Godzilla: King of the Monsters

Emmy says:
Gorgeous Kaiju, amazing sound, stunning effects. When’s the next movie? 10/10.

Jeff says:
I’m honestly not sure what to say about this movie. It was AWESOME. This is the Kaiju movie we’ve been waiting to see – when the effects are worthy of the monsters. Even so, this film also knew when to back away – give us character drama – to compel the story. Obviously the MacGuffin wasn’t really going to be that important, but it played it’s part. Characters got the arc they deserved – and it was great to see strong women in command roles just going about their business being bad-ass. More movies like this! Some of the pacing/progress was predicable, but is there anyone who went in not know how this would end? The stories told in the images during the end credits were fascinating and worth sticking around for too. This was so much fun, I want more. Long live the King! 10/10.

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The Tommyknockers

Emmy says:
I enjoyed this adaptation from book to screen, although I felt the lack of home made devices (there was a lot more in the book than the handful shown here). The cast were great at realising the characters and looked good in green. As there is a large amount of ‘in the head’ process at the end of the book I expected the ending to be changed. Not entirely happy with the route taken. 7/10.

Jeff says:
The changes from the novel are mostly understandable, and most are based on things referenced in the book. The characters (apart from Gard and Bobbi) were not really all that well-rounded on the page so, instead of a lot of cameo inventors, the film focuses on a core group. This is understandable, but it loses some of the impact. Given what the book describes, I imagine this was also the best compromise with early 90’s effects (the green was perfect, though). I’m interested to see what the remake does, given the people involved. I would like to see the philosophy from the end of the book explored more. Entertaining, but the epitome of early 90s King adaptations. 7/10.

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The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

To celebrate Towel Day … 

Emmy says:
A wonderfully detailed universe brought to life. Absolutely love this company of actors and their interpretations of the characters. 9/10.

Jeff says:
I have every version of H2G2 – books, radio plays, TV series and this movie. I understand that some fans feel this movie does not do the material justice, but I feel they forget: this was written first by Douglas Adams, and the major changes were HIS idea. Adams once said that each version of the story is different because if you want a specific version go watch/listen/read that version. He suggested they were parallel universes where something similar, but not the same, happened to similar people. I describe this movie as the version where there’s a somewhat happy ending and a love story. Why not have that in one version? H2G2 can be rather anarchic and depressing in places – so a version with an uplifting message is welcome. The attention to detail on the little things, specific references that only those who have read the books will get, are a treat (and do not diminish the experience for people who haven’t). The actors are universally excellent, and I will always be happy to watch this movie – I’d rather that, than worry about if other fans think I’m right. 10/10.

Bonus: You should watch the review on Movies with Mikey.

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The Curse of the Weeping Woman

(Actually ‘The Curse of La Llorona‘, but that wasn’t the title used where we saw it)

Emmy says:
Good pacing with the story, really felt like we’d stayed up all night with the characters instead of an instant morning. The Weeping Woman wasn’t explained enough to understand why she was pure evil, and the end felt too neat. I enjoyed the 70’s costuming and La Llorona’s dress. 7/10.

Jeff says:
An interesting premise, but not one that I felt could (or did) sustain 90 minutes. Some good moments, between long stretches of tedium, and others that stretched out longer than necessary. I found that the ‘shaky cam’ filming was a major distraction, which didn’t help. I liked the characters, but felt that they made dumb decisions for no purpose other than to delay the ending. On the way home, I thought of at least three other ways to tell this story (or include it in another one) that I felt would have worked better – and that’s never a good sign. Good effects, though. 5/10.

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John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum

Emmy says:
Having the previous movies to stand on this one wasted no time with unnecessary dialogue, leaving room for the insane amount of bullets and the appropriate amount of reloading without skimping on the hand to hand combat. Savage, bloody and beautiful. 10/10

Jeff says:
Brutal, realistic fights. All show, no tell, including things I’ve never seen before in fight choreography. Having said that, the first movie made the pain and damage realistic: you felt his pain. In this movie Wick was almost indestructible in combat, and barely slowed down when it really mattered, although he ‘felt’ it later when there weren’t any stakes. The creative fight choreography more than made up for it though, and the characters are still wonderful to watch. Brilliant. 10/10.

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Pokémon Detective Pikachu

Emmy says:
A great story to introduce a live action Pokémon world, whether you’re new or knowledgeable about Pokémon. Very well acted and the CGI was well done. I’m keen to see more in this world, but next time I want to actually feel like there are stakes. 9/10.

Jeff says:
An excellent entry point to a wider world – this movie gives a tight character-driven story that happens to have world-sized consequences. Great acting, and top-rate CG made for an entertaining story that only felt flat, ironically, in a mountainous scene that had too much distracting CG debris to really feel like you were involved in the scene. While some hand-waving occurred, the resolution was a surprise I feel I should have seen coming but didn’t – and was blessedly not spoiled by the trailer. Please don’t ruin it for anyone else. I want to see more of the world, but I feel like it could only work as an anthology (ie, different people next time). 9/10.

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Good Morning, Vietnam

Emmy says:
A masterful piece of art. Delightfully funny and depressingly human. 8/10.

Jeff says:
For some people, this is one of the most quotable movies of all time. A reference to ‘comfortable shoes’ led to us needing to re-watch this exceptional movie. The thing is, we remember Robyn Williams’ improvised routines – but unless you try really hard, how readily do you remember the depictions of war; the treatment of the Vietnamese by the US servicemen; and the reality of life in Vietnam at that time? This movie, for a comedy, hits hard and makes an important point. Like M*A*S*H which inspired the idea of making a story about the Vietnam ‘conflict’, the jokes provide cover for the message. 9/10.

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Needful Things

Emmy says:
This screenplay is the perfect reduction of the essence of the novel by King. Beautiful music underpinning scenes of hectic tension. Great interpretation of the characters by the cast of actors. This doesn’t have the slow boil the book seems to have, yet the events only cover a single week there. Insidious 9/10.

Jeff says:
I love this movie, but I can’t explain why. Excellent acting from Max von Sydow and Ed Harris, probably. The rest of the cast was brilliant as well. Even though I love it, and it does a great job of reducing the book to the essential elements, there are a few things that bother me. I feel like the tensions in the town were already too high before Gaunt’s arrival, and the characterisations of Nettie and Wilma were too broad for my liking. The sexualisation of Gaunt’s interest in Polly also struck a wrong note for me. The reviews of this film, when it came out, criticised how unpleasant everyone was … but that was the point. It might have helped to show the town being ‘pleasant’, but with underlying tensions, before the shop opened – it might have made the point better. I’d be interested in how someone like Jordan Peele would remake this story. 9/10.

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Gerald’s Game

Emmy says:
A very faithful translation to screen of a book that contains a single character and the voices in her head for the vast majority of it. I do prefer the anxiety of the first person view of the book to the passive third person of the movie. Stellar work 9/10.

Jeff says:
Disturbingly good adaptation of a disturbingly good Stephen King novel. A well-crafted story that mostly takes place in one room (if you discount the flash backs). I was so angry at some parts and deeply bothered by others: in ways that only happen in a well-made, compelling, engaging film. 9/10.

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Roxanne

Emmy says:
Good, light-hearted fun. 7/10.

Jeff says:
Based on the play ‘Cyrano de Bergerac’, this 80’s rom-com is … a very 80’s rom-com. This is not a slight, as the film is fun and funny. Cringe-worthy moments still abound, being the product of its time. I’m curious how much is 80’s rom-com fare and how much is the source material (most of the main plot is from the play, I understand, and even some of the jokes). I have always loved this movie, but watching this time I cringed a little more than I used to. Times have changed, I guess. 7/10.

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Avengers: Endgame

Emmy says:
Hair, makeup, costumes and acting brilliantly show how Infinity War aged everyone. An unbelievable journey 10/10.

Jeff says:
So how do you end over a decade’s worth of movies? This is how. A three-hour epic that didn’t drag at any point. Good service to all the characters, even if some of them were on screen less that we might have liked. The story was the focus, and it was executed amazingly well. Very funny in many places, dramatic in others, and quite emotionally devastating in still other places. This movie had everything, and left nothing behind. Some issues with plot holes towards the end, but I can’t really complain. A great film on its own, and a fitting end to this phase of the MCU. 10/10.

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Thunderbirds

Emmy says:
A feel-good family film, with a good moral base. 7/10.

Jeff says:
I grew up watching Thunderbirds, waking myself up at 6am on Saturdays to watch the show on TV. This movie is rather cheesy and was panned on release, but I enjoy it for what it is rather than lament what it isn’t. The plot is rather thin, and some ‘gags’ overstay their welcome, but the vehicles are there and the characters are there. It’s a product of it’s time, and it’s clearly designed for a younger audience instead of only angling for the nostalgia factor of the older viewers – and I appreciated that. Despite its problems, I still think this adaptation is F-A-B. 8/10.

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