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Bad Boys for Life (2020) Bad Boys for Life (2020)
CinePops user

Not as good as the others. Martin Lawrence's character just didn't seem like he gave a 100% of his role in this movie. Kind of thrown off the chemistry they once had. It was still an ok movie.

Bad Boys for Life (2020) Bad Boys for Life (2020)
CinePops user

Yeah....... IDK.
I thought the first one was brilliant, and the second was an OK action/comedy but didn't have as many subtle spoofs, but still was a decent action movie.
This one, on the other hand I'd only give one star because I do an all or nothing thing... but it was better than Lethal Weapon 4 wasn't it? It was better than Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. It was better than Coming Two America. It was better than most of the made it far too late where the original cast was far too old sequels that plague Hollywood like remakes.
It lacks the action fun that II had, it lacks the layers of humor that I had, Martin looks like he couldn't be bothered to get in shape... but it was a lot better, a LOT better, than like films.
So I guess I'll give it 10 stars because if Hollywood is going to make a sequel way too late for a sequel, this is sort of how you would want them to do it.
There's nothing I can say I really love about it, but there is also nothing I can say I hate about it, and for a sequel that should either have never been made or should have been made a decade earlier, it's not a bad film. And that sort of makes it great in today's everything is humorless and political era.

Bad Boys for Life (2020) Bad Boys for Life (2020)
CinePops user

It was very fun and entertaining to watch. I was laughing all the time.

Bad Boys for Life (2020) Bad Boys for Life (2020)
CinePops user

You know what you're getting.

Bad Boys for Life (2020) Bad Boys for Life (2020)
CinePops user

Another action packed movie for fans of bad boys.

Bad Boys for Life (2020) Bad Boys for Life (2020)
CinePops user

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I was never a big fan of the Bad Boys films. Firstly, I'm not too fond of Michael Bay as a director (as a producer, he's fine). The way he directs his action sequences is incredibly choppy, filled with questionable CGI, very hard to follow, and we all know his passion for exploding everything. Oh, and I can't forget about the constant product placement (amazing how in a brutal explosion, everything is destroyed except a gorgeous-looking Audi car that remains intact). Secondly, the storytelling always felt extremely generic and unsurprising. So, obviously, my expectations weren't very high…
Maybe that's why I enjoyed Bad Boys For Life way more than I anticipated. This movie should be a lesson to the Fast and Furious franchise. To make a mindless entertaining action flick, the lighthearted tone has to be well-established from the get-go. Despite the fact that the third act deals with absurd emotional twists worthy of a Mexican soap opera, the screenwriters are able to find just the right amount of harmless fun. I didn't watch a single clip before the film, and ten minutes in, I acknowledged that its goal was to simply be entertaining without taking itself too seriously.
Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah balance the more dramatic family issues with the ludicrous action very well. The latter sequences are much better than Bay's. The car chases, even when containing a few too many cuts, are relatively easy to follow, and they pack that necessary adrenaline rush. There are a few surprising shootouts that are filmed to make them look like one take, which definitely brings something pretty uncommon to this kind of formulaic action movies. Technically, I think both directors did an excellent job, especially considering that this was their debut feature film.
However, the story brings everything down. I believe Mexican soap operas might have better scripts. The dialogue reaches such a cringe-worthy level. Every essential plot information is given either through lazy character interactions or by that magical computer that every generic action movie possesses with which the main characters can basically know everything about everyone at the click of a few buttons. The comedy is quite hit-and-miss to me, a lot of the jokes didn't land, but some did make me chuckle. Overall, the screenplay is as cliche as it could be, and that last shot… I hate it. In the end, it's the cast who saves the boring narrative.
Will Smith and Martin Lawrence share fantastic chemistry, and their banter is always entertaining to watch, even if it isn't as hilarious as it could be. I liked Lawrence more than Smith, maybe due to the non-action, family comedy bits that worked seamlessly. Nevertheless, it's dumb fun, and it's plainly visible that the actors had a blast shooting this movie. The whole cast transfer the joy that they had on set to the screen, and it's pretty noticeable. Watching Alexander Ludwig (Dorn) outside Vikings is always a pleasure (I so wish that he gets more important roles in the future), and the whole AMMO team (Vannesa Hudgens, Charles Melton, Paola Nunez) is all compelling enough, even if the characters are two-dimensional.
It's simple: whether you enjoy the Bad Boys saga or not, this is undoubtedly the best installment of the franchise. If you go to the film theater with basic expectations of having fun, Bad Boys For Life gives you that, so I recommend it. It's a pure popcorn-entertainment action flick with recognizable actors who all share great chemistry. With Michael Bay out of the director helm, Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah deliver surprisingly good action sequences, considering this is their debut feature film. The formulaic, cliche, soap opera story is straight-up ridiculous at some points, and it carries such an aura of predictability that when it tries to introduce an emotional twist, it merely becomes absurd. The last shot feels like a call to Hollywood to make more sequels, which sort of ruins the whole "Bad Boys one last time" tagline… I'm extremely undecided on which side this review should fall, so I'll base my decision on the answer to the following question: "Am I going to (want to) see this movie again or another sequel?" Honestly… no.
Rating: C+

Bad Boys for Life (2020) Bad Boys for Life (2020)
CinePops user

The list of what's wrong with 'Bad Boys For Life' is long and varied, but it's not all bad. There were some good lines, and the scenes where Mike and Marcus were together obviously shine in an otherwise dull film. Fans will also go nuts when a character from a previous 'Bad Boys' film makes a return cameo appearance. Look - 'Bad Boys 2' was one of those rare films where the sequel was better than the original, so there were a lot of high hopes riding on #3, especially given the exceptionally long period between drinks. But I'm afraid all those expectations have been crushed, and what's left is a mediocre offering that will go down as the third best 'Bad Boys' film... possibly until 'Bad Boys 4' arrives.
- Jess Fenton
Read Jess' full article...
https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-bad-boys-for-life-whatcha-gonna-do-when-theres-nothing-new

After (2019) After (2019)
CinePops user

In general, the movie offers an engaging story that captures your attention, although it does have some noticeable plot holes and questionable moments throughout.
The film heavily emphasizes sexual content, centering much of its focus on these aspects, which may not be to everyone's taste.
Overall, the movie isn't terrible, but it's not exceptional either. It falls somewhere in the middle, making it at least somewhat decent and worth watching at least once.

After (2019) After (2019)
CinePops user

‘After’ is this weird blend of ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ meets ‘Riverdale’ but never gets to the dumb fun both those are, nor does it have the sex appeal of those properties (there is a reason he is facing away from the camera on the poster). ‘After’ does not belong in cinemas nationwide; it’s even below Netflix's standards. It’s more of a YouTube original, or even just something to release on the Wattpad site for free. Still, the book’s sequels have been slated for production, so it looks like we’ll be suffering once again in 2020.
- Chris dos Santos
Read Chris' full article...
https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-after-from-wattpad-to-the-big-screen-and-god-knows-why

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
CinePops user

The problem with this is that if it was watched in isolation it isn't a half-bad adventure movie. Harrison Ford and Shia LaBeouf keep the story moving along OK. Unfortunately, it will always be compared with the earlier prequels and it simply doesn't hold a candle to any of them. Karen Allen reprises her role from "Raiders" with some considerable joie-de-vivre but Ray Winstone and a ridiculously cast Cate Blanchett as the Ukrainian colonel just don't cut through as we race across the world to track down the origin of a mysterious crystal skull. The plot is almost irrelevant; this is just a vehicle for the star and a pretty charabanc one at that. Can think of a few good uses for the killer ants, though...

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
CinePops user

Good watch, could watch again, and can recommend.
I'm always confused on when this movie is supposed to happen, and too many people get caught up in the involvement of Shia Lebouf to think too hard about it.
This movie catches a lot of flak for Shia and half a dozen other things, but compared to the original 3 movies, the concepts of a crystal skull aren't any more weird. While people forget that aspects of the first 3 artifacts are real, the crystal skulls are a real thing that is actively being investigated. Because it's caught up in all the "alien conspiracy" communities I think the movie absorbed some of the ridicule of those people.
The story itself is well structured, Cate Blanchett and Karen Allen are welcome are awesome additions to the story, and despite the "sci-fi" element from an alien skull, the movie keeps to a archaeological theme by investigating an ancient temple site.
While I'm not going to re-watch this, please ignore the negative hype and give this a try if you like a good action adventure story.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
CinePops user

Life in the old dog yet.
Indiana Jones is called back into action when he becomes entangled in a Soviet plot to uncover the secret behind mysterious artifacts known as the Crystal Skulls.
So here it is, the fourth instalment of the Indiana Jones series is finally here, one of the most talked about, most anticipated, and most yearned for films is here to hopefully entertain the fans and maybe garner some new ones in the process?? Does it deliver? Well to me it most certainly does, as adventure yarns go, this is a ripper, and although the plot gets lost within the outlandish ideals, the film still emerges as one of the betert popcorn blockbusters of the year. All the chief ingredients that have made the franchise so beloved are crammed in by way of crowd pleasing necessity, and it damn well works, outrageous action sequences perk us up at frequent intervals, deftly self aware comic moments are many, and crucially, the film remains loyal to the heroic good against evil spirit of the franchise.
We begin in the Nevada Desert in 1957, and it's through this 50s setting that we come to accept the ageing of the main protagonist, he is after all a mere mortal, a man with a whip and a bit of guts. The 50s was a time of paranoia, spies and dubious cover ups were all the rage, this shines through from the outset here, and putting an aged Indiana Jones in this time frame is nothing short of genius. But enough of the politics, we as fans just want to be entertained, and we are well served here, spooky chambers, mysterious civilisations, tricksy maps, unfathomable codes, creepy crawlies, peril at every turn, and stuntery abound, oh yes it's all here. However, the purists will hate the use of CGI in this, and for sure it does grate during one over extended sequence, but just like it didn't stop Stephen Sommers' The Mummy being a riot, it doesn't harm this picture either, we are after all talking about a popcorn actioner here. Surely going into a film of this type one immediately suspends disbelief? I mean I'm personally going into the cinema to escape for a couple of hours, and Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull is just what the doctor ordered, with a lollipop to follow for good behaviour.
The cast are a mixed bunch, Ford easily carries off the role as the older Indiana Jones, very aware and with tongue firmly in cheek, he surely has rammed all the pre-negative vibes down the throats of the doom mongers. Shia LaBeouf fits into the series with no problems at all, spunky and witty, he adds the young sparkle needed to off set the aged nature of our hero, and he gets a quite delightful entrance to boot. Ray Winstone is an odd casting choice because his character is very underwritten, if you are going to utilise the big Englishman then give him the reins to take, he's gruff and watchable but it remains a case of wasting talent. Karen Allen joyfully reappears as Marion, and the film takes a significant leap upwards once she arrives, however the character is reduced to playing fourth fiddle in the ensuring shenanigans, and as much as the interplay with Indy still sparkles, you can't help hankering for much more from our Marion. Cate Blanchet is sparky as Irina Spalko but although as our chief villain of the piece she's tough, sexy, and not to be messed with, it's a turn that is never quite fully formed. John Hurt does the best he can with what little the role calls for, whilst Jim Broadbent barely gets time to fill the considerable boots left by Denholm Elliott's Marcus Brody.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull will divide fans and newcomers alike, but I honestly say without nostalgia rearing its head, that this film is a joy ride to be judged on its own merit. It's difficult to understand some of the venom aimed at this latest instalment, it's not like anything has really changed with the formula, Indiana Jones has always been about fun, nothing more and nothing less, just remember why you fell in love with the franchise in the first place and you will see the makers here have given the fans what they wanted. Perhaps the advent of time and the new technology available has a hindrance value for sure, but although Indy 4 obviously isn't quite the impacting franchise jolt that Bond got with "Casino Royale", it's sure as hell shown "Die Hard 4" how it should have be done. 8/10

Real Steel (2011) Real Steel (2011)
CinePops user

I wonder if this was originally written to be a Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots movie, but when they couldn't get the rights they just decided to make it anyway. In either case, it's not very good. Amazing that you could take a movie about anthropomorphic **robots** and manage to still make it into a cliche sports film.
_Final rating:★½: - Boring/disappointing. Avoid where possible._

Real Steel (2011) Real Steel (2011)
CinePops user

No splitting this Atom, it has got a rock solid heart.
Real Steel is directed by Shawn Levy and collectively adapted to the screen by John Gatins, Dan Gilroy and Jeremy Leven from a Richard Matheson short story called Steel. It stars Hugh Jackman, Dakota Goyo, Evangeline Lilly, Anthony Mackie, Kevin Durand, Hope Davis and James Rebhorn. Music is scored by Danny Elfman and cinematography by Mauro Fiore.
Set in the near future, robot boxing is a big crowd pulling sport. After a struggling robot operator is introduced to an 11-year-old son he has never known, they stumble upon a discarded robot at a junk yard....
We can all moan about the mimicry of an idea and the clichés that dominate Real Steel, but you really got to hand it to the makers for what they have achieved. They have crafted a family film that's very much perfect in this day and age. The story is one that any adult Sylvester Stallone fan can acknowledge and appreciate, the human heartbeat pleasingly steady, while the premise of big colourful robots beating the crap out of each other delights youngsters and us adults who are still young at heart. Film pretty much does what any other film of this type does, lays on the syrup in the last quarter where second chances and family strife come thundering through the plotting. Undeniably it's hugely derivative, events are joystick operated to get an emotional response from a family audience, while product placement reins and the script often sags under the weight of unoriginality. But it does uplift the spirit and getting to the end is easy since it's so much berserker fun. Yes it's the robot Atom, the people's champion, yes it's David vS Goliath and yes! It's Balboa vS Creed. Nothing wrong with that really.
The cast don't really have to offer up much beyond being adequate within the context of the material, though a muscular Jackman finds good paternal chemistry with young Goyo. In fact Goyo is pleasingly not annoying, always a bonus is that. Inevitably the robots are the stars, they're a triumph of design and visual effects and a sight for sore eyes, while Levy has a good handle on staging the fight sequences - even when cribbing from Balboa. The near future look is terrific as well, with Fiore's colour photography very appealing. Coining in over $290 million at the worldwide box office (over £180 million in profit), Real Steel found the family audience it was looking for, proving once again that there is a market for simple and effective popcorn carnage. It's not high art or intelligently scripted, but was anyone seriously thinking that was going to be the case here? If you want brains with this premise then seek out Twilight Zone episode "Steel", starring the excellent Lee Marvin, otherwise just sit back and enjoy the ride and let the botty bots and human interest raise the pulse and gladden the heart respectively. 7/10
Home format release is a sparkling print, extras are annoyingly short but the blooper reel is fun, we get a stunt deconstruction, and we learn about the influence a certain Mr. Spielberg had on the production.

Argo (2012) Argo (2012)
CinePops user

Box office $ 232.3 million
No movie being showcased by this year's Toronto International Film Festival caught our interest as much as Ben Affleck's directorial follow up to The Town. Argo, based on a true story and starring Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman and Adam Arkin, tells the astonishingly true story of how a CIA exfiltration specialist attempts to free six Americans who have taken shelter in the home of the Canadian Ambassador during the Iranian hostage crisis. The story opens on November 4, 1979 when Islamist militants took control of the U.S. Embassy in Iran. 52 Americans were taken hostage and held for 444 days until their eventual release. But six American's were able to sneak out of the Embassy and find refuge unbeknownst to the Iranian rebels. The CIA, lead by agent Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) hatched a plan to rescue the house entrapped Americans by posing as producers of a fictional science fiction film. The idea was that Mendez would land in Iran and then convince the six Americans to assume roles as screenwriters, directors and co-producers of the film and they would all fly out of the country together once location scouting was complete in 48 hours. In an effort to have the mission legitimized, Mendez recruited Hollywood producer Lester Siegel and Special Effects man John Chambers to green-light the script and give the entire project credibility. If the entire notion of the plan sounds like something that only Hollywood could come up with – well, you're half right. But Affleck sticks to the facts of the true events and ravels a bite-your-nails type thriller that is guaranteed to be rewarded with year-end nominations for Best Picture, Best Director and most certainly Best Supporting Actor for Alan Arkin. Every note, every frame of Argo looks authentic. Affleck, who received incredible support for his last directorial effort, The Town, ups the ante and films Argo with the confidence of a maestro at the top of his game. The movie shifts between locations of Iran, Hollywood and both the CIA Headquarters and even the White House in this brilliantly crafted adventure. Each scene and character oozes with atmosphere and purpose and Affleck confidently and flawlessly directs himself as the expected hero of the film – a man who risks his own life and career for the lives of six strangers. Towards the concluding chapters of the film, audiences are sure to be on the edge of their seats – even if they are aware of the historically recorded outcome (shades of Apollo 13). Once the rescue attempt his its apex, the audience at the Toronto screening erupted in an applause never before experienced by this reviewer in his thousands of theatrical screenings. That reaction is a testament to Affleck's direction that grabbed audiences by the emotional drawstrings keeping us involved in our character's fates and caring for their safe return. Argo is not only an important piece of history that many of us were completely oblivious – but it is also one of the better films of this or the past few years.

Argo (2012) Argo (2012)
CinePops user

Argo is undoubtedly one of the most intense cinematic experiences I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing. From the very first frame, this film had me on the edge of my seat, holding my breath in anticipation of what was to come next. The director's use of cinematography to create a sense of claustrophobia and tension is masterful, with every shot making the viewer more and more anxious. The cramped cubicles of the embassy, the small apartment building, and the crowded streets of Iran all contribute to the overwhelming feeling of being trapped with no escape.
What really sets Argo apart, however, is the intricate and fleshed-out storyline. Every second of the film's runtime is used to its fullest potential, with each integral piece of the master plan receiving the attention it deserves. The movie provides a deep dive into the complex and unbelievable story of the rescue operation, leaving no stone unturned and no detail overlooked.
In addition to the fantastic storytelling, the performances in Argo are absolutely top-notch. Ben Affleck delivers a standout performance as the main character, but the supporting cast is equally impressive. John Goodman and Scoot McNairy in particular shine in their respective roles, adding depth and nuance to the already-rich tapestry of the film.
Overall, Argo is truly a masterpiece of filmmaking. The pacing is perfect, leaving the audience with no time to catch their breath and adding to the mounting tension. The final act of the film is a masterclass in suspense and stress, cementing Argo as one of the most memorable movie experiences I have ever had the pleasure of viewing.
Score: 94% 🏅
Verdict: Excellent

Argo (2012) Argo (2012)
CinePops user

grave doubts about the operation themselves.
This is a good movie although the context of the movie is a rather sad one. It is definitely not my favorite genre but my wife wanted to watch it and it had received generally favorable ratings so I added it to my collection.
The historical accuracy of this movie has been questioned. I honestly do not remember any details of the events of this sad episode in Middle East history so I cannot really judge this. As far as I know the general plot is consistent with reality and in this movie it is good enough for me. I fear that, if they would have made it 100% historically accurate, the movie would have turned into a rather boring documentary instead of a fairly enjoyable drama movie.
Surprisingly enough the movie was quite funny at times. The dialogue between the movie-people when they were setting up the fake movie was sometimes quite hilarious. Some parts of the movie was rather tragic of course, like the Iranian mob taking over the embassy and the crazed idiots at the bazar.
Other parts where a bit silly. Why did the Iranian security have to break down their own doors at the airport instead of just calling the tower and stop the plane for instance? And the cars chasing the plane was just rubbish. The plane would have gone much faster than the cars could go long before they caught up with the plane. Also the fact that the cars basically had to panic-break in order not to hit the barrier at the end of the runway meant the plane almost ran into the barrier which, given that it made a normal take-off, is just nonsense.
In general it is a good movie although it is not really my type of movie and the movie’s context, the take-over by the Iranian extremists, is a rather sad one.

Argo (2012) Argo (2012)
CinePops user

Surprisingly winner of the Oscar award for the best movie.
It is a reasonably well done picture but nothing that interesting nor well threaded that the story telling would be worth mentioning. Actually, probably the contrary.
The cast is quite good in any case.

Argo (2012) Argo (2012)
CinePops user

I think there really is no other way to say this and please excuse my english. Argo f@#$% yourself (in a good way!). Watch it and you will understand. Solid member of my 'so worth it' category.

Argo (2012) Argo (2012)
CinePops user

Nowhere near best picture worthy, but truly excellent suspense building. The 2 hours certainly fly by with this one. Alan Arkin is a joy to watch.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009)
CinePops user

When "Sid" crashes through the ice and discovers a nest of eggs, he is soon rather unwillingly adopted by their parent and finds himself in a lost, more dangerous and Jurassic, world. Meantime, atop the ice his pals are anticipating the arrival of a baby mammoth while sabre-tooth "Diego" is having a bit of a mid-life crisis and "Scrat" might just have found love during his latest acorn-tussle. The gang soon realise that "Sid" has gone AWOL and that they are going to have to risk life and limb to try and rescue their buddy from his new hostile environment - so off they head into the perilous land of dinosaurs and of the hugely annoying "Buck". He's the eye-patched, and very verbose, weasel who claims to be the sort of Allan Quartermain of dino-hunters. From hereon in there are plenty of lively escapades to be had as the franchise quite successfully morphs into the world of the T-Rex and velociraptor whilst helping "Diego" feel valued again and getting everyone ready for the arrival of the wooly wean. The soundtrack is interesting - most of it way too old for the demographic, I'd have thought - but the animation is fun to watch with a better story than "Meltdown" (2006) and even if I really would have preferred something had eaten the weasel very much earlier on, it's a solid and entertaining outing for everyone and that acorn is still elusive!

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009)
CinePops user

My favorite out of the series. Introduces a new character and he cracks me up. I love this movie.

Source Code (2011) Source Code (2011)
CinePops user

Source Code is a “repeating loop” Science Fiction film directed by Duncan Jones whose prior film was Moon. Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, and Vera Farmiga play the lead characters. It even has Russell Peters in a guest role. Unlike Moon, Source Code is a fast-paced thriller. The film follows a man who is made to go through an 8-minute window repeatedly to locate the person responsible for a train bombing. As the loop repeats, the plot thickens. It's a pretty good film which keeps you at the edge of the seat and reveals to you in stages as to what is going on. The cast has done a good job portraying their roles. It's a Sci-Fi that deserves one watch at least (but you might do two to get it)

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
CinePops user

'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' is an absolute drag. The ending felt like it took hours to complete, then to make it worse (what am I chatting, more like better) it just ends on a dime without any true reaction to the mass brawl that had ensued. Bit abrupt, I thought.
A lot of what I can say about this could be taken from my review of the preceding 'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen', just a little bit more definitive and debilitating. I'm all for full action only, I literally love 'Fast & Furious', but even I need some characters to connect with so I can forge a desire to watch 'em - no-one here gives me that.
The cast, if only on paper, is more interesting to look at, mind you. I wasn't expecting to see John Malkovich and Frances McDormand appear, the former's part fits fairly well in fairness but the latter is incredibly wasted with a rubbish character. Tyrese Gibson (eventually) features more, something I did actually wish for in the 2009 predecessor.
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley has a slightly better character to portray, at least when compared to what Megan Fox had to work with. Elsewhere, Ken Jeong is genuinely good in this - in fact, I'd say he is responsible for any pleasant reactions that I got during this movie, funny guy.
I just caught a glimpse of the box office takings... $1.124 billion?! Bloody hell. I'm now curious to see if that translated into a positive reception from websites like this. (edit: not really, but it evidently won over the average moviegoer though, so fair enough).
If only you could see my face when I realised that the next installment goes on for even closer to three (!) hours. I best load up on the snacks! Hey, who knows, maybe 'Transformers: Age of Extinction' is the 'Fast Five' of this franchise? *nervous chuckle*

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
CinePops user

Having exhausted the more terrestrial locations for the secret, all-powerful, gadget over which the "Autobots" and "Decepticons" will squabble relentlessly, this time we move to a lunar environment where there is supposed to be a long-buried "Cybertron" ship that could just tip the balance of power should it fall into the wrong hands. To be fair to this iteration, the tiniest bit of effort has been spent on a plot this time. We create a good, old-fashioned, cold war style scenario with the Russians and the Americans, and there is also a little bit of Apollo 11 conspiracy to liven it up as just about everyone battles it out for the technology buried amidst the barren landscape. We've also got a new baddie-in-chief in the form of "Shockwave" and he continues to make sure that "Sam" (Shia LaBeouf) still cannot shake off his legacy with the robots still bent on mutual destruction. The usual stalwarts make up the numbers. The John Turturro "Simmons" character is starting to wain a bit now, Josh Duhamel is starting to lose some of his glitter and though mercifully we are now shot of Megan Fox, we find she is substituted by an even less charismatic Rosie Huntingdon-Whiteley as 'Carly". Plenty of action and pyrotechnics, same old, same old... I expect there will be another one along soon.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
CinePops user

Transformers: Dark of the Moon. 154 minutes long, so Wiki tells me (although whilst watching it it felt as though it flew by in a mere, ooh, fourteen hours or so?). 154 minutes. And I was lost, bored and checking my watch before the fourth minute. So I shall attempt to review a movie I have only just seen but about which I know almost nothing, and about which I care considerably less than that. The following will be far less a coherent review than a disjointed mess. Well, fine. Seems perfectly apt.
So, years ago, the old Autobot leader Sentinel Prime crashed into the moon along with some teleporter doowacky - made up of hundreds of "pillars" - that only he can control. The Decepticons swiped almost all the pillars but left Sentinel there. On a routine military... um... I'm not sure; Jolly Boy's Outing? Optimus Prime gets into a fracas with Decepticon Shockwave and finds a couple of these pillars. He then throws a strop 'cos the humans knew about this bit of Cybertron kit but never told him, but now they're more than happy to, I suppose. Um. So Optimus rocks up to the moon and finds Sentinel Prime and revives him. Turns out this is what the Decepticons wanted; only Optimus could revive him and only Sentinel can work the teleporter doowacky (the "Bridge"). So now they're after Sentinel. But OH NOES, Sentinel has decided that the Autobots are fighting a lost cause, so he's throwing in with the Decepticons anyway. Cue lots of deeply confusing and tedious "Tranny-Slapping" as I have just dubbed the Transformer skirmishes as Megatron, Sentinel and the baddies try to use the Bridge to... um, pull their faraway home of Cybertron to Earth? Or turn Earth into Cybertron? Or something.
Meanwhile, Sam Witwicky* (Shia LaBeouf, even more punchable than usual, which by his standards is quite something) is not just a useless nerd this time around, he's also a whingeing **** who wants a) international acclaim and credit (other than the medal awarded him by the president of course!) for his part in saving the world twice even though nobody knows that that's what he's done, and b) a 40-hour job. Anything really; Trolley-dolly at Asda/Walmart will be fine. Despite all this he seems to have effortlessly brushed off Megan Fox and continued to punch way, way above his weight with his new squeeze, Rosie DoubleBarrelled-Surname: English, impossibly attractive, permanently dressed for all occasions - work, play, sleep, dragging her ****hole across the carpet like a worm-ridden doggie - like a $200-an-hour prostitute, and, incredibly, at least 40% stupider even than Ms. Fox, who as we know is marginally less alert and responsive than a squeezed tube of Anusol. How does Sam fit in to the so-called "plot"? Who knows. Double-Barrelled's smarmy, supercar-distributing walking hard-on of a boss turns out to be a Decepticon bitch (Deceptibitch?), and... oh, Christ knows. Alls I DO know is that this time around, Frances McDormand and John Malkovich have joined John Turturro in shilling for dollars like a ****-flashing strumpet. "Me so shaaaameless." "Me overact LONG time!" "Me so shaaaameless." Sucky-f*cky, five million dollar?
From the very first second to the very last, the whole thing is needlessly convoluted, comically unfeasible - even within its own logic, such as that is - and most crucially, lifeforce-sappingly dull. Just like the other two movies, and of course just like the Transformers themselves. At one point, maybe two-thirds in (or maybe seven weeks in, who knows?), the angsty, poignant strains of a generic rock ballad signalled the arrival of a "sad" scene. On-screen, people crouched and clasped their heads in anguish, weeping and hugging in amongst considerable swathes of burning scenery and unspecifiable wreckage. I'm not sure why this bit was to be considered sad or poignant; perhaps the entire cast simultaneously realised they were in a Transformers movie.
Awful, awful. As bad as anything Bay has ever shat out during his spiteful, cynical, moviegoer-hating and barely-disguised subterfuge as a "film director".

Ocean's Eight (2018) Ocean's Eight (2018)
CinePops user

They tried to do the Ghostbusters thing with this one didn't they? No, not the all female cast thing, which I guess they did try and do, but really I mean the "if you don't like this movie, we're going to threaten you with horrible labels" thing.
And the result are cautionary reviews that all kind of sound as if the people are too afraid to call it boring...so they are going to point out the one decent performance in the film.
But even then, you got the feeling that some of the cast wasn't really into threatening the audience to like the movie. Watching the interviews, you got the feeling that, yeah, they knew it was boring. Only one or two of them looked really prepared to be combative about forcing the public to love it.
Meanwhile, this is a heist film, you are supposed to have comedy or action and in many cases both...and at least they tried for comedy in jokes that didn't entirely land. In fact, for the most part, the attempts at humor left you with a "meh" feeling at best. You can see where its supposed to be a laugh but it doesn't even really turn a cheek in the right direction.
And then the action was all under cooked.
So you're left with a story about a woman that is going to double cross the Oceans team, has the opportunity to do it, but then doesn't at the last minute for...reasons that are never really explained.

Ocean's Eight (2018) Ocean's Eight (2018)
CinePops user

Good stuff, this.
I really enjoyed 'Ocean’s Eight'. It's a sizeable drop off from the great 'Ocean's Eleven', but I actually - just narrowly - enjoyed it more than 'Ocean's Twelve' and 'Ocean's Thirteen'. With this 2018 film, they got a lot right. The pacing, but also the casting.
It's nice to have Sandra Bullock (Debbie) return just to keep the continuity going, that as well as the fact that she's very good in this. I rate her as an actress, but sometimes I find her performances irritating - here, the complete opposite, I love how charismatic and confident she plays Debbie. Cate Blanchett (Lou) supports her well, too.
The rest of the cast are strong choices. I enjoyed seeing Rihanna and Awkwafina, along with Sarah Paulson, Mindy Kaling and Anne Hathaway. James Cordon appears too, he seems to split opinion but I like him.
The plot is good, very watchable. I found myself questioning one moment of the nitty-gritty event, but otherwise I thoroughly enjoyed seeing it unfold. I also liked the editing around it. The ending isn't the greatest, but still more than satisfactory.

Ocean's Eight (2018) Ocean's Eight (2018)
CinePops user

Ocean's Eight has been my comfort movie for the longest time. I adore the strength of the cast, and the dynamics they possess as a whole, not to mention the brilliant cinematography. The humour and the relationships of the characters brings a sense of lightheartedness to the movie, which I personally adore. Overall, it's a very underappreciated movie in terms of the writing, casting and cinematography, as well as the costume and makeup departments.

Ocean's Eight (2018) Ocean's Eight (2018)
CinePops user

It was pretty gay. Could've been a lot gayer though.
_Final rating:★★½ - Had a lot that appealed to me, didn’t quite work as a whole._