Movies 993 results

Retro Movie Review – John Wick: Chapter 2

Keanu Reeves still nails the role and having someone with limited acting chops playing the role of the proverbially ‘talk softly and carry a big stick’ kind of guy works towards the film’s success. He also has another dog this time and it’s to the film’s credit that the pouch makes it to the end credits alive.   //   The film picks up shortly after the moment where part one left off (four days to be exact) and the two would make a great side by side movie ...

Retro Movie Review – Alien: Covenant

Michael Fassbender does double duty this time out and his android character poses most of the film’s questions on life and the meaning of. Non existentialists need not fear for those with less interest in large degrees of depth, there is still plenty of inventive gore and enough scare tactics to keep most audience members on edge.   //   Picking up where Prometheus left off, Alien: Covenant works well as a stand alone film as it doesn’t add all that much to the alien ...

Retro Movie Review – Fast & Furious 7

Actor Paul Walker’s passing back in the 2013 was a very sad moment and happened midway through the filming of F&F 7. It caused a number of delays while they rewrote the script. Walker was a very well established journeyman actor and was well liked by all who knew him. This plays out sombrely in the latest film as the series has always focused on a group dynamic and championed the virtues of being part of an extended family.   //   The filmmakers have done a good ...

Retro Movie Review – The Gunman

Standing in for Neeson this time out is the now craggy faced Sean Penn, who looks like he spent considerable time in the gym while preparing for this role. He plays Jim Terrier, an overseas mercenary with a dark secret and a love interest in Annie played by Italian actress Jasmine Trinca. Through circumstance they become separated but the tie of love warrants a future reconnection.   //   There are more notable moments of interest amongst the cast members like Javier ...

Retro Movie Review – Run All Night

The 2008 film Taken recast Neeson as one of the big screen’s true bad asses and reenergized his career. This change was helped by the actor buffing up and having the innate physicality to play those roles with enough authenticity to be featured close up in fight and action scenes. No soft filter or distant set up shots were needed to hide the fact that almost all of the fight scene featured stunt doubles (i.e. Roger Moore in all the Bond films).   //   This time out, ...

Retro Movie Review – Hidden Figures

The story revolves around the space race of the mid-sixties and the contribution of three extraordinary female African Americans. Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monáe are outstanding as the three leads and their intelligence and humour illuminates every scene they are in. Their quiet (and sometimes not so quiet) dignity show a resolve few posses.   //   The Space Race as it was called back then really was a race as the threat of communism and the fact the ...

Retro Movie Review – Tomorrowland

The story revolves around a parallel universe that is not unlike the hidden world in Ayn Rand’s opus Atlas Shrugged (minus the extreme narcissism). It’s a land where science is let loose to the benefit of mankind. This gives the filmmakers a platform for some very cool wishful technology and also features a lot of fantastic set design artwork.   //   With a list of participants that includes director Brad Bird (The Incredibles and The Iron Giant), George Clooney and ...

Retro Movie Review – The Accountant

Affleck plays Christian Wolff, an autistic certified public accountant that also moonlights as an assassin. Wolff’s inability to really connect with other human beings adds a chilling reality to his actions and Affleck’s stoic portrayal feels accurate. Even the love angle is suitably underplayed.   //   The film’s structure mixes enough back-story to flush out Wolff’s beginnings but not so much as to rob the film of its forward momentum. It builds to a satisfying ...

Retro Movie Review – Alice In Wonderland

This vivid approach isn’t just limited to the visuals either. The landscapes and creatures are integral to a story that also expands the mind. One thinks that the story’s original author Lewis Carroll might have gotten hold of some of the Blue Caterpillar’s best stash before pen was put to paper.   //   Australian actor Mia Wasikowska as Alice, starts out as a dour young girl sent off to marry a man she doesn’t love and through the magic of the story becomes a ...

Retro Movie Review – Arrival

Amy Adams is Dr. Louise Banks, a linguist expert that the government recruits to help communicate with one of the alien entities that have arrived at twelve points around the globe. She is the soul of the story. Joining her is Jeremy Renner as Ian Donnelly, a theoretical physicist with a very well developed sense of wonder about the world.   //   The story is told in a non-linear manner and subsequently every scene must be paid attention too. The film is also shot with a ...