Month at the Movies: October

September got us back on the right track in terms of movie quality so I was hoping that October would only continue that. At times, October matched the quality with some real quality films. Unfortunately, there were some stinkers within the month too. I was fortunate enough to see 11 different films this October in what was a mixed month. 

If you aren't aware of this series, I pretty much go through the month and rank the movies that I saw that month based on a combination of quality and how much I enjoyed the film. So lets get into the list! 

11. Keeping Up With The Joneses

We start the list off with the action-comedy 'Keeping Up With The Joneses'. This films writing was ultimately the downfall as the comedy wasn't funny and there wasn't enough good action to make this viewing worthwhile. The cast tries their best but they can't save this film from falling short. There aren't many highlights to this film and it most certainly isn't one that you should be rushing to see.

Final Verdict = D+

Check out my review for 'Keeping Up With The Joneses' here

10. Inferno

Boy, was this a dull film. A film which takes our protagonist all over the world to solve clues before the end of the world should be very exciting. 'Inferno' most definitely was not that. Tom Hanks and Felicity Jones do well in their roles and the film looks great, as it showcases some beautiful places in the world. However, the story is not handled well at all, with twists that make no sense. I'm really surprised that a big budget film like this, with the talent on board, was as bad as it was. Hopefully, they take more care next time if they continue the Robert Langdon series.

Final Verdict = D+

Check out my review of 'Inferno' here

9. The Girl On The Train

Much like the first two films on this list, the cast isn't the problem with the film. Much like 'Inferno', this is another case of a fairly big budget film failing. The film based off of the successful book had the claim of 'The thriller that shook the world' being associated with its advertising. The film was anything but that as its messy story failed to deliver big time. Emily Blunt does a good job as does the rest of the case, but in the case of 'The Girl On The Train', you should probably just stick to the book.

Final Verdict = C-

Check out my review of 'The Girl On The Train' here

8. Trolls

They'll make a movie out of anything you remember as a child it seems. Unfortunately, 'Trolls' is very much targeted towards children, leaving very little entertainment for adults. A decent soundtrack with Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick doing well in their roles were the highlights but that is as good as it got. Kids will surely love this one and if you are looking for something to entertain little ones, then this film should fit the bill.

Final Verdict = C

Check out my review of 'Trolls' here

7. Blood Father

Mel Gibson is back yet again acting and he is back kicking ass! Gibson is great in his role as a father that you definitely don't want to be messing with. The film very much reflects Gibson's return to film after a few shaky, problematic years and to good effect. Unfortunately, the rest of the cast don't deliver as well as he does and neither does the action. Hopefully, Gibson can continue to improve and partake in better films in the future as he is a true talent.

Final Verdict = C+

Check out my review of 'Blood Father' here

6. Queen of Katwe

One of the most uplifting films of the year comes in the form of 'Queen of Katwe'. The true story is a remarkable tale and will make you cherish everything you have as well as make you realise how lucky you are. Lupita Nyong'o and David Oyelowo both do incredible jobs in their roles whilst working with a lot of first-time actors. However, the film does linger on a bit at the end and the film can be accused of having too many subplots, that makes it lose focus at times. I can't see myself watching this film again, but it is more than worthwhile to see at least once.

Final Verdict = B

Check out my review of 'Queen of Katwe' here

5. Ouija: Origin of Evil

'Ouija: Origin of Evil' is a huge step up from the first film in the series 'Ouija'. A fantastic build up with the character Doris being one of the creepiest characters from a horror movie that I have ever seen. There are some very effective scares in this film that was much better than it looked. It provided a great late 60's/early 70's feel that really helped elevate the film. However, the film loses a bit of control in the final act where ridiculous things start to happen. The small budget does start to show as things start to look poor in the end. 

Final Verdict = B

Check out my review of 'Ouija: Origin Of Evil' here 

4. Doctor Strange

Marvel's latest instalment was yet another fun, great superhero movie. The film looks fantastic, showing a different look than other Marvel films. It does follow the same sort of formula, but once again, it works. Benedict Cumberbatch and Tilda Swinton shine in their roles, adding more great characters to the MCU. Like other Marvel films, the movie's villain is very weak. They didn't use Mads Mikkelsen to his full potential which was very disappointing. Overall, an entertaining film and if you like superhero movies, you should enjoy this one!

Final Verdict = B+

Check out my review of 'Doctor Strange' here

3. I, Daniel Blake

One of the most powerful and realistic films of the year is 'I, Daniel Blake'. The film is brutally honest with how some of the systems are run here in the UK. Ken Loach does a fantastic job with this film that will surely make you angry. A film that is creating discussion, although those with the ability to change things are too ignorant to look into it. The film is a bit dull at times and repetitive with what it does which does effect it at times. Also, another film that I can't see myself watching again, however, it was more than powerful enough once.

Final Verdict = A-

Check out my review of 'I, Daniel Blake' here

2. Storks

Although I gave this a lower rating in quality than 'I, Daniel Blake', I am giving 'Storks' the edge due to how much I enjoyed it. I was so shocked by this film as it is genuinely one of the funniest films I have seen this year. The jokes are so clever, such as the scenes involving the wolves. It does a great job at handling family aspects and the cast is great. Andy Samberg and Stephen Kramer Glickman are fantastic in their roles, with Glickman's 'Pigeon Toady' being one of the highlights of the film. One of my favourite animated movies of the year and one that you should give a chance.

Final Verdict = B+

Check out my review of 'Storks' here

'Storks' Review

2016 seems to be a year full of surprises. The blockbusters have let us down with some of the most anticipated movies of the year disappointing audiences worldwide. For me, the films that have really surprised me have been lesser known properties as well as films from genres I wouldn't consider as my favourites. Although I do enjoy animated movies, I certainly never expected to like 'Storks' as much as I did!

A long time ago, Storks were used to deliver babies. However, their market has now changed as they focus on delivering packages to customers. Junior (Andy Samberg) looks to get a promotion at the company and is given the task of firing undelivered child and now young adult Tulip (Katie Crown). Junior can't bring himself to do so and Tulip accidentally reactivates the baby making machine bringing a new born child to deal with. Desperate for that job, Junior and Tulip will look to deliver the baby, facing off against fellow employees and potential enemies before his boss finds out.

To my surprise, 'Storks' is one of the best cinema experiences I have had in a while. The main reasoning for this is due to just how funny this movie is. The film is rated 'U' here in the UK and when I realised this, I dreaded the worst. I was worried that this film would be completely watered down and the humour suffering a lot due to this. I could not have been more wrong. There are so many clever jokes that work incredibly well throughout the film that had me in stitches. None more so than the jokes featuring the wolves that were amazing. They do use this joke a few times but the execution each time is perfect and even comes out unexpected, making the impact very effective. The film is filled with great comedy that isn't too childish. Early on as the story establishes the character of Tulip, it does suffer from targeting towards the younger audience but that has to be expected in a kids movie. The character of Tulip brings out the most childish parts of the film with her hyperactive personality and bright colours clearly appealing more towards the younger members of the audience. At times, the humour involving her was very childish but thankfully, she wasn't the main focus for the humour. 'Storks' had me laughing so much throughout the whole movie which is something I can't say about most of this years comedies.

The voice actors in 'Storks' deserve huge credit for their work in this film. Andy Samberg and Katie Crown do very well as the two leads, bouncing off of each other very well. Samberg did very well with the snide remarks about Tulip and the baby and also with the characters progression as he becomes more and more caring. Kelsey Grammar plays Hunter, Juniors boss, and provides a fearful voice to the large stork very effectively. Jordan Peele and Keegan Michael Key play two wolves and the two combine very well once again, as you'd expect from the pair. By far the standout performance comes from Stephen Kramer Glickman as Pigeon Toady. The pigeon was a complete suck up who tried to fit in by using annoying phrases whilst also being an egomaniac who dreams big. Glickman used a voice that was over the top for the pigeon but was so hilarious throughout the whole film. Any time the character came on the screen, you knew laughs were coming due to Glickman's performance what was one of the highlights of the movie.

The 'U' rating also made me wary that the film would not hold much of a story and just be bright colours and childish humour to entertain young kids. I never expected that this film would look at aspects in real life in the way that it did. The film goes into some depth about the likes of parenthood and how they should look to spend time with their kids before it's too late despite having busy workloads. It also looks closely at how relationships can build between people to being close like family despite no relation at all. This aspect was particularly interesting as it then looked at the opportunity for one of the characters to meet their biological family and how it effected their relationship in a negative way. It was handled very maturely and realistically which goes for a lot of the themes in this film. Not only does the film reflect family life but also our behaviour towards brands and products. This was used more so for comedy but is still effective in the movie. The film certainly isn't as deep as the likes of a 'Zootropolis' or a 'Inside Out', but 'Storks' definitely isn't  just a simple kids movie by any stretch.

As the film looks at many aspects of life as well as focusing on different characters and their stories, the plot does get quite muddled up. The film focuses mainly on Tulip and Junior which ends up making some of the other aspects disappear for large chunks of time. You do feel as if you lose interest and completely forget about some characters as the film doesn't give them that much attention but still dots them about in the film. The whole aspect of getting the baby to its rightful home does seem to get lost as well at times due to the journey but it can't be denied that it is a very fun one. With the journey being so fun, the film seems to get away with this as it creates such an entertaining watch that you don't really miss it.

Overall, 'Storks' is an incredibly fun family movie that surprised me a lot. I haven't laughed so much in the cinema in a long time and I certainly didn't expect this movie to have that effect on me. Some good messages about family and day to day life are mixed in with the comedy to make this film highly enjoyable. The cast do a fantastic job especially Glickman who steals the show. Definitely worth seeing, whether you have kids or not!

Final Verdict = 

So have you seen 'Storks'? If so, what did you think of it? I hope that this review was useful for if you were planning on seeing the movie, I can't recommend it enough! Once again, thank you for taking the time to read my review, it is much appreciated!

By Angus McGregor