Tag: Adventure

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Movie Review

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) Movie Review

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull – ABC Film Challenge – Action – K (Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) – Movie Review

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull – ABC Film Challenge – Action – K (Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) - Movie Review

Director: Steven Spielberg

Writer: David Koepp (Screenplay)

Writer: George Lucas, Jeff Nathanson (Story)

Cast

Plot: In 1957, Indiana Jones becomes entangled in a Soviet plot to uncover the secret behind mysterious artifacts known as the Crystal Skulls.

Runtime: 2 Hours 2 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull starts when Indiana (Ford) finds himself forced into helping KGB agent Irina Spalko (Blanchett). He finds himself betrayed by his close friend Mac (Winstone) and loses his job.

Mutt Williams (LaBeouf) approaches Indiana with information about his mother and information that could lead to an artefact Indiana has been searching for. This leads to the pair heading to Peru and meeting up with old friends and old enemies along the way.

Verdict on Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is the fourth adventure of Indiana Jones. It follows Indiana as he goes in search of a mysterious skull that contains great power. He faces up against a ruthless explorer and her army who want the power for themselves.

This might well be the weakest of all of the original four Indiana Jones movies, but you can still have a lot of fun with it. The jokes about the age work on some levels, despite us getting another movie nearly another 15 years later. While the adventure itself is filled with clues, hints and mystery. It offers everything you want from an adventure movie and keeps us wanting more. The bigger named cast gets to have a lot of fun on the adventure too.

Final Thoughts – Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull keeps the adventure going.

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Movie Review

Four Kids and It (2020) Movie Review

Four Kids and It – Movie Review

Four Kids and It

Director: Andy De Emmony

Writer: Simon Lewis (Screenplay)

Writer: Jacqueline Wilson (Book)

Cast

Plot: A group of kids on holiday in Cornwall meet a magical creature on the beach with the power to grant wishes.

Runtime: 1 Hour 50 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Four Kids and It starts when David (Goode) and his children Ros (Malleson-Allen) and Robbie (Jenkins) are going on a vacation. However, they are meeting his new girlfriend Alice (Patton) and her children Smash (Aufderheide) and Maude (Siame). It sees the children clash instantly, putting the adult’s relationship on the line.

The kids end up finding a remote beach where they meet Psammead, who claims it can give them one wish a day. However, the wish only lasts until sundown. The kids must learn about the consequences of their wishes as their lives will be changing forever.

Verdict on Four Kids and It

Four Kids and It is a family adventure movie following two families that are forced to spend a vacation together. This sees the children clashing, as the parents try to give them space to bond. However, deep down everyone is preparing for a new stage in life.

This continues the heartfelt message the movie looks to give everyone involved. It shows that families can go separate ways and need to learn to adapt to come together to start new ones. When it comes to the wishes, we get the fun wacky ones you would expect children to put forward. While the older kids would try to fix something out of their control. This brings the fun we would have come to expect from the source material. The performances are fun too, with the four young stars coming together to show the difficult life change their characters are going through.

Final Thoughts – Four Kids and It is a fun family adventure movie.

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Movie Review

Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco (1996) Movie Review

Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco – Movie Review

Lost in San Francisco

Director: David R Ellis

Writer: Chris Hauty, Julie Hickson (Screenplay)

Writer: Sheila Burnford (Novel)

Cast (Voice Talents)

Plot: When adventurous pets Chance, Shadow, and Sassy are accidentally separated from their vacationing humans, they’re left to fend for themselves on the mean streets of San Francisco, searching for the “golden bridge” that will take them home.

Runtime: 1 Hour 28 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco starts when Chance, Sassy and Shadow learn they are going on a family vacation. However, Chance gets restless and escapes his airport cage, leading to the three missing the plane. They look to return home, which sees them travelling around San Francisco.

Meanwhile, dog catchers are searching for any dog to take. Elsewhere, the three pets meet fellow strays as Chance starts to wonder if his owner still has a place for him. They must travel through the big city in hopes of finding their home and avoiding the people chasing them.

Verdict on Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco

Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco is a continuing family adventure. This time the three pets find themselves lost in the big city. Here they face different threats from rival dogs and dog catchers all to return to their owners.

This movie is just as fun as the original, only using the new setting perfectly. It shows the darker world that strays would need to live in. The threats continue to show the peril the pets find themselves in. This continues to be fun and one everyone can enjoy.

Final Thoughts –Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco is just as enjoyable as the first movie.

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Movie Review

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993) Movie Review

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey – ABC Film Challenge – H – Homeward Bound The Incredible Journey – Movie Review

Homeward Bound

Director: Duwayne Dunham

Writer: Sheila Burnford (Novel), Caroline Thompson, Linda Woolverton (Screenplay)

Cast (Voice Talents)

Plot: A fun-loving American bulldog pup, a hilarious Himalayan cat, and a wise old golden retriever embark on a long trek through the rugged wilderness of the Sierra Nevada mountains in a quest to reach home and their beloved owners.

Runtime: 1 Hour 24 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey starts when American Bulldog pup Chance, Himalayan Cat Sassy and an old Golden Retriever Shadow get dropped off at a farm by their family. They aren’t ready to leave their family behind and end up going on an adventure across the country to find their owners.

This sees the unlikely threesome going on an adventure of a lifetime. They learn how to adapt to the surrounding area and battle nature to make it to their destination.

Verdict on Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey is an adventure family movie. It follows the three domesticated pets that must travel across America in search of their owners. Along the way, they meet plenty of different threats in the wild as they must put their difference aside to survive.

This gets to give us laughs along the way, making it an enjoyable family movie. It shows how the animals want to be with their family and will do anything to get back to them. This gets to show the dangers in the wild for domestic animals. The journey is amazing and the loyalty shown by the pets is brilliant. This ends up being a fun enjoyable movie for everyone to enjoy.

Final Thoughts –Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey is a fun enjoyable family movie.

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Movie Review

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (2011) Movie Review

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn – ABC Film Challenge – Oscar Nomination – U (Unicorn) – Movie Review

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn – ABC Film Challenge – Oscar Nomination – U (Unicorn) - Movie Review

Director: Steven Spielberg

Writer: Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish (Screenplay)

Writer: Herge (Book)

Cast (Voice Talents)

Plot: Intrepid reporter Tintin and Captain Haddock set off on a treasure hunt for a sunken ship commanded by Haddock’s ancestor.

Runtime: 1 Hour 47 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn starts when young journalist Tintin discovers a secret artefact. He finds it at a small market however, it quickly draws attention. Tintin finds himself on Captain Haddock’s boat on an adventure he never planned for.

Sakharine has plans for Tintin and the treasure, sending them on a wild adventure out at sea. Can Tintin get to the treasure before the thieves? Despite facing a host of different enemies along the way.

Verdict on The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn is an animated adventure movie. It brings to life the creation of Tintin as he travels the world to stay ahead of criminals. We follow the two sides needing to stay ahead of each other when dealing with a treasure hunter.

This is a fun adventure movie that brings the unlikely hero to life, along with his four-legged friend Snowy. It takes us on the type of globe-trotting adventure that works for entertainment purposes. However, the animation style is something we haven’t seen since, showing not everything around the style work.

Final Thoughts – The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn is a fun adventure movie.

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Movie Review

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022) Movie Review

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish – ABC Film Challenge – Oscar Nominations – P – Puss in Boots: The Last Wish – Movie Review

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish – ABC Film Challenge – Oscar Nominations – P – Puss in Boots: The Last Wish - Movie Review

Director: Joel Crawford, Januel Mercado

Writer: Paul Fisher, Tommy Swerdlow (Screenplay)

Writer: Tommy Swerdlow, Tom Wheeler (Story)

Cast (Voice Talents)

Plot: When Puss in Boots discovers that his passion for adventure has taken its toll and he has burned through eight of his nine lives, he launches an epic journey to restore them by finding the mythical Last Wish.

Runtime: 1 Hour 42 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish starts when Puss is on his latest adventure and saving a town from a giant. However, in his celebrations he loses another life, only to discover he has now lost 8 of his 9 lives. As Puss faces his last life, he looks to retire in peace.

However, when Goldilocks and the three bears come in search of Puss, he realizes he can find the wishing star. This would give him a chance to wish for his nine lives back. Now, the journey of life and death is to continue his adventures.

Verdict on Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is an animated adventure following the latest journey of the outlaw Puss in Boots. It sees him teaming up with an old flame in a race to locate a wishing star. Meanwhile, other fairytale characters want the star for their own wishes.

This is an entertaining latest adventure for Puss in Boots as he faces his greatest threat yet, death. He must travel to a fictional world to get his nine lives back, but along the way, he makes new friends. This is a story about making the most of life and not fearing death. There are strong themes played out in the wild adventure of the iconic cat.

Final Thoughts – Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is an enjoyable adventure for the furry friend.

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Movie Review

Orion and the Dark (2024) Movie Review

Orion and the Dark – A Fear-Tackling Movie Review

Orion and the Dark - A Fear-Tackling Movie Review

Director: Sean Charmatz

Writer: Charlie Kaufman, Lloyd Taylor (Screenplay)

Writer: Emma Yarlett (Book)

Cast

Plot: Follows Orion, a young boy who is afraid of heights, pets, and rendered nearly catatonic by the worst of all perils: the dark. The Dark takes Orion on a nighttime trip to prove to the youngster that the only thing to fear is fear itself.

Runtime: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Orion and the Dark starts when a young boy Orion is scared of everything. He is a walking nervous wreck, with his biggest fear being the Dark. One night, the Dark visits him and takes him on a journey to teach him there isn’t anything to fear at night in the dark.

On their journey together, Orion gets to meet the other fears that cause him stress. However, the longer he spends on the journey, he learns about the bigger causes of his problems and how to overcome them.

Verdict on Orion and the Dark

Orion and the Dark is an animated adventure following a nervous little boy who gets taken on an adventure to conquer his fears. However, the journey takes him around the world learning new things he never imagined.

This is a magical tale about understanding the importance of things you can’t explain. It challenges you to overcome your fears in a way that feels a lot like ‘Inside Out’. The journey is filled with fear-conquering moments which take us on wild adventures. Along with showing that most of our biggest fears are in our minds. It has a strong meaning and can be enjoyed by the whole family.

Where to Watch

JustWatch

Watch If You Liked: Inside Out

Final Thoughts – Orion and the Dark is an enjoyable family-friendly adventure.

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Movie Review

Island of Lost Girls (2023) Movie Review

Island of Lost Girls – Movie Review 

Island of Lost Girls

Director: Ann-Marie Schmidt, Brian Schmidt

Writer: Ann-Marie Schmidt, Brian Schmidt, Autumn Fiore, Avila Schmidt (Screenplay)

Cast

  • Autumn Schmidt
  • Avila Schmidt
  • Scarlet Schmidt

 

Plot: The story of three young girls trying to stick together as they get trapped in a sea cave filled with crashing waves, hundreds of sea lions, and monstrous elephant seals.  

Runtime: 1 Hour 44 Minutes  

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review 

Story: Island of Lost Girls starts when three young girls Autumn, Avila and Scarlet get swept out to sea. They end up in a sea cave where they must figure out how to get rescued. With the tide coming in and elephant seals taking up the space, they must explore the caves.

However, when one gets swept out of the cave, she finds herself on her own adventure. Meanwhile, the other two must find a solution to save the lost one.  

Verdict on Island of Lost Girls

Island of Lost Girls is a family adventure movie following three young girls that get swept out to sea. They must figure out how to survive and make it back to safety while dealing with different obstacles nature places in their way.

This is a movie that keeps things pretty simple, seeing the three young girls trying to survive. It feels like a fun adventure for them despite the life-and-death situation they could find themselves in. However, the danger never feels like a life-and-death situation. The project feels like a personal family one and shows them working together well.  Although, this might not be for everyone as it still feels raw around the edges. 

Final Thoughts – Island of Lost Girls is a fun little family adventure movie.

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Movie Review

Once Upon a Crime (2023) Movie Review

Once Upon a Crime – Movie Review

Once Upon a Crime

Director: Yûichi Fukuda

Writer: Aito Aoyagi (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: While at the royal ball with Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood finds herself in the middle of a mystery. Can she solve the case before midnight strikes?

Runtime: 1 Hour 45 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Once Upon a Crime starts when Little Red Riding Hood (Hashimoto) runs into Cinderella (Araki). The two are used to being considered outsiders and the local hapless witch Barbara tries to help them. However, the pair decide to attend a celebration party for the Prince (Iwata).

In typical Cinderella fashion, Barbara turns the outcasts into beautiful women that a Prince would fall for. However, a mysterious murder makes their celebration complicated as we find ourselves in a who-done-it situation.

Verdict on Once Upon a Crime

Once Upon a Crime is an adventure comedy following Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella as they attend a high society ball. However, they find themselves in the middle of a murder mystery as their time is running out. Although not everything is as it seems.

This is an extremely strange spin on the beloved fairytale characters. It sees two pairing up to attend the ball but spins everything into a murder mystery. This brings a different charm to the movie as we see more feisty figures while joking about how the modern world would judge the typical fairytale tropes. In the end, this is a fun movie that gets to play around the fairytale lore and gives us an excellent murder mystery.

Where to Watch: Once Upon a Crime is available to watch on Netflix now.

Final Thoughts – Once Upon a Crime is a great fun twist on fairytale lore.