't feel that the movie ever set out to better its original. not everyone has the privilege to go see such shows live, or have never had the inclination to fork out £30 when they can spend it on other things, but when leaving there were people of all ages saying how they wanted to see the stage version. how can this be a bad thing? i agree that the film, having seen the original stage version, was somewhat lacking in impact, but its a film for pete sake, its never going to recreate the atmosphere of live performance. i think that casting Gerald Butler as the phantom was an incredibly wise move, he held a lot of charisma and mystery and in my opinion portrayed a character rather well (whether it was in keeping with the original character is irrelevant)yes the character had been 'sexed up' but it would not have appealed to a mainstream audience if people could not get interested in the characters. at the end of the day, this is a film, made for a mainstream audience, and in my opinion, if it can get people of my generation off the couch and into theatre seats, listening to music as it should be, it cannot be a bad thing!