Day: September 16, 2022

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Movie Review

It Is In Us All (2022) Movie Review

It Is In Us All – Movie Review

It Is In Us All

Director: Antonia Campbell-Hughes

Writer: Antonia Campbell-Hughes (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: A formidable man who cares for nothing is forced to confront his self-destructive core when a violent car crash involving a sexually charged boy who epitomizes life, challenges him to face his truth.

Runtime: 1 Hour 32 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: It Is In Us All starts as a city man Hamish (Jarvis) heads to Ireland to see the closing deal for his Aunt’s home. Hamish is involved in a violent car crash, one that leaves a teenager dead and another Evan (Mannion) befriending Hamish.

As Hamish looks to learn about his past and his mother’s connection to the area. He finds himself getting caught up in a strange series of friendships with Evan and other locals. This gives him a chance to face his relationship with his father.

Verdict on It Is In Us All

It Is In Us All is a drama that follows a man that gets seriously injured in a car accident. He finds himself confronting his own relationship with his father, as he explores his mother’s past. It shows the pain suffered from an accident and what effects it has on the lives of the people involved.

The pace of the movie is slow-moving, as we follow Hamish on his journey to understand his past. He gets to see how life could have been different but not enough for him to want to walk around him.

Cosmo Jarvis is fantastic in the leading role. He brings the emotional punch needed in his performance, one that makes you stop and think about what has been going through his character’s mind.

Final Thoughts – It Is In Us All is a powerful drama with a heavyweight performance from Cosmo Jarvis.

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Movie Review

Do Revenge (2022) Movie Review

Do Revenge – Movie Review

Do Revenge

Director: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson

Writer: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, Celeste Ballard (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: Drea and Eleanor agree to go after one another’s bullies.

Runtime: 1 Hour 58 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Do Revenge starts when society girl Drea (Mendes) sees her status questioned after her sex tape is leaked. She is left on probation by the headmaster (Gellar). She wants revenge and meeting new student Eleanor (Hawke) sees her opening up the first steps.

As the two become friends, they decide to come up with a twisted tale of revenge. As they swap targets and work together to bring down the people who ruined their lives.

Verdict on Do Revenge

Do Revenge is a high school comedy that follows the society-heavy world of the prep world as they look to tear down each other’s lives. This follows two who swap enemies to bring them down, only to find themselves taking things to new extreme levels.

In the end, this does feel like a poor version of Cruel Intentions that only ends up going down a dark path, missing the point of just showing revenge over actually earning school. Moaning about relationships wanting revenge on each other, it is all way too much drama.

The performances are good from everyone involved, which is a great young cast, it is the story that holds everything back.

Where to Watch: Do Revenge is available on Netflix.

Final Thoughts –Do Revenge is school politics 101 that tries so hard to be edgier than it is.

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Movie Review

I Used to be Famous (2022) Movie Review

I Used to be Famous – Movie Review

I Used to be Famous

Director: Eddie Sternberg

Writer: Eddie Sternberg, Zak Klein (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: Follows Vince, a desperate former popstar who dreams of making a comeback. An impromptu jam session with autistic young drummer Stevie sparks an unexpected friendship between the two misunderstood musicians.

Runtime: 1 Hour 44 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: I Used to be Famous starts as former boyband popstar Vince (Skrein) has seen his former bandmate Austin (Macken) become one of the biggest musicians in the world. Meanwhile, Vince is struggling to make ends meet, trying to find gigs in local pubs in London.

When Vince discovers an autistic young drummer Stevie (Long), he finds himself getting internet fame. Giving him hope he could kickstart his career again, only for Vince to struggle to deal with his past and what caused his original loss of fame.

Verdict on I Used to be Famous

Characters

Vince was once in the most popular boyband in England, after they split, he finds himself struggling to make ends meet. He finds himself wandering the streets of London desperate to find a place to perform and soon he discovers a drumming prodigy. Vince needs to face his past traumas if he is ever going to make a life in music again.

Stevie is an autistic young man who uses drumming to calm himself. He is talented and finds Vince at a time when Vince could help him improve. Stevie has been guarded by his mother his whole life, this could be a chance for him to take on the world.

Amber is Stevie’s mother that has protected him for years, encouraged him and known how to handle the difficult moments. Stevie is the most important part of her life, and she puts him first in everything in life.

Austin is the former bandmate of Vince’s; he has gone on to become a massive success. His success is everything Vince wanted in life and the connection together is what helps get Vince in doors.

Performances

Ed Skrein in the leading role is fantastic, he brings the emotional punch to a broken man craving his success again. He brings all the conflict his character is going through and an excellent singing performance too. Leo Long is wonderful as Stevie, the autistic performance feels genuine throughout the film. In the supporting performances, everyone is great too.

Story

The story follows a former pop star that wants to recapture his fame and face his former demons when he discovers an autistic drummer who loves music. The two strike up an unlikely friendship as Vince finds a new reason to care about the people around him.

This plays out like every feel-good movie focusing on the changes both men bring to each other’s lives. Showing the difficult decisions that need to be made and the unity to become a team. It hands everything so well, putting the spotlight on being accepting of people that are different, as well as focusing on opening doors to a brighter future for everyone. This is one of the best feel-good experiences you will get from a movie this year.

Where to Watch: I Used to be Famous is available on Netflix.

Final Thoughts – I Used to be Famous is the ultimate feel-good movie of the year.

Categories
ABC Film Challenge

ABC Film Challenge – 2000s Movies – P – Peter Pan (2003)

Director: P.J. HOgan

Writer: P.J. Hogan, Michael Goldenberg (Screenplay) J.M. Barrie (Play)

Starring: Jeremy Sumpter, Jason Isaacs, Olivia Williams, Lynn Redgrave, Rachel Hurd-Wood, Richard Briers, Geoffrey Palmer

Plot: The Darling family children receive a visit from Peter Pan, who takes them to Never Never Land where an ongoing war with the evil Pirate Captain Hook is taking place.


Tagline – Let the fight begin

Runtime: 1 Hour 53 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Thoughts on Peter Pan

Thoughts – We know the story of Peter Pan by now, this will bring the live action version of the story told once again, with a new level of weak immature comedy, that misses more often than not, while the journey will keep the darker side to the world created. This isn’t a film that needs a full review, as it would need to be placed more into the conversation of the many version we have seen before, where this one doesn’t hit the same levels it could have, leaving you being able to watch many of the other more interesting version.

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Movie Review

Jogi (2022) Movie Review

Jogi – Movie Review

Jogi

Director: Ali Abbas Zafar

Writer: Sukhmani Sadana, Ali Abbas Zafar (Screenplay)

Cast

  • Diljit Dosanjh
  • Amyra Dastur
  • Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub
  • Hiten Tejwani
  • Apinderdeep Singh

Plot: Amid tension in 1980s India, three friends of different faiths unite in a noble yet dangerous effort to save hundreds in their town.

Runtime: 1 Hour 56 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Jogi starts in the aftermath of a terrorist attack on India. Jogi (Dosanjh) runs for his life, seeing his friends and family killed in the calculated attack. To remain safe, the Sikh Jogi makes a sacrifice to cut his hair, bringing great shame to him, but it is all he can do to save his family.

Jogi must team up with his friends from other faiths to help get the families out of the city before they become the next victim. This sees the prepare for dangerous rescue attempts, ones that see people risking their own lives to help.

Verdict on Jogi

Jogi is a thriller that explores the daring rescue attempts produced by a few different faith friends that want to stop the bloodshed. It shows the sudden change in mindsets that created a series of horrendous murders in the name of revolution. This highlights how people can come together for the right thing, while also showing the other side of the battle. Soldiers who are given no choice but to follow orders.

It shows the extreme measures people would go to control people. How the nation changed with one string of horrendous attacks and how many people are left changed forever by the actions. We have strong performances from the whole cast as they deal with the difficult to impossible situations they face.

Where to Watch: Jogi is available on Netflix.

Final Thoughts – Jogi is a difficult watch of horrific actions in the name of religion.

Categories
Movie Review

Drifting Home (2022) Movie Review

Drifting Home – Movie Review

Drifting Home

Director: Hiroyasu Ishida

Writer: Hiroyasu Ishida, Hayashi Mori (Screenplay)

Cast (Voice Talents)

  • Daiki Yamashita
  • Kana Hanazawa
  • Mutsumi Tamura
  • Ayumu Murase
  • Inori Minase

Plot: Follows two childhood friends who drift into a mysterious sea with an entire housing complex.

Runtime: 1 Hour 59 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Drifting Home starts when two former best friends Kosuke and Natsume have gone their separate ways. Something has come between them, as Kosuke’s family was moved out of a housing complex. With the housing complex believed to be haunted, the other kids in the area enter searching for ghosts.

During the latest argument between Kosuke and Natsume, the rest of the friends find themselves going through a freak event. The event leaves them on the roof of the building floating across the ocean. The kids must put aside their differences to figure out how to get home and understand the situation they find themselves in.

Verdict on Drifting Home

Drifting Home is an animated adventure following a group of school kids that find themselves stranded in a building floating in the ocean. It happens in a freak fantasy event, as the kids were fighting around an abandoned housing complex.

This brings the fun and bickering between the kids, which you would imagine seeing between friends. However, there is a major serious side to the complexness of the friendship between Kosuke and Natsume.

This is a beautiful animation, that brings together the importance of working together with people and putting aside your differences if you can ever want a bright future together. It wants to use elements that made ‘Your Name’ so special even if they aren’t as strong.

Where to Watch: Drifting Home is available on Netflix.

Final Thoughts – Drifting Home is a beautiful animation with a strong message.