'Central Intelligence' Review

One of the years most anticipated comedies is now here and features some of comedy's best actors within it. There was a lot of hype towards this film and in a summer that has disappointed so far, it could be a bright star in the summer movie season. However if the comedies so far this year- bar a few- are anything to go by, it could be atrocious. Thankfully, the first statement relates more to this film.

A traumatic. high school experience leads Bob Stone (Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson) to completely change his life by trading his weight for a fit and muscular build. He goes back into town for a high school reunion where he meets up with former perfect student Calvin Joyner (Kevin Hart) who has lately become fed up with his job as an accountant. That is about to change as Stone needs Joyner's help to help save secret plans belonging to the government. Together the pair will face death to come out on top against whoever stands in their way.

One thing that most definitely has to be praised for this film is the trailer. The trailer did incredibly well at not giving too much away about the actual plot of the film. Showcasing The Rock and Kevin Hart as an unlikely duo was enough and they knew it meaning they didn't have to dive in too much which was so good to see. There are many people who appeared in this film- to humongous joy- that I had no idea were in it that worked very well. Great work from the marketing team.

The film as you can see stars Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson and they both do a great job. Hart is the more serious of the two but delivers the comedy very well throughout the film. Hart plays a fed up accountant who wants the excitement from his high school glory days. Bouncing off him and as more of the comic relief is Dwayne Johnson's character Bob Stone who in reality is a massive kid only now a jacked adult. He is passionate about Ponies and fanny packs which lead to some highly entertaining moments. Although the two are really funny on their own, the duo have great chemistry in the film which makes the film even more enjoyable. You can clearly see that the two enjoyed making this movie and genuinely liked doing it as the comedy flows easily. I think that most people will want to see more of these two soon in the near future.

There is no denying that the comedy within the film is great but I would say that the story does let the film down quite a bit. The story soon starts to be based on questioning Stone's character and whether or not he is what he says he is. However throughout this many things happen only to keep the mystery going when it could easily be resolved in a short discussion. This doesn't create a very strong story which does stop this from being a great action comedy.

Despite the story not being great, the action is performed very well throughout the film. Obviously 'The Rock' is a natural when it comes to action and it is clear to see why he is one of the genres biggest stars as he pulls it off effortlessly. Kevin Hart also does well with the action but he's mainly reacting to all of the awesome things that are happening. What he does have to do actionwise as a clear rookie is done to ahigh standard which is very good to see.

Final Verdict =

A very solid and one of the best comedies this year. However the story overall isn't great but Hart and Johnson's chemistry is phenomenal which creates an enjoyable viewing.

So have you seen 'Central Intelligence'? If so what did you think of it? I hope this review was useful for if you were considering seeing the movie. Once again, thank you for reading my review, it is much appreciated!

By Angus McGregor

'Now You See Me 2' Review

Back in 2013, audiences were introduced to 'Now You See Me' which gained mixed responses. 3 years later 'The Horseman' are back to try and amaze audiences with their amazing magic skills and to hopefully build on the good things created from the first and be a universal success. Unfortunately, not even magic was able to save this film entirely.

After returning from their hiatus, The Horseman (Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg and Dave Franco) accompanied by new member Lula (Lizzy Caplan) have to flee a stage show as it goes all wrong. They are exposed as is FBI agent Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo) and the try to escape but to unfamiliar territory. They end up in Macau, China where they are brought to the thought to be dead Walter Mabry (Daniel Radcliffe) who forces them to steal a computer chip, that will grant him access to every computer in the world. 

The film really holds itself on the magic aspects of the film and how it fools you a lot. However I didn't really feel amazed at this film at all with the magic aspects especially in the longer tricks. The film takes out big chunks and then adds them in much later to try and wow you but it really didn't strike me as that impressive. There are twists for days in this film as it keeps changing everything that you do start to get fed up with it. You can't really trust anything you see in this film as it will probably turn out to be false just outta nowhere.

For the magic tricks themselves, it is a very mixed bag. Some of the tricks are very cool and entertaining which is what the audience will like to see. However at some points, they aren't as good. Take the heist scene in particular. In this scene there is a whole load of things happening which leads to big contrasts in quality. Some of them are really smart and clever which work really well. Others are painfully obvious that something is happening and should've been caught red handed but weren't just to allow the story to carry on. Once you see that even the most blatant proof, the stakes are lifted as surely if that didn't get them caught, nothing will. However I would be lying if I said that some of the stuff going on wasn't cool to watch and will definitely bring some enjoyment. 

Something that is done very well within these films are the performances. Mark Ruffalo is excellent once again and is one of the most interesting characters who has to deal with a lot as well as looking over the Horseman. The other standout I feel is Jesse Eisenberg who does very well as his arrogant character Daniel Atlas which he pulls off very well. Lizzy Caplan is in to replace Isla Fisher and she does bring a fresh character to the film as she is very lively and cheeky which is a good contrast compared to the others. She did well to replace Fisher's character and was entertaining throughout the film. The cast overall does a very good job as they keep the film entertaining as they bicker and challenge each other a lot. 

However a very low point of the film comes in the form of Woody Harrelson. He plays his normal character Merrit McKinney which he does well. Unfortunately in the sequel, he's doing double duty as his twin brother Chase. One of the most annoying characters I have seen this year who annoyed me oh so much throughout the film and who never got any better or enjoyable as the film progressed. 

The finale of this film as well is very underwhelming. They look to be setting up a huge final across London with tricks that will amaze. Apart from Atlas' trick the other acts were not that impressive considering how out of this world the movie wants you to think the tricks are. Due to it not being that impressive, it certainly does drag on and you just want it to move on. 

Final Verdict =

Not a terrible movie, but it's style over substance hinders it a lot. Some good performances make the film enjoyable but not enough to completely save the film. 

So have you seen 'Now You See Me 2'? If so what did you think of it? I hope this review was useful for if you were planning on seeing the movie. Once again, thank you for reading my review, it is much appreciated!

By Angus McGregor

'Ice Age: Collision Course' Review

The Ice Age gang are back for the fifth film which really is a surprise to me. However with the fourth film 'Continental Drift' grossed a massive $877,244,782 worldwide. To put that into context, Batman v Superman grossed $872,662,631 so that shows that there is clearly an audience out there craving this series- mainly kids. Pretty mad to think of that so surely there must be some redeeming qualities to the series and hopefully, to the new film. 

Scrat is once again pursuing and trying to keep his acorn which leads him to set off a series of events that may end the world. Manny (Ray Romano) and the gang must head to a certain location to try and prevent the disaster that could end the world. Reuniting with Buck (Simon Pegg), they will have to face off against new enemies who look to get in their way.

Didn't they already do this story in 'The Meltdown'? Wasn't the second one a story of the gang travelling to a location to try and provide safety? That's what I kept on thinking throughout this movie which makes it seem so lazy that they are rehashing the same plot lines from a previous instalment. I know it's been 10 years since that movie but come on.

Like quite a lot of the animated movies, this is clearly for kids. Unfortunately, the film isn't like a Kung Fu Panda where it is still highly entertaining despite this. I can't slag it off too hard for this as it is clearly aimed for children which is apparent from the whole load of immature slapstick humour.  Due to this and with it being the fifth film, it feels really repetitive and you feel as if you've seen it many times before. This formula has been used throughout the whole series and it may finally be time for them to look elsewhere for comedy.

I feel that something that really affects this film is the constant going back to the character of Scrat. Now it is fine to do wee small clips of the character getting into bother but that should be it. The ones involving him in this movie seemed tediously long and took up far more of the run time than was actually necessary. The film is hour and 40 minutes long so I don't see why it was necessary to have so much of it within the film. 

There is one aspect that the movie handles really well and that surrounds the family elements. With Manny's daughter Peaches in a relationship with fellow Mammoth Julian, Manny struggles to come to terms with this that leads him to act nastily to Julian who just wants to impress him. It's quite realistic in the way the parents react to the change in their daughters life which was actually done quite well. These moments do connect well with the older members of the audiences as it may be relatable to some. If the film had solely made it about this rather than going to other subplots, it may have been more enjoyable. However we were given another pointless story for Sid as well as Diego and Shira deciding if the choice to become parents is a good one which really hurts the movie. 

The villains in the form of dinosaur birds are really terrible in this film. One of them knows that their plan is bogus yet they still go to carry it out until it is convenient. It is completely lazy and predictable which didn't really add anything to the film other than disposable useless characters.

Final Verdict =

Entertainment for the kids will be in this film but unfortunately not a lot for the rest of the audience. Not really worth seeing unless you are taking little ones.

So have you seen the latest Ice Age movie? If so what did you think of it? I hope this review was useful for if you were deciding on seeing the movie. Once again, thank you for reading my review, it is much appreciated!

By Angus McGregor

'The Legend of Tarzan' Review

It seems as if a lot of Disney animated movies are being made in to real life movies with the great technology that they have at their disposal. Although maybe not being redone by Disney, Tarzan is coming back to the big screen. I'm a fan of the animated version so looked forward to seeing the interesting character once again. I really hoped that this film would do the character justice but would it be able to do so?

It's been 10 years since Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgard), now known as John Clayton III, moved to London with his wife Jane (Margot Robbie). King Leopold of Belgium has sent his main man Leon Rom (Christoph Waltz) to the African Congo to come up with a plan that will lure the couple back home. Rom looks to handover Tarzan to an old enemy in return for Congo's diamonds. Rom will use Jane as a pawn to get Tarzan to come to him as Tarzan has to return to his wild side in order to save the native people and his wife.

 

With the recent success of 'The Jungle Book' in live action, the story of Tarzan does seem like a film that would be able to follow in the footsteps. The film would require a lot of CGI to bring the abundance of creatures to life but the film did not need as much as 'The Jungle Book'. And that is the only similarity between the two really as tone-wise, unlike the Disney versions, they are very different. 'The Legend of Tarzan' is much more serious and not as fun as the original which if you have seen the trailer, you would spot immediately. For me I feel this makes it harder for the film to be a success as it changes the tone of the most recent successful and memorable adaptation completely which may fool audiences. The movie does well to handle the serious tone as you get a real sense of danger in these locations which helps the film a lot. However it does try a few moments of comedy but it just didn't fit well with the rest of the film.

In saying that there is a serious tone within the film, there are those moments that make it quite fun to watch such as the fight sequences with Tarzan facing off against both human and animal. These moments are easy to watch and make a very enjoyable viewing. The finale- although quite silly- is very enjoyable to watch and quite an incredible moment. The Legend of Tarzan does have some scenes which create great moments that any viewer will enjoy easily.

Another main part of the film that I really enjoyed was the performances from the cast. Christoph Waltz was the best for me as I could watch him all day long he's just incredible. Like usual, he handles the dialogue and delivers it incredibly well which makes you want to listen to what he has to say. Alexander Skarsgard also does a good job as Tarzan in this new telling of the character. Margot Robbie as well puts in a good performance as Jane who does quite a lot for herself despite being held as a damsel in distress for large parts of the movie. 

Although the acting is good, there are some problems with the characters. Waltz character Leon Rom has a very bizarre talent as being deadly with a beaded necklace which I never really understood how someone could be so vicious with. Despite that, his plan all depends on Tarzan going back to the Congo which almost doesn't happen if it weren't for Samuel L Jackson's character George Washington Williams convincing him. It wasn't a foolproof plan which wasn't strong that didn't make sense as it was vital that this would happen. I wasn't a big fan of Jackson's character in the film as it was made clear that they wouldn't be waiting on him to catch up and shows that he is behind. Yet he always manages to be there in the end which doesn't add up. It's one or the other and the film seemed to forget where he was and what his capabilities were at times. He is also an expert at finding his way through the thick jungle with no map, compass or anything to get to an area where he has never been before. 

In a movie like this that features many wild animals, the CGI has to be up to standard. There are moments when creatures look incredible and really do live up to the standard set by previous movies. However, it is not consistent whatsoever. There are times when the CGI doesn't look too great and when you are trying to make a film that fools the audience into thinking they're real, you can't afford this to happen. I think this is most apparent with the apes in the film as there are moments that are breathtaking and some that unfortunately look quite cheap and overall bad. I may be mistaken but at one point, there is a scene where the CGI gorillas interact with humans and it is obvious that they are CGI due to the reactions of the actors. It is clear to see that they were just dropped in as characters don't react to what is next to them and threaten thin air.

Final Verdict = 

There is enjoyment to be had in this movie for sure and Christoph Waltz is great once again. However some parts both within the story and in CGI let the movie down. 'The Legend of Tarzan' is one of the better movies so far this summer although that is more down to the quality of other films.

So have you seen 'The Legend of Tarzan'? If so what did you think of it? I hope this review was useful for if you were planning on seeing the movie. Once again, thank you for reading my review, it is much appreciated!

'Hush' Review

A few months ago, I was watching one of my favourite reviewers Chris Stuckmann give his thoughts on a very interesting film called 'Hush'. He spoke very highly of the film which left a mark on me. A couple of days ago, I was then scrolling through Netflix seeing what was new and hiding within the depths of the service where I came across none other than 'Hush'. So with the summer movie season disappointing I looked to this film to satisfy me for the time being. So enough of the backstory and now into the review!

'Hush' is a psychological horror/thriller that follows deaf and mute author Maddie Young (Kate Siegel) as she lives alone in quite an isolated area near woodland. Things start to go wrong as a neighbour of Maddie's is pursued and killed on her porch with her not knowing at all due to her condition. The killer (John Gallagher Jr) then sets his attention towards her as he looks to torture her mentally before killing her. Maddie has to use whatever she can to gain an advantage and make up for her inability to hear to make it out alive.

Now from the synopsis, it is a very interesting film. We've all seen home invasion films but how would one cope if they had a disability that would hinder them against an attacker. This creates an interesting scenario from the beginning and also a fresh idea which is great to see. In horror a lot of things have been done to death and it was good to see a fairly new take on a sub genre. This condition does play a big role in the film as Maddie has to work out ways to even the odds and not allow he pursuer to take advantage of it. This does create some interesting situations that lead to some clever thinking which shows Maddie to be quite intelligent. 

However at times throughout the film, this intelligence seems to disappear. As she does carefully plan how to handle certain things, she sometimes doesn't carry this out and does something that is quite stupid and leads her to be in real danger. Sometimes it is too dumb to simply ignore as you'd expect her to know what to do as she has taken the time to plan out her moves. The same with some of her other actions throughout the film where she seems to ruin a chance for herself to escape or possibly get help.

I really liked the character of the killer in this film. From the start he is very creepy as he gets inside the house and creeps out Maddie by stealing her phone and sending images of her from within the house. He also states the haunting lines "I can come in anytime I want, And I can get you anytime I want. But I'm not going to. Not until it's time. When you wish you're dead...that's when I'll come inside". From these two acts we can see that killing isn't the only thing he seeks as he wants to cause as much pain as possible to her physically and mentally. Some people don't like this but you can clearly see how menacing and threatening he is and that by keeping her alive, he is potentially doing more damage. Also who doesn't think a crossbow is awesome? One gripe I have that is I would've preferred him to be anonymous behind the mask for much longer than it was. The mysteriousness makes him more threatening and dangerous and the film does lose some effect due to this. 

Like most horror movies, this one does follow several cliches. We have the classics like losing service on phones and not having working transport to make a quick getaway. However the film does create some ways that aren't just coincidences as you see what causes these problems, mainly due to the killer. Any fan can appreciate this as the writers have taken time to address why this happens rather than it just being bad service or breakdowns which is always good to see. Cliches are fine if they are done well and 'Hush' does a great job with them.

The film also keeps you guessing as you look to see what will happen next. The movie tricks the audience several times into thinking that something is happening that will cause some drama. This works well as it isn't too repetitive and continues the story very well. It is a clever technique that is used very well that keeps the audience on their toes.

Final Verdict = 

'Hush' is a good thriller and highly enjoyable. At 1 hour and 21 minutes long, this film is perfect for a quick and entertaining watch which I highly recommend.

So have you seen 'Hush'? If so what did you think of it? It is on Netflix and you really should check it out if you haven't seen it. I hope this review may have also convinced you to do so. Once again, thank you for reading my review, it is much appreciated!

By Angus McGregor 

Month in the Movies: June

The summer movie season has finally got underway and to say it's been a good start wouldn't be true. It's been a slow start this summer with not so many crackers hitting the big screen. Hopefully we're just getting the bad ones out of the way. However it would be unfair to say that there hasn't been some quality so far with a few films saving the season from being terrible.  If you aren't sure what this post is about, each month I look back at the movies I seen in that month and rank them based on a combination of how good the movie was and how much I enjoyed it. So lets get into the list!

10. The Boss

Simple as it is, 'The Boss' is the worst film I have seen so far in 2016. This was painfully unfunny to the point where I was so close to leaving the theatre. Peter Dinklage has the worst performance of the year within this film too which is painful to say but it is true. 'The Boss' is a disaster which for your sake, you shouldn't ever watch. Lets just hope McCarthy's next venture 'Ghostbusters' is much better than this turd. 

Final Verdict = F

Check out my review for 'The Boss' here

9. Gods of Egypt

For some people, this is their worst movie of the year and I can't blame them. A uninteresting story, bland characters, poor acting, mediocre CGI and terrible casting were only a number of things that went wrong in this 'epic'. 'Gods of Egypt' may become one of those "it's so bad, it's good" movies which isn't necessarily a good thing. 'Gods of Egypt' is truly awful but is lucky that there was a film I thought was even worse in the month of June.

Final verdict = F

Check out my review for 'Gods of Egypt' here

8. Independence Day: Resurgence

20 years after the original we got a sequel that people wanted back in the 90's. Unfortunately for us, the film came nowhere near the original in terms of quality. The film failed to replace Will Smith as the new characters were not interesting or charismatic enough. The heart of the original wasn't there either as 'Resurgence' became the 'Terminator: Genisys' of 2016.

Final Verdict = D

Check out my review for 'Independence Day: Resurgence' here

7. Mother's Day

A film about a holiday that here in the UK isn't celebrated to quite the same standard as shown in the film. There was potential for this comedy to succeed as it does have some characters whose stories would make for an interesting movie. However, it is filled with and focuses on some of the most terrible characters of the year who are the main focus which makes the film hard to watch at times. Like most comedies this year, it fails to create a funny movie which is unfortunate considering some of the cast members.

Final Verdict = C-

Check out my review for 'Mother's Day' here

6. The Angry Birds Movie

The movie based off of the hit mobile based game seems to have come a few years too late. The movie is clearly aimed for kids which may explain to why I didn't get that much enjoyment out of the film as it wasn't targeted to me. However there were a few decent jokes despite all the bird puns as well as some nice animation that the film deserves credit for.

Final Verdict = C-

Check out my review for 'The Angry Birds Movie' here

5. Mr Right

'Mr Right' is a really fun movie to watch with some good comedy and performances from the two leads. However the story isn't made that well with a lot of things happening only to allow the film to progress. It's a fun movie just to sit and switch your brain off with but no more than that unfortunately. I wanted more from this movie and although it is entertaining at times, there isn't a great deal of quality the whole way throughout the movie.

Final Verdict = C

Check out my review for 'Mr Right' here

4. The Secret Life of Pets

Much like 'The Angry Birds Movie', TSLOP is a film that is targeted for kids. This comes at no surprise as it comes from the creators of 'Despicable Me' and 'Minions'. However the difference between this film and TABM is that the comedy works a whole lot more in this movie. The jokes led by Louis C.K and Kevin Hart do land a lot more which does make this kids movie a lot more enjoyable to watch. It isn't one of the animated films that will blow audiences away but it is a fine movie to say the least.

Final Verdict = C+

Check out my review for 'The Secret Life of Pets' here

3. Me Before You

'Me Before You' is one of the biggest surprises I have had the cinema this year. I really didn't expect this movie to be good at all and was pleasantly surprised. The film is very charming and has some good comedy within it. The two leads do very well which creates an enjoyable viewing. The emotional parts could have been done a little better especially the finale which seemed to have been rushed. Regardless of that, 'Me Before You' was one of the better movies this month.

Final Verdict = B-

Check out my review for 'Me Before You' here

'Mr Right' Review

The 2016 Edinburgh Film Festival has now drawn to an annoying end after just under 2 weeks. Unfortunately for me, the majority of this was before my pay day meaning I missed out on a whole load of great film. However, I was able to catch one film that I had seeked out on the last day of the festival. 'Mr Right' was the lucky film that had the task of entertaining me but would it be able to deliver?

Martha (Anna Kendrick) has just came out of a relationship and is down on her luck. Fate leads her to a new partner in the form of Sam Rockwell's character Francis. Francis however is hiding the fact that he is sort of a reverse hitman which leads Martha to make a choice to whether they split or if she stays with her Mr Right.

I had heard of 'Mr Right' well before it being shown in the Edinburgh Film Festival due to it being from one of my favourite online personalities and screenwriter Max Landis. This really pushed me towards seeing the movie as I wanted to support him in particular. Also I enjoy anything with Anna Kendrick anyway as she is just great. With this combination, I was sure that I would get some enjoyment and to my luck, I was correct.

'Mr Right' most definitely is a very fun movie and is mainly due to the two lead performances within the film. Sam Rockwell is very good as this professional assassin who kills those who have hired him rather than the intended targets. His eccentric ways and killer instinct prove to be a cool mix that creates a very enjoyable viewing. Anna Kendrick plays quite an unhinged woman in Martha, who clearly isn't all right in the head. Again, Kendrick is highly entertaining and amusing as the film goes on.

The comedy in the film does work really well in the film as well and is genuinely funny. The jokes are very clever and work well with the characters as the conversations flow with the jokes being ever present. The writing for the comedy elements work tremendously well and will bring you some laughs for sure. The characters of Francis and Martha are written very well which creates likeable and enjoyable characters to watch.

Unfortunately, I feel that the praise for the film really ends at that. The film really is silly with the routes it takes and with some of the other characters. The film is pretty self aware of this but I don't feel that it should be excused due to this as it does seem like quite a cop out in the way it handles some of its scenarios. Sometimes characters are able to do incredible things and then are a shadow of themselves in the next scene. There are times when people seem to have changed sides in the fight against Francis which happens a number of times throughout a short period of time. A lot of the time, actions were happening only to further the film and didn't make sense to why it actually happened.

I feel that the action in this movie is really quite inconsistent in quality as well. There are some scenes where some truly great action pieces take place and work fantastically well. The choreography works well throughout these scenes which makes it odd at points where it doesn't work nearly as well. At points the action seems way too slow as if you can see the actors really trying to be careful and it doesn't flow that well. The standards aren't kept up throughout the whole film which does also make the film suffer at times.

Final Verdict =

'Mr Right' is a fun movie that is enjoyable to watch for sure. There is no doubt that this is on of the films that you would stick on just for fun and if you don't want to think too much about. It's far from a masterpiece but most definitely has its moments with good comedy and performances from Rockwell and Kendrick.

So have you seen 'Mr Right'? If so what did you think of the movie? I hope this review was useful for if you were planning on checking the movie out. It seems to have been released much earlier elsewhere in the world so may appear on the likes of Netflix where I would recommend you checking it out. Once again, thank you for reading my review, it is much appreciated!

By Angus McGregor