Day: July 3, 2015

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Movie Review

Movie Reviews 101 Midnight Horror – When the Lights Went Out (2012)

Director: Pat Holden

Writer: Pat Holden (Screenplay)

Starring: Kate Ashfield, Steven Waddington, Craig Parkinson, Andrew Lowe, Martin Compston, Gary Lewis, Hannah Clifford, Tasha Conner

 

Plot: Poltergeists attack a family in Yorkshire during the 1974 nationwide blackouts.

 

There may be spoilers the rest of the review

 

Verdict: Fact Based Ghost Story

 

Story: When the Lights Went Out starts out by taking us to Yorkshire where our family are moving into their new home. Jenny (Ashfield), Len (Waddington) and teenage daughter Sally (Connor) settle down before all the extra technology with the events of the film taking place in 1974. Sally doesn’t take long to question whether the family is alone in the house with lights coming on during the night and strange noises around the house.

After a strange night Sally and her mother seem to get attacked by a ghost when the lights go out, but Len doesn’t believe everything they are saying. When the scares become more apparent they family tries different ways to figure out what to do, Sally befriends the ghost, Len tries to use it for money while Jenny wants to turn to religion for answers.

The family looks for answers for the force that seems to be slowly taking over Sally but only to protect her and hurt the people she is angry with. The question remains is this ghost everything it seems to be or is it after something else.

When the Lights Went Out really is trying to tell the story of what really happened in one of the most frightening paranormal experiences known to date. The problem is the film focuses so hard on trying to keep things to a true story on film it just doesn’t come off a scary. We have some nice build-ups and easy scares but nothing that will really make you scream. On the positive I did like the idea that this was meant to be a true story as learning about this events can be interesting, whether you believe in them or not. This will satisfy the ghost hunters out there but not many others. (5/10)

 

Actor Review

 

Kate Ashfield: Jenny mother of the family who first wants to figure out what is happening but really is too scared to stand up for her own opinion of  the situation. You never really get convinced by the fear in Kate. (3/10)

 

Steven Waddington: Len husband who believes it is all nonsense but gets the shock because he can’t explain everything that is happening. Steven gives a very basic performance never really shining through the role. (3/10)

 

Tasha Connor: Sally daughter of the family that seems to connect with the spirit gaining a bond to keep her safe when she is around the spirit. Tasha does well in the role and seems to be the best of the lot in the film. (6/10)

 

Support Cast: When the Lights Went Out has a support cast that includes the friends of the family as they try to help or hide from the situation.

 

Director Review: Pat Holden – Pat does a solid job telling the story but doesn’t get the scares across. (4/10)

 

Horror: When the Lights Went Out isn’t going down as a truly scary film but will make you think what would happen if it was you. (5/10)

Settings: When the Lights Went Out uses the settings well to bring the story to the time period well. (7/10)
Special Effects: When the Lights Went Out uses solid special effects that are mainly used for the haunting side of the story. (6/10)

Suggestion: When the Lights Went Out is one to give a go I can’t say it is one of the best but can be enjoyed it you are into that type of horror. (Ghost Horror Fans Watch)

 

Best Part: The bus tunnel is good.

Worst Part: No real scares.

 

Believability: Based on a true event must be ten right? (6/10)

Chances of Tears: No (0/10)

Chances of Sequel: No

Post Credits Scene: No

 

Oscar Chances: No

Runtime: 1 Hour 26 Minutes

Tagline: Set in 1974 and based on true events, When The Lights Went Out is the story of a down-to-earth Yorkshire family and the malevolent spirit who turns their existence upside down.

Trivia: Written and directed, by the original haunting families nephew.

 

Overall: This is a good directed episode of a ghost hunting the truth behind a story but lacks any real scares.

Rating 40

Categories
Movie Review

Mission: Impossible II (2000)

logoDirector: John Woo

Writer: Robert Towne (Screenplay) Ronald D Moore, Brannon Braga (Story) Bruce Geller (TV Creator)

Starring: Tom Cruise, Dougray Scott, Thandie Newton, Ving Rhames, Richard Roxburgh, John Polson, Brendan Gleeson, Rade Serbedzija, William Mapother, Dominic Purcell

 

Plot: A secret agent is sent to Sydney, to find and destroy a genetically modified disease called “Chimera”

 

There may be spoilers the rest of the review

 

Verdict: Not As Slick As It Should Be

 

Story: Mission Impossible II starts yet another iconic city this time Sydney. Here we watch as Ethan Hunt (Cruise) is running a mission to capture biological weapon transfer in mid-flight but it turns out that Sean Ambrose (Scott) and his men have been undercover to take the weapon for themselves. IMF track down the real Ethan Hunt to give his latest mission which means he will have to assemble a new team which has to include Nyah Nordoff-Hall (Newton) a master thief.

When Hunt has finished recruiting Nyah he gets the details for his latest mission with an old friend. Ethan’s mission is to retrieve the stolen information from Ambrose and use Nyah to get close to him. The story follows as Hunt tries to cover the transportation of the virus while Ambrose tries to keep one step ahead of him.

Mission Impossible II really tries to add a spark to the solid and enjoyable first chapter in the Mission Impossible saga, the problem is that everything goes way too overboard making nearly every scene feel very much unbelievable and losing what looked like it would be a previously believable storyline. The idea behind the story is very simple and easy to follow but the unmasking and disguises get boring quickly now, yes it is a surprise when they do it but come on how many times can you really do it in one film? Out of the four Mission Impossible films I find this one has the weakest storyline that never manages to pull you in like the rest do. (6/10)

 

Actor Review

 

Tom Cruise: Ethan Hunt who gets his holiday interrupted to go on his latest mission impossible, where he has to talk mastermind thief into going undercover with former IMF agent trying to sell a virus on the black market. Tom continues to show his slick style in the film but he gets too many mad jumping shooting scenes that make very little sense. (7/10)

 hunt

Dougray Scott: Sean Ambrose is the former agent who turns on the agency to get rich selling a virus on the black market, he keeps one step ahead of Hunt as he knows how an agent would think. Dougray makes for a good villain and to say he plays the character in a way we wouldn’t usually see a villain where he will kill the hero given half a chance. (7/10)

ambrose

Thandie Newton: Nyah Nordoff-Hall is the mastermind thief who agrees to go undercover with her ex-boyfriend Ambrose but ends up getting caught up in the middle of the battle between Hunt and Ambrose. Thandie plays the beautiful almost Bond girl figure in this film very well and convinces along the way. (7/10)

 nyon

Support Cast: Mission Impossible II has a supporting cast that includes Hunt’s team, Ambrose’s team and the mystery buyer, all of which help the story get to the next chapter by giving us characters to be killed off.

 

Director Review: John Woo – John puts his trademark staples on this film with flying shooting scenes and plenty of doves but doesn’t reach the levels we would expect form him. (6/10)

 

Action: Mission Impossible II has plenty of over the top action sequences with bullets flying everywhere. (7/10)

Thriller: Mission Impossible II doesn’t manager to pull you in as much as the previous instalment of the franchise. (5/10)

Settings: Mission Impossible II has the most part of the film set in Sydney which works for the threat being used by Ambrose. (8/10)

Suggestion: Mission Impossible II is still going to be one for the action fans to watch even if it isn’t as good as the rest of the franchise. (Action Fans Watch)

 

Best Part: Motorbike chase.

Worst Part: Too far over the top.

Action Scene Of The Film: Motorbike chase.

Favourite Quote: Mission Commander Swanbeck ‘Mr. Hunt, this isn’t mission difficult, it’s mission impossible. “Difficult” should be a walk in the park for you.’

 

Believability: No (0/10)

Chances of Tears: No (0/10)

Chances of Sequel: Has 3 more sequels

Post Credits Scene: No

 

Oscar Chances: No

Box Office: $546 Million

Budget: $125 Million

Runtime: 2 Hours 3 Minutes

Tagline: Expect the impossible again

 

Overall: This lacks the edge the first one had and ends up feeling very much over the top and out of place next to the rest.

Rating 60

Categories
Movie Review

Comet (2015)

logDirector: Sam Esmail

Writer: Sam Esmail (Screenplay)

Starring: Justin Long, Emmy Rossum, Kayla Servi, Eric Winter, Ben Scott, Lou Beatty Jr, Ben Pace, Nicole Lucas

Plot: Set in a parallel universe, Comet bounces back and forth over the course of an unlikely but perfectly paired couple’s six-year relationship.

There may be spoilers the rest of the review

Verdict: Relationship Talking

Story: Comet starts by telling us the events of this film will be over the past 6 years in parallel universes. We meet Dell (Long) whose mother is dying but doesn’t see much happening in his meaningless life as he prepares to watch a meteor shower. A chance encounter with Kimberly (Rossum) where his life flashes before his eyes even thought Kimberly is on a date with Josh (Winter).

We continue to flick between the time period of their relationship, we see how the awkward uncomfortable start of the relationship starts showing how both are different in their own way. We go through a series of arguments between the two as they end up going in their different direction at different times in different universes.

Comet is an interesting film that has an interesting concept which I has actually just seen a very similar one with singing ‘The Last Five Years’. I am a fan of a love story that isn’t all happy endings but I do feel this feel does gets lost with the idea of multiply universes, it teases the idea that things will collapse on itself but then plays the dream idea before not really going anywhere. We do get a solid look at how relationships could fall apart or could have gone in different direction which works nicely. (6/10)

Actor Review

Justin Long: Dell is the confused young man who doesn’t believe in love but when he meets Kimberly his life changes, we know this is just part of his life and each universe he is in a different stage of his relationship. Justin does his usual for this type of this film but doesn’t reach the levels we know he can. (6/10)

Emmy Rossum: Kimberly is the girl that came into Dell’s life as we know where she ends up and each universe shows her getting their quicker. Emmy does a solid job but I do feel there could have been more to here character. (5/10)

Support Cast: Comet really doesn’t have a supporting cast we have a couple of characters in the opening scene but after that it is just the two of the characters the whole film.

Director Review: Sam Esmail – Sam does give us an original idea which is always good but I feel adding the sci-fi angle doesn’t really work. (5/10)

Comedy: Comet has a few laughs but is mostly about the romance. (5/10)

Romance: Comet is a film that studies different stages in a relationship, we see thee start, the middle the arguments and the difference appearing between the characters. (7/10)

Sci-Fi: Comet add tries to use the parallel universe idea but never finishes the idea of what could have been with the idea. (3/10)

Settings: Comet brings us to a range of settings which all show different locations in the relationship. (6/10)

Suggestion: Comet is one to try, I feel if you want to see something fresh from the idea of romance films this could be for you but you might find it slow. (Try It)

Best Part: Concept of different times of a relationship.

Worst Part: doesn’t pull you in enough.

Believability: The relationship side is but the parallel universes harder to believe. (4/10)

Chances of Tears: No (0/10)

Chances of Sequel: No

Post Credits Scene: No

Similar Too: The Last Five years

Oscar Chances: No

Runtime: 1 Hour 31 Minutes

Overall: Interesting idea, but falls slightly short of what it could have been

Rating 60