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danielmanson
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The Roommate (2011)
Your average thriller
I knew absolutely nothing about this movie going into it and in all honesty it's not bad at all. Sure, it's got flaws and it's not going to win awards. But, did it entertain me on my Friday night movie watch? Yes.
My biggest problem with this plot was the depth of the characters. It was lacking in all areas unfortunately. They clearly tried with certain areas such as Sara's dead sister, but it felt so half arsed and incomplete. They could have really fleshed out the stalkers character and shown us a lot more than they did and I think this would have really helped the character and the plot as a whole.
The acting was less than impressive I have to say. No stand out performances and it was being dragged along by the intensity of the plot (which I have to say they did a good job of doing).
There are some positives however. Obviously the plot is laid out quite linear, but as mentioned the intensity is kept throughout and the increase of Rebecca's actions is illustrated well. And ultimately it's an entertaining watch that never felt dragged out. Every scene felt important in one way or another, which can be rare in films these days.
Don't Move (2024)
Simple. Yet not half bad
Actually pleasantly surprised by this movie overall. Yeah, sure it's not going to blow you away, but it's a decent little thriller, with good acting and keeps you interested throughout.
I was impressed with how it managed to keep the intensity throughout. Knowing it's on a women, who's been drugged to be paralysed, you half expect some slow scenes. But, the plot plods along very nicely and keeps you very much invested in what happens next.
I would have liked a little more in the plot, maybe some sort of twist in the tale? Although it's a good plot and keeps you invested, it doesn't have that "wow" factor. As said in the title, it's very simple.
The acting from both was fantastic I thought and although there wasn't a lot to go off, character wise, they pulled it off exceptionally. Again, a little more depth would have been nice and if fleshed out a little more the actors could have worked with so much more and I have no doubt they would have killed it.
But, overall I enjoyed this movie and although simple, I find it's very effective and for a Saturday night film I had a good time with it. 6.8/10. (7 for IMDb)
Woman of the Hour (2023)
Not enough in the story for a movie?
Although this movie I found to be quite good and engaging in parts, I thought the slow pace and just generally the lack of content really lets it down.
So have to say off the bat, you'll need to have an understanding of the real life story before you delve into this, because if not I think it'll be a hard and dull watch. I had a basic understanding of the real life story and this worked perfectly for the watchability of this movie as I knew what was going on and understood some references, but also didn't know enough so it kept it interested and on the edge of my seat to know how he got caught.
However, my main issue is that I feel as though it's not a long enough story to really make into a movie. It's an hour and a half and the pace was really slow at times, almost like it was just squeezing that little more out just to reach that 90 min mark.
Acting was great however, the setting and cinematography was also great and for a directorial debut I think Anna Kendrick can say it was a success!
El hoyo 2 (2024)
Director is trying too hard
To be blunt the film had me engaged and very interested for the first hour, but unfortunately it descended to a bizarre and confusing mess.
I enjoyed how the plot went in a different direction to the first and yet stayed similar, the dialogue and acting I thought was great and just overall it was interesting and left you wanting more. However, the more it went on it just became so messy and I feel as though the director was trying too hard to make the film "thought provoking" and quite "artsy".
I won't do any spoilers, but the ending especially just made zero sense. I had to google what the ending even meant and most critics also don't seem to know either, which speaks volumes. It's honestly such a mess! You can make a film thought provoking and have metaphors for life etc peppered throughout, but you have to incorporate it with a decent plot. And unfortunately this does not. It's just trying too hard at the end of the day and it falls very very flat and confusing.
In relation to the first movie, a few characters return throughout and there was definitely some scenes and dialogue that relate back to the first, which I really enjoyed.
Annoyingly I just can't get past how poor the ending really is. Nothing is answered and I feel as though I've wasted my time here. Directors and writers really need to stop trying to overdo this need to make movies in depth, thought provoking. If you're gonna do it, do it right. And this gets it wrong on so many levels (get it!)
5/10, because the first hour is really good. But the final half an hour completely ruins it!
Uglies (2024)
Felt soulless
This just lacked across the whole playing field. Zero character investment for me, poor acting, dire dialogue, less than mediocre plot overall just felt very soulless.
I literally never talk about dialogue when it comes to movies, so it should say a lot when I am now, but it's so noticeably poor. Conversations didn't really flow and felt very much like a college movie at times.
The plot was less than mediocre. I actually quite like the concept initially, but it was very slow to get moving and it felt like a mesh of random scenes (especially the first half of the film). The lack of depth was very apparent throughout, both for the "world they live in" and the characters. They somewhat had an okay arc for Joey King's character but all the others almost felt like cardboard cutouts, they served very little purpose and again poor dialogue for them.
Quick side note. Joey King playing a 15 year old. Why?
I thought the ending was okay in all honesty, but the rest of the film is a bit of a mess and it just lacked that certain something a film needs. It was boring and just very soulless in the end. A weak 4/10 from me.
Ocean's Eight (2018)
Better than expected. Sort of
You know what, it's actually not too bad of a movie at all. I tried to watch this as a separate film entirely if I'm honest rather than comparing to the Ocean's trilogy, which helped, because if I was to to compare it doesn't even come close and could really hinder your views.
It's a standard heist movie in all honesty, the cast are okay, the plot is okay, the twist in the plot is okay. As a standard heist movie this does the job. I did enjoy how it didn't feel as "woke" as I expected it to be. When you hear of movies being redone with female casts you expect it to overdo that fact, but it felt quite natural.
Don't get me wrong they could have done a lot better with the plot still. The twist towards the end was okay at best. As in you could have seen it coming. Although the cast was good, they didn't get given much to work with and that fed into the movie as the characters felt very plain.
Ultimately it's an "okay" heist movie. Just try to think of it as its own entity rather than an add on to a great trilogy.
El hoyo (2019)
Intriguing
I have to say I was actually quite shocked at how good the movie is. When you find out it's all filmed in a cell you do wonder how far you can really take a plot.
First off it's very enjoyable and I was constantly thinking where is this plot going to go next. Real edge of your seat viewing. And the acting was also pretty great. The characters were all interesting and unique, every level was completely different to the last and it really added great depth to the story.
I understand that this movie has the hidden message throughout of the levels of society etc etc (I'm sure you've seen in the tons of reviews) but I'm trying to review off face value and how the plot is for a regular movie watcher who fancies this on a Friday night.
This leads to my only major negative. I disliked the ending massively. It felt like such a let down and I felt very underwhelmed. It's quite clear that the ending was some sort of hidden meaning, but I don't see how the average person will get it. (I didn't fyi). I'm all for films doing this, but it shouldn't take away from an entertaining plot and I feel like this ending did exactly that.
Talk to Me (2022)
It's okay at best
For a directorial debut it was really good and definitely impressed that 2 "YouTubers" can produce such levels.
I do have a couple of complaints however, which for me really stunted my enjoyment of this movie. I thought the characters were extremely unlikeable, I honestly did not care what happened to any of them. A complete lack of depth on any of them meant they just felt a bit soulless. The pacing of the story I found very poor also. For an hour and a half movie, it was still very very slow. Don't get me wrong when it would ramp up the suspense was fantastic, but it was come crashing back down to earth just as quickly. For me, this ruined the intensity produced, because it felt very boring at times.
As mentioned however, when the movie does ramp up, oh it's definitely intense and interesting. Can go from 0-100 really quick and it creates such a fantastic atmospheric and suspenseful space. I just wanted more of this!!! The makeup and the cinematic skills were also fantastic. Really added a good level to the horror.
Was it scary? Not massively, it's definitely more of an intense horror over jump scare etc. But it's still worth a watch and all in all it's an entertaining and unique plot.
M3GAN (2022)
Good modern take
I thought this was a decent take of a tried and tested horror sub genre. The modernness of it worked well and using this current AI zeitgeist really added to the suspense of it all.
There were a few negatives, the plot: although it had a lot of positives, as it's been a plot used for years, you knew where it was heading early doors and the story never really deviates from that. The characters could have been done better. I thought the main 2 were pretty unlikeable and it kind of skimmed through any sort of depth that they had.
But all in all it's still an exciting and entertaining watch. It jumped into things pretty quickly and it kept the suspense throughout really well. I will say that this isn't a jump scare kind of horror, but a more suspense/intense story and I found that it pulled it off really well. The M3GAN robot was really well put together and the camera shots and robot movement added to create this fantastic "villain".
It's definitely worth a quick watch (only hour and a half) if you like horror films. I personally would have enjoyed a bit more gore, but that's a personal view of mine!
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Massively enjoyed
I needed this movie!! The main point I can make about this film is that it's incredibly enjoyable. Doesn't take itself seriously, has some real laugh out loud moments, fantastic fight scenes, even better cameos and overall it's a just a joy to watch.
Is it a strong story? Not massively, but it works more than enough to get what you need out of it. My thought process going into this was "will wolverine work? And how does he come to be with Deadpool?" But, it's explained well and it doesn't feel too gimmicky. Like I said, it works well with the plot at hand. The comedy I thought they absolutely hit the nail on the head, worked so well with the plot and the marvel jabs really made me laugh!
When it comes to it. This film is exactly what you'd expect it to be and some. If you want an easy watch, something to switch your brain off and have some laughs. Then I cannot recommend it enough and it's such a breath of fresh air. Both in the movie world and indeed Marvel. I needed this movie!
American Pie Presents: Girls' Rules (2020)
Few redeeming factors
I think we all knew going into this that it wouldn't be great. I honestly don't know why they continue to make these "American pie" movies. If this film, for example, was titled something completely different and not under that franchise tag then it would probably be perceived as a bit better than it was as they wouldn't be forced to add in the American pie elements.
That leads to one of my first major problems. Why create another "stiffler"? Surely from all the other spin offs you must know it's a character you simply cannot just recreate. Yet, once again here we have another. Only female this time. It just feels so incredibly forced and makes the humour not land whatsoever.
The plot was little to be desired. You knew what the entire storyline and ending was going to be within the first 20 minutes or so and you have this bland mid section waiting for the ending (that you know what it's going to be anyway). The humour is extremely forced and I do not recall even sniggering once during this movie. Just really bland from start to finish.
Overall, it's a poor movie. But, I expected one if im honest. I just don't understand why they continue to make these. Let it go!
Five Nights at Freddy's (2023)
Mediocre plot
I have to say when this film was announced I was shocked. I can't say I am an avid FNAF game fan, but I know enough to know there isn't enough there to make a film plot out of. And I think that's a huge reason why the story of this movie was quite poor.
Even though I'm going to slate the movie I have to say I did enjoy myself overall still and was entertained by it. Which ultimately is the point of a film.
Visually, the film was fantastic. The animatronics were great and the scenery and shots all added to this visual pleasure. But, the plot really lets it down. I didn't think that it was scary either in the grand scheme of things and I honestly believe this would have been better with a bit more freedom with the gore etc (giving it a 12A in the UK, meant it wasn't possible).
Ending was really poor. Felt rushed and lacked any sort of suspense or twist in the tale. The intensity that makes a good horror film I thought was missing from the get go also.
I would have liked a bit more from the characters, bit more depth on them. For a plot that's 1hr 45 there's a huge lack of depth within the characters which again doesn't help with the poor plot.
So yeah. Poor story, but was I entertained? Yes.
Barbie (2023)
Don't get the hype. Sorry!
For me, this movie just didn't land. I don't think it helped that I had very high expectations with many saying it's film of the year and people asking why wasn't it nominated for Oscar's etc.
Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of decent positives that I liked about it. I thought the humour was on point, wasn't overbearing or daft (which I expected it to be) and the mix of adult humour in there was also funny. The cinematography and settings used was very pleasing for the eyes and the acting was also very good.
For me I had 2 issues that took to me only rating this a 5. The first is that I found the plot to be very preachy and the second is that the movie just didn't ever entice me in. Was a bit flat from the off.
Margot and Ryan actually did very good with their roles and nailed the performances, however everyone else I didn't see the point in. Characters such as Will Ferrel for example I just didn't think served any sort of purpose. The ending I also thought was very underwhelming overall.
But yeah, it's definitely an underwhelming film. It's not awful by any stretch and there's 100% positives to take from this and I'm happy I've watched. I just expected so much more.
Ricky Stanicky (2024)
Actually quite funny
I have to say I was a little surprised by how much I actually enjoyed this movie. Yeah, it's not going to win awards, but it's a nice little enjoyable watch that gave me a good few laughs!
The plot is unique (or nothing I've seen before anyway) and I thought the comedic acting was on point. John Cena in particular was very funny and sold his role well. I will say that I thought the plot got a touch stale towards the end as since it's a comedy plot you typically know what the outcome of the movie will be about midway. I don't expect twists and turns as it's just a simple, brain switch off comedy. But, it was a bit stale towards the end and I would have liked just a little more "wow" factor.
But that's the only real negative I have to say. Ultimately it's a comedy, with a fun and unique plot that gave me some good laughs! Can't really ask for too much more. I honestly believe this is the type of movie that would have done so well in the box office about 15 years ago. But, at least more people can watch this with it on streaming.
I enjoyed! I would recommend.
Saltburn (2023)
Definitely different
I really annoyingly enjoyed this movie. Sure, it has some really bizarre and in all honesty, needless scenes. But, on the whole it was a story that was very interesting and the storytelling was fantastic.
My main gripe with this movie is the main character Oliver (Barry Keoghan). It was a fantastic performance first and foremost. But, I would have loved a bit more into his character. There's no doubt he's a weird individual. But why? The sexual scenes that I think everyone is aware of, just why?? In my mind they were purely shock factor and didn't serve any purpose to the plot itself.
I thought that all the characters, although interesting, didn't give enough to really warrant rooting for them. You follow Oliver's character mainly, but due to the mystery of him you don't have that emotion towards that you'd like.
The story itself I actually found very gripping. About greed and wanting it all. Some reviews say it's pretentious crap and I don't agree, isn't the point to show just how "odd" and "out of touch" the rich really are. Saltburn is an estate that its own bubble of reality. The people in there will be eccentric and bizarre. Wouldn't it be a bit boring if it was just a regular old estate that he wanted to take over?
The ending is a touch underwhelming, it's set out like it's all some big twist to the tale, when it's really not. But, the story to get there I feel is an interesting narrative.
It's absolutely not a film for everyone. I think you'll either love it or hate it. But for me it was something that had interesting characters and an interesting plot. I just wish they toned down the shock value and focused on the storytelling itself.
The Kissing Booth 3 (2021)
So much cringe!!!
I have put myself through all 3 films and what I'm about to say could be said for all 3, so I thought let's just put my quick review on the final installment.
I will say as well for the 3 films, plot wise, it could easily be put together to make one movie. Felt so dragged on at times and endings weren't so much endings. Just made for this boring experience overall. I get this movie isn't aimed at someone like myself, but I can still recognise a good movie and good points in a movie. But, unfortunately this isn't it.
One word. CRINGE. So much cringe. Every single scene had some level of cringe. And I don't mean humour worthy cringe either. As in, it makes you seriously want to shrivel up and not continue watching. I found myself saying every 10 mins "oh the cringeeeee".
Think of a typical teen romance cliche. No matter what it is. This movie has it! Absolutely riddled with cliche's. To the point where I knew what the entire plot of the film was going to be about 20 minutes into each instalment. It actually became a game of mine to figure it out and in Kissing Booth 2 I got it dead on around 20 minutes in. I understand the point of these movies isn't to challenge you etc, but come on throw in something a touch different.
To sum up. Boring and cringe.
Waiting... (2005)
A more rude office space
Early 2000s comedies are one of my favourite things to watch and seeing the likes of Ryan Reynolds, Justin Long & Anna Faris then I had to watch and it's not a bad watch if I'm honest.
I will say it will NOT be for everyone. I mentioned it's like Office Space and it is, but it's in a restaurant and more crude. The plot itself is a little pointless it's more like a day in the life of these workers. I think if you're like me and enjoy these comedies then you'll have a good time, there's definitely some laugh of loud moments and the characters are all very unique and funny in their own way. But, the lack of direction of the plot I definitely think will put a lot off. The ending isn't as such an ending either, like I said it's more just like a behind the scenes of a restaurant.
So yeah it's a fun little movie and I'll happily rate this a 6/10. I would have liked more direction and some more of a plot, but it's a niche comedy and I have to respect that!
Insidious: The Red Door (2023)
Sadly wasn't a fan
I had no idea where they would take this movie as I thought Insidious 2 was good enough to end the series on. The prequel wasn't great, but wasn't bad. But unfortunately for me this is the worst instalment.
The story didn't feel like an addition to the previous story, just felt like the same story rehashed 9 years later. Was predictable to be honest a little dull. It really struggled to gain my attention. Maybe after years of not watching the movies this might feel like a fun refresher of a great horror plot, but I have just watched all 4 in a week and the decline on this movie was very noticeable.
The movie is centred around Dalton and to be blunt he just wasn't a likeable character at all. He was supposed to be a rude, bratty teen but I feel like they went too far with it to the point where he was someone I just didn't enjoy being on screen.
It's a shame the series ends on this movie, but unfortunately it was a flat plot, that didn't share the same intensity, emotion and suspense as the other instalments.
Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013)
Better than the first? Could well be
This could be one of those rare occasions where the sequel is actually better than the first movie. The linking back to the first movie was absolutely fantastic and the continuous suspense created through really kept you on the edge of your seat.
I will say that this ideally needs to be watched right after the first movie as there is a lot of references that link back. But if you do this really is a great sequel.
I mentioned the suspense and it really does keep you on the edge of your seat throughout, similar to the first installment in that I thought that the jump scares felt a bit too obvious, but it really keeps you in suspense from the get go.
I thought the characters in the first felt a little boring, however in this one they all started to come into their own and it was all just well acted.
With the plot essentially carrying on right where the first ended, i had doubts that it would be a little boring and maybe repetitive. But, it was a really engrossing storyline that had me wondering constantly.
I do genuinely believe that this movie is a better watch than the first, just make sure you have recently watched the first.
Insidious (2010)
Good horror, but a tired premise
I'll start by saying this is a pretty good horror movie. It's not breathtaking by any stretch, but it's worth a watch if you haven't already.
I think I big problem I have is that it's quite frankly a tired premise that's been used so frequently in horror the last 20 years or so. Granted this is an older film now and I may not have felt this way when it first came out, but if you're watching this for the first time this could well be an issue for yourself. Nothing really surprised me as we've seen it all before. This isn't me saying this is a bad movie, just if you're watching in 2023 it could well feel a bit tired and boring even.
The characters was my other issue, I didn't really find them engrossing or interesting enough to really root for them. I know there's only so much you can do with this genre of horror, but I would have liked a little more depth and intrigue from the parents in particular.
Is this film scary? Yes. In a sense that the plot did a fantastic job of keeping suspense throughout the whole hour and a half. The jump scares felt a little obvious to me, but the suspense really keeps you on the edge of your seat.
It's 100% worth a watch, it had me feeling scared and I'm intrigued to watch Insidious 2. So all in all I can't complain.
Fool Me Once (2024)
Keeps you guessing!
I don't often do reviews on TV shows, but I saw so many negative reviews (maybe because of the success) so had to throw in my 2 cents.
I have to say I really enjoyed this mini series. It's something that really keeps you guessing from start to finish. For me, what I enjoyed was that it didn't feel slow at any point. It went straight into it and nothing felt unneeded.
I will say I had one irritant which is that it did that cliche thing of "let's make this character do really suspect, when they don't have any relation to murder", which in theory makes you think that oh it could be this person. Which keeps you guessing. But, I found it just irritating, because I feel as though they massively overplayed it.
I see a lot of complaints about acting and Michelle Keegan, but honestly I didn't have an issue with it at all. It's not Oscar worthy acting by any stretch, but by no means was it poor. The character Sami I thought was really well acted and constructed, so special mention to him.
The final twists and the solution was really good I thought and it was something I really didn't even come close to getting. It answered all questions which is what you really need with a mini series.
All in all I'll give this a solid 7/10. It's binge worthy, fantastic for a lazy Sunday.
The Week Of (2018)
Was a headache of a movie
The title of this really describes how I feel after watching this movie. I've been going through a bit of an Adam Sandler binge and this popped up out the blue on Netflix so thought let's go with it. And I have to say it's one of his worst films (not Jack and Jill bad, but bad enough).
I found this to just have too much going on, they have so many characters introduced that it's hard to remember half their names. Obviously the point of this plot was to illustrate how hectic wedding planning is and the merging of families is always interesting. But, they just tried far too much and you end up with this obnoxious headache of a movie.
Plot wise, it's very bland. Now that's okay with a comedy, you don't want complex writing you want a laugh. But, the comedy was just a huge miss for me. I think I smiled as a couple of jokes at best during the whole film. I think the issue was that the comedy just got overshadowed by the overuse of characters.
If they toned down the amount of main characters then this could have worked a lot better, but there is ultimately too much going on. You find yourself either confused or constantly questioning why a character is doing what they are doing and sadly nobody stood out (nobody was really given a chance to).
I did like the sentimental value the film offered towards the end and it was a nice way to end it all. But, for a comedy this just misfires and I wouldn't recommend personally. 4/10 today.
Saw X (2023)
Much much better than I thought
Well I have to say, this is a genuinely fantastic film and I'm so glad I watched in the cinema for maximum viewing pleasure. Plot was fantastic, acting was very good and it has everything you want in a saw movie.
I think I had the thoughts of most when this was announced, "why another saw film" and I fully anticipated an almost gimmicky movie that was just a quick cash grab. However, this couldn't be further from. The plot gives us so much more in terms of depth with John Kramer, he had a much more central role and the writing makes you feel things for him you likely haven't felt before in any previous film.
The plot had a couple of great twists and turns. It didn't feel as one dimensional as the previous few instalments. I was genuinely guessing how this film is going to turn out and I can honestly say it has all the gore and torture devices you want and need in a saw plot. It's made in a way where even if you haven't seen any Saw films before you could watch this enjoy and understand it, which is also fantastic for new viewers.
I would happily rate this in the top 3/4 Saw movies and would easily recommend for both fans of the franchise and for new people to get started. Solid 8/10 from me today.
You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (2023)
I lost interest
I'll start by saying I didn't feel like I was the demographic this movie was going for, felt a lot like a young teen movie than anything else. So bare in mind before chucking it on.
Like most, I clicked because it's an Adam Sandler film. He doesn't appear in it often, he's more of a side character so again if you're expecting a classic Sandler comedy with him as the main aspect then think again. The humour just wasn't the same as they went for a more teen humour and not Sandler humour, so it's really not what I imagine most will expect when clicking on this.
So the film. Is it any good? It's very average and bland to put it bluntly. Humour didn't stick with me, forgettable plot and characters weren't particularly likeable either. I got a bit bored midway as you know how this film will end and the journey to get there isn't thrilling either.
For me, the characters were the most frustrating part of this watch. They definitely had elements nailed on in terms of how 13 year old girls act and behave at school etc but the personalities sucked. Stacy, the main character here, kept making awful decisions and just had a poor character arc that really made me not like her by the end.
It's honestly just an average watch that you will likely forget by tomorrow morning.
Gossip Girl (2007)
More annoying as it went on
So one of my big annoyances is that from the off it's clear that one of the main plot lines will be "who is gossip girl?". But, realistically does it really matter? Any sort of justification on why they need to know is executed really poorly and in 6 seasons I recall them wanting to know who it is about twice (before the very end, obviously). It becomes such a pointless plot line. Because it's just a website that people post gossip on and very quickly the important plots end up being "will this character end up with this character?".
The "will this character end up with this character" got incredibly tedious the more it went on. We all know who's going to end as a couple and yet after 60-80 45 minute episodes and still not together, just becomes annoying and not fun to watch. Characters falling in love after about 15 seconds with other characters, then going nah I want the original one again. Tedious and repeated over and over. Really needed to mix it up a little, just became tiresome.
The characters I found to be frustrating, yet I think this was the point. These rich upper east teens do act this entitled. So although it can be very frustrating and almost making characters unlikeable, it's actually very well done from the writers/directors.
Although I've basically shunned the entire plot purpose of this show, it was still entertaining in parts. I just wish they did the whole romance plots better and a bit more in depth.
So I'll give it a 6/10. It's still watchable at the end of the day and I've seen much much worse TV shows in the past.