It's great when you come across a film that you have barely heard of and it turns out to be a hidden gem. Netflix and Amazon are great for these kind of films and Hunt for the Wilderpeople really is a cracking little film.
This is the story of city kid Ricky , who gets a fresh start in the New Zealand countryside. He quickly finds himself at home with his new foster family. When a tragedy strikes that threatens to ship Ricky to another home, both he and Hec go on the run in the bush. As a national manhunt ensues, the newly branded outlaws must face their options: go out in a blaze of glory or overcome their differences and survive as a family.
We all know the acting qualities that Sam Neill has and he is great in this but the star of this particular show is Julian Dennison who plays Ricky. Rarely have I seen comedy timing from a kid like he has in this film. I laughed out loud several times during this movie which is unusual for me and comedies. The one liners are brilliant and that credit has to go to New Zealand director and screenplay writer Taika Waititi . I usually cringe when I hear that a movie is "feel good" but not in this case. Recommended
Watched it tonight off the back of your recommendation Beds - really enjoyed it so thanks! Just my kind of thing, offbeat, pretty deadpan but very funny.
Shame the director's previous one mentioned above, What We Do in the Shadows isn't on Netflix too.
This is a story about a biologist , Lena , who's husband barely returns alive from a secret expedition. She then leads an anthropologist, a surveyor , a linguist , and a psychologist into a mysterious, expanding region called the Shimmer where evolution has taken a twisted turn. The all-female team must uncover the area’s monstrous secrets to save Lena’s husband and the world.
This is another Netflix original movie and another really good film from them . Natalie Portman and Oscar Isaac star and you can see Netflix have not scrimped on the production. This looks absolutely fantastic ( especially in Ultra HD) and the special affects are top notch. This is a cross between Sci Fi and horror and has a really interesting concept. Without giving too much away , inside this Shimmer there are beings that don't just kill any humans that enter , they assimilate with them producing hybred beings. There is one scene with a bear that is really cleverly done. I really liked this. It crosses genres and rarely disappoints. What I also liked is that lot's of horror and Sci-Fi films don't know how to end . This certainly does.
I found this a difficult watch mostly because the brilliant, subtle and otherworldly qualities of the 'Southern Reach Trilogy' books have been demolished by this film. I really recommend the books, that move through psychology, environmental science, subtle changes, Sci Fi, horror and cataclysm.
The film seemed to take just a few elements of the film, put in some romance, add some quite corny horror, find a simple predictable childlike ending disregarding the complexity of the novels.
It was originally on general release produced by paramount and then sold to netflix as it wasn't hitting the ratings. I don't get the 'Netflix origin movie' tag on it at all.
I did wonder if this would be any good as I have friends who've read the books and thought the film was a very thin effort in comparison. I hadn't read the books but thought it was OK. I can see why Paramount chickened out and sold it to Netflix instead. It was all a bit too mild. Not scary enough, not clever enough and the alien was not weird or disturbing enough.
Decided to give this one a go tonight as it sounded my kind of film ( weird/scary ) but, sadly rather underwhelmed.
Never mind.
Bridged the gap between the football and The Durrells.
Went to see this with my daughter. A US high school romcom about a young gay guy who hasn't come out to his family or friends. Very schmaltzy and glossy but the storyline does work and it's unusual for a film of this type to have a central character who is gay.
Sentimental and funny at times it's not a bad film - not one for cynics or the homophobic. 7/10
Went to see this with my daughter. A US high school romcom about a young gay guy who hasn't come out to his family or friends. Very schmaltzy and glossy but the storyline does work and it's unusual for a film of this type to have a central character who is gay.
Sentimental and funny at times it's not a bad film - not one for cynics or the homophobic. 7/10
I'm a big fan of the NBC series 'This Is Us' and just noticed yesterday that the two most important writers for that series wrote this film. Seems it's getting a lot of positive reviews and I will definitely watch it when available.
Saw Black Mass last night. Barring Johnny Depp it lacked any charisma and the connection between FBI agent Connolly and Bulger wasn’t believable. From what I have read about the real life of Bulger it felt like the film didn’t really explore the full story and at 2 hours long felt like they could have done a lot better.
Watched Bone Tomahawk last night. Good film but absolutely brutal at times. One death scene in particular is going to stay with me for a while. Good characters v well acted, not for the lighthearted.
Yes, I watched it two years ago and that 'scene' is still with me. Good film, but bits were way ott.
Peter Rabbit Irritating family of rabbits who spend their waking moments thieving until the father gets caught and eaten. They carry on until the younger one (Peter) induces a heart attack in the guy who devoured his father. and so on and so on. My kids liked this. I found all the characters irritating and the storyline rubbish. Take a crossword puzzle and a torch when you see this one. 4/10
Ready Player One Better than Peter Rabbit. Some of the action is hard on the eyes, and the ongoing virtual reality can be irritating, but this is overall an enjoyable film. My younger daughter liked it, the older one and my wife (50 shades of grey fan) didn't. It's another computer games fantasy, updated a bit, but Wreck it Ralph has already got the trophy for this event. 7/10
Went to see this with my daughter. A US high school romcom about a young gay guy who hasn't come out to his family or friends. Very schmaltzy and glossy but the storyline does work and it's unusual for a film of this type to have a central character who is gay.
Sentimental and funny at times it's not a bad film - not one for cynics or the homophobic. 7/10
I'm a big fan of the NBC series 'This Is Us' and just noticed yesterday that the two most important writers for that series wrote this film. Seems it's getting a lot of positive reviews and I will definitely watch it when available.
Ready Player One - hated it. But I'm not an 11 year video game-obsessed boy, which is who the film is aimed at. The cinema was empty, too, so I don't think it's doing usual Spielberg business.
As far as i am aware I have never knowingly met anyone who suffers from Anorexia Nervosa . The only reference that springs to mind is a Louis Theroux documentary i recently watched called Talking to Anorexia where he followed a group of patients in North London clinic. The main thing that struck me about all the girls he interviewed is that it was unlikely that they were ever going to lead a normal life again and most would never get better . To The Bone highlights this well.
This is the story of Ellen , a young anorexic who has spent the better part of her teenage years being shepherded through various recovery programs, only to find herself several pounds lighter every time. Determined to find a solution, her dysfunctional family agrees to send her to a group home for youths who are also suffering with their own problems.
This isn't the most hard hitting of films considering the subject matter. For the most part , the story is told in a light hearted manner and with humour. Lily Collins is extremely good in the lead roll and the fact that she had to lose so much weight to play the part is impressive. British actor, Alex Sharp is also very good as the love interest but there is a dark side to this movie. No , not the mental illness that Ellen is suffering but the fact that they cast " Mr Wooden" Keanu Reeves in the roll as the doctor. It's one of the worst bit's of miss casting I've seen in a while. Overall it's not a bad film I just feel at times it could have been a little more edgier.
Saw this a year or two ago. Watched it with interest as I worked with a sufferer when I was younger. Hits the mark in many ways. Its a agonisingly brutal thing to watch in reality and the film does well in this respect without going ott.
Watched this because much was filmed near me in clovelly and Bideford.
The story was interesting and touched on the reality of occupation in Guernsey.
For me it was ruined by the bollox romantic story that has been used literally hundreds of times in exactly the same way and very early in the film it was clear what the outcome would be. I won't expand in case you haven't seen it.
Took my daughter to see this - a film about a girl falling in love with someone who transforms into a different person every day. Not bad as teen romance films go - interesting enough story. 6/10
Went to see the Leisure seeker with Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland.
Not really what i was expecting, (i thought it was going to be more slapstick) it was one of those films that made you laugh and bring a tear to your eye at times. certainly pulls at the heart strings.
About an elderly couple who decide to have a final hurrah road trip in their old Winnebago , one of them has dementia , and the other terminal cancer , 2 tricky subjects to deal with.
Both Sutherland and Mirren SHOULD BE up for awards, as both very good performances, but most probably won't be, well worth a watch 8 out 0f 10 for me.
This won't be around in cinemas very long as its not a big blockbuster.
Holy shit they didn't hold back on horrific, graphic detail did they? Whoever has watched the film will know the scene I'm on about and it's possibly the worst film death I've seen.
Some really decent dialogue and a foreboding feel. Kurt Russel was fantastic as was the guy who played Brooder
it's not one for a date night, I think it's fair to say this is one for the chaps when wifey goes out
Peter Rabbit Irritating family of rabbits who spend their waking moments thieving until the father gets caught and eaten. They carry on until the younger one (Peter) induces a heart attack in the guy who devoured his father. and so on and so on. My kids liked this. I found all the characters irritating and the storyline rubbish. Take a crossword puzzle and a torch when you see this one. 4/10
Ready Player One Better than Peter Rabbit. Some of the action is hard on the eyes, and the ongoing virtual reality can be irritating, but this is overall an enjoyable film. My younger daughter liked it, the older one and my wife (50 shades of grey fan) didn't. It's another computer games fantasy, updated a bit, but Wreck it Ralph has already got the trophy for this event. 7/10
A Quiet Place - very compelling and tense. Not quite sure about the ambiguous ending.
Very compelling? Check.
Tense? Check. Indeed, Ms AA was very scared for long periods.
Ambiguous ending? Um, no. Did you leave early?
Despite my missus being very thankful for my and our son's presence either side of her, this isn't really a horror film, more of a sci-fi thriller. I heartily recommend it.
'Loveless' (2017) a Russian film directed by Andrey Zvyagintsev (director of Oscar-nominated 'Leviathan').
It's a grim depiction of modern-day Russia, focusing on a married couple in a cramped apartment who are in the throes of a bitter break-up. The main victim is their son, twelve-year-old Alyosha, for whom it all proves too much. He disappears from home and, almost reluctantly, the parents begin their efforts to find him.
It's a slow but compelling film with many lingering shots of stark, monochromatic landscapes and forbidding architecture, which reminded me of the work of the Polish great, Kieslowski.
The actors are utterly believable in their roles and there is one haunting scene featuring the boy in silent sobs of anguish which I will never forget - don't watch the trailer as it will spoil the moment.
8/10
(P.S. My first film review - I quite enjoyed that!)
This is a story about a biologist , Lena , who's husband barely returns alive from a secret expedition. She then leads an anthropologist, a surveyor , a linguist , and a psychologist into a mysterious, expanding region called the Shimmer where evolution has taken a twisted turn. The all-female team must uncover the area’s monstrous secrets to save Lena’s husband and the world.
This is another Netflix original movie and another really good film from them . Natalie Portman and Oscar Isaac star and you can see Netflix have not scrimped on the production. This looks absolutely fantastic ( especially in Ultra HD) and the special affects are top notch. This is a cross between Sci Fi and horror and has a really interesting concept. Without giving too much away , inside this Shimmer there are beings that don't just kill any humans that enter , they assimilate with them producing hybred beings. There is one scene with a bear that is really cleverly done. I really liked this. It crosses genres and rarely disappoints. What I also liked is that lot's of horror and Sci-Fi films don't know how to end . This certainly does.
Hyped for this, thought the worst cos venom's by far my favourite comic book character and spidey villain. Shame its spiderman-less since this isnt a marvel movie, but great to see venom sounding and looking like he should
Hyped for this, thought the worst cos venom's by far my favourite comic book character and spidey villain. Shame its spiderman-less since this isnt a marvel movie, but great to see venom sounding and looking like he should
It's great when you come across a film that you have barely heard of and it turns out to be a hidden gem. Netflix and Amazon are great for these kind of films and Hunt for the Wilderpeople really is a cracking little film.
This is the story of city kid Ricky , who gets a fresh start in the New Zealand countryside. He quickly finds himself at home with his new foster family. When a tragedy strikes that threatens to ship Ricky to another home, both he and Hec go on the run in the bush. As a national manhunt ensues, the newly branded outlaws must face their options: go out in a blaze of glory or overcome their differences and survive as a family.
We all know the acting qualities that Sam Neill has and he is great in this but the star of this particular show is Julian Dennison who plays Ricky. Rarely have I seen comedy timing from a kid like he has in this film. I laughed out loud several times during this movie which is unusual for me and comedies. The one liners are brilliant and that credit has to go to New Zealand director and screenplay writer Taika Waititi . I usually cringe when I hear that a movie is "feel good" but not in this case. Recommended
Cracking film, watched it a few times and still laugh. V enjoyable. It wasnt mainstream but it was high up on a lot of Film of the Year awards for 2016 i believe.
If you like that check out What We Do In The Shadows by the same director (Taika Waititi), spoof documentary about a group of vampires, similar comedy style. V funny.
Thanks for that. Just watching it now. Sounds right up my street.
Comments
Shame the director's previous one mentioned above, What We Do in the Shadows isn't on Netflix too.
Never mind.
Bridged the gap between the football and The Durrells.
Went to see this with my daughter. A US high school romcom about a young gay guy who hasn't come out to his family or friends. Very schmaltzy and glossy but the storyline does work and it's unusual for a film of this type to have a central character who is gay.
Sentimental and funny at times it's not a bad film - not one for cynics or the homophobic.
7/10
Irritating family of rabbits who spend their waking moments thieving until the father gets caught and eaten. They carry on until the younger one (Peter) induces a heart attack in the guy who devoured his father. and so on and so on. My kids liked this. I found all the characters irritating and the storyline rubbish. Take a crossword puzzle and a torch when you see this one.
4/10
Ready Player One
Better than Peter Rabbit. Some of the action is hard on the eyes, and the ongoing virtual reality can be irritating, but this is overall an enjoyable film. My younger daughter liked it, the older one and my wife (50 shades of grey fan) didn't. It's another computer games fantasy, updated a bit, but Wreck it Ralph has already got the trophy for this event.
7/10
Really enjoyed it, a slow, absorbing, beautifully shot story with a continuous sense of foreboding throughout. Catch it if you can.
8/10.
Watched this because much was filmed near me in clovelly and Bideford.
The story was interesting and touched on the reality of occupation in Guernsey.
For me it was ruined by the bollox romantic story that has been used literally hundreds of times in exactly the same way and very early in the film it was clear what the outcome would be. I won't expand in case you haven't seen it.
The wife liked it needless to say.
Cant stress how excited I am to see this!!
Took my daughter to see this - a film about a girl falling in love with someone who transforms into a different person every day. Not bad as teen romance films go - interesting enough story. 6/10
Not really what i was expecting, (i thought it was going to be more slapstick) it was one of those films that made you laugh and bring a tear to your eye at times. certainly pulls at the heart strings.
About an elderly couple who decide to have a final hurrah road trip in their old Winnebago , one of them has dementia , and the other terminal cancer , 2 tricky subjects to deal with.
Both Sutherland and Mirren SHOULD BE up for awards, as both very good performances, but most probably won't be, well worth a watch 8 out 0f 10 for me.
This won't be around in cinemas very long as its not a big blockbuster.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3741632/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Holy shit they didn't hold back on horrific, graphic detail did they? Whoever has watched the film will know the scene I'm on about and it's possibly the worst film death I've seen.
Some really decent dialogue and a foreboding feel. Kurt Russel was fantastic as was the guy who played Brooder
it's not one for a date night, I think it's fair to say this is one for the chaps when wifey goes out
8/10
Tense? Check. Indeed, Ms AA was very scared for long periods.
Ambiguous ending? Um, no. Did you leave early?
Despite my missus being very thankful for my and our son's presence either side of her, this isn't really a horror film, more of a sci-fi thriller. I heartily recommend it.
It's a grim depiction of modern-day Russia, focusing on a married couple in a cramped apartment who are in the throes of a bitter break-up. The main victim is their son, twelve-year-old Alyosha, for whom it all proves too much. He disappears from home and, almost reluctantly, the parents begin their efforts to find him.
It's a slow but compelling film with many lingering shots of stark, monochromatic landscapes and forbidding architecture, which reminded me of the work of the Polish great, Kieslowski.
The actors are utterly believable in their roles and there is one haunting scene featuring the boy in silent sobs of anguish which I will never forget - don't watch the trailer as it will spoil the moment.
8/10
(P.S. My first film review - I quite enjoyed that!)
Hyped for this, thought the worst cos venom's by far my favourite comic book character and spidey villain. Shame its spiderman-less since this isnt a marvel movie, but great to see venom sounding and looking like he should