Stunningly average, perhaps entertaining enough to keep kids attentions but it struggled to be anywhere close to Disney-level storytelling. Maleficent is very much the star of the show here (with Angelina in the role and up against the rest of the cast it would have been impossible to attempt otherwise.) Copley is rather wasted in the role as King since he has the acting chops for much more depth. Overall it's simply a live-action kids movie, not too much here for adults or even true Disney cinema fans either.
I've been a huge fan of the tv show for years so I was somewhat disappointed that Hollywood had turned its money hungry eyes towards another classic show. That being said, this has practically nothing to do with the tv show, in fact it doesn't even qualify as loosely based on the show. Illya Kuryakin was my biggest complaint, instead of being a wise-cracking Russian with a sly smirk and some dry humor he's some version of the Terminator with near-zero character and the tendency to go Incredible Hulk on various pieces of furniture. The opening act is rather intriguing and feels very much like the tv show, it crashes and burns from then on with a sub-par plot and script. Granted, the original tv show was no masterpiece but Guy Ritchie struggled tremendously and downright failed to catch the flavor of U.N.C.L.E. at all. Suddenly it finally becomes clear that it's all a set-up for future movies which at this point probably won't be happening. That will reduce this flick to the ever growing pile of Hollywood attempts to suck more money out of past ideas.
It's a superhero movie with no soul, it just plods along pretending to care. Though in some odd way I honestly thought it was going to be much, much worse. I didn't like it but I didn't overwhelmingly hate it either. It's just 150 minutes of "meh" with a whopping 250 million dollar price tag.
Ben Affleck is not amazing at playing Bats but since the movie has nothing going for it, it's hard to care either way. The cameos for other Justice League heroes were shoehorned in with no taste whatsoever and did nothing but make the movie more confusing. Jesse Eisenberg is totally unconvincing for me as Lex. I can't take him seriously here if my life depended on it, *anybody* else would have been a better acting choice. Eisenberg is a competent actor but his acting profile and amount of energy is just totally unsuited for the character that has always been Superman's eternal villain. It's a shame because there are a myriad of other villains in the DC canon where manic energy and youthful ambition is a prime factor but this was just one of the worst miscasts going. You could almost see Snyder going to Eisenberg and saying "forget everything you know about Lex, play him like you're the Riddler instead" and that's what we got.
Once again we are reminded that DC is playing major catchup to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The poor folks at DC are so distracted by what their competitor is doing that it is seriously affecting their judgment. The DC universe is so convoluted and scatterbrained at this point that it doesn't bode well for the future.
I'm not really sure what this movie wants to be. It isn't really a "spy" movie in the truest sense, I guess I'll put it under being a cold war thriller but I didn't think it was terribly thrilling. Spielberg has unfortunately lost a great deal of his touch over the years. Back in the day you could smell a Spielberg flick just by watching some of the film work but it doesn't ring as true anymore. You'd think that Spielberg behind the camera with a Coen brothers script in his hand would be solid gold, unfortunately it didn't pan out quite like that.
Tom Hanks gives a solid performance, but his character isn't that interesting. The danger factor also isn't as present as the countless other spy/war movies that you can probably rattle off as your own personal favorites. I guess a "B-" is fair for this one.
Newman's acting chops are as phenomenal as his pool playing. He plays a truly despicable pool hustler that drips with arrogance and narcissism. The romance running through the film between the pool playing can drag on but I think really adds to the hopelessness that the couple feel deep down. They both know on some detached level that it won't work out but like Newman's character in the movie, they don't know when or how to quit.
It is positively a live action, feature length, Saturday morning cartoon as most reviewers have pointed out. The problem is that it isn't really supposed to be. It's arguably more fun than the first installment but it's so dumb, it literally pretends it's audience is just a bunch of kids plopped in front of their television sets. Stephen Amell was wasted as Jones, in fact the character was kind of pointless throughout the entire film. Is he supposed to be a vigilante like the turtles in this universe? It is never explained so he just pokes along as a weird side character to keep Megan Fox company. I miss the old turtles with the robotic mouths more and more after watching the CGI. In true Michael Bay fashion we can look forward to another movie in the future (and another, and another, and...)
You'll probably love it if you're a hardcore Halo fan, I know I sure did. The acting is not top notch and the story is a microscopic glimpse of the Halo world and storyline but it's still fun to watch, seeing the Chief in live action is always a treat. I positively adore the fact that Kelly-082 is shown in the movie. She's my all-time favorite Spartan and just seeing her included makes it five stars for me. Can't tell you how much I loved her in the Halo novels.
Remarkably simple script (and number of characters) but it is executed with brilliant effect. The shuttle being destroyed in the beginning of the film is disturbing and terrifying. Many movies have used the vacuum of space as a plot tool to showcase the total outside environment to be dangerous but not to the effect that Gravity does. There are times you feel that the characters are walking a tightrope over tall buildings but there's no gravity here, one slip and you're drifting forever. Terrifying.
The premise is interesting and Damon gives a well acted performance but it's difficult for me to get excited about it. More power to the viewers who were on the edge of their seats but I thought the movie a bit dull and plodding along. There isn't that sense of adrenaline that Intrerstellar or Gravity can give you. Perhaps I've seen too many "stranded in space" character movies.
Is it possible that it makes the original look like a doggone masterpiece in comparison? Yes, yes it is. It's hard to describe how pointless and totally unnecessary this movie is. To make it even worse, it's a near carbon copy of the last movie down to the plot points. I mean come on, didn't the characters learn from their mistakes the first time that they decided to repeat them point for point 20 years later? It's a shame because with a group of dedicated writers they could have turned it into something worth watching. Instead they decided to go the traditional Hollywod route of money first and making a good movie dead last. It's a shameless cash grab, it literally doesn't even try to hide it.
I have this overwhelming urge to go watch and enjoy the first film...
Not my favorite gangster film. It plods along at a rather slow pace and the sound transfer for the DVD release is not the best which makes it difficult to hear at times. The early signs of Cagney's penchant for gangster flicks is certainly present but it is rather off, it hasn't been refined into the classic Cagney that the audience would later adore. Such an essential movie though if nothing else to see how Cagney would evolve into perhaps the greatest gangster of the silver screen.
I watched this movie so many times on VHS that it literally broke and I had to buy another copy. It's been so long since I've seen it but I remember it being one of the more beloved and heartwarming Babar films I'd seen.
This was and still is one of my favorite childhood movies and when recently when I saw someone selling a brand new copy for a few dollars I couldn't resist. Still love the musical numbers and the plot after all this time. This movie probably jump-started my love of traveling as a kid.
Hitchcock made several "limited setting" films throughout his career, Lifeboat stands well on its sea legs against many of his classics. The cast is well chosen and the plot works its way to every good plot point that one could come up with on a stranded lifeboat. Tallulah Bankhead was a brilliant pick and mirrors her character's preposterous appearance on a Lifeboat in the Atlantic perfectly.
Knew practically nothing going into it but Howard knows how to craft a product to the point that practically anyone can enjoy, and dare I say, love it very much. The star of the show is Daniel Bruhl as Lauda. He is that good of an actor that he can make Lauda a real person to the audience even if they (me included) have no idea who racing icon Niki Lauda is. Watch a few videos of Lauda before or after this movie and you'll be dumbstruck how well Bruhl was able to nail his mannerisms, his voice, and he even looks like him to boot.
A pretty good submarine movie, though the final act did feel a bit too Hollywood-ish to me. It doesn't try to be a gritty and dark submarine movie as many others have worked with in the genre but still manages to be quite entertaining. It seems to me that this particular film has been copied or parodied in other films like U-571 which even borrowed some of the dialogue and also the Star Trek TOS episode "Balance of Terror."
If we didn't need the second installment we absolutely, positively didn't need another one (and I'll probably be saying the same thing when #4 rolls around.) Granted I don't think any of the Sharknado movies were particularly funny but this one just seems so tired and worn out. One small positive was seeing Frankie Muniz acting again.
Granted I haven't seen too many DCOMs (Disney Channel Original Movies) but this one scores at least some brownie points for having a more original plotline (at least at that time.)
One of those movies where you can't help but tilt your head at the TV and mutter "what... exactly am I watching here?" It's a classic cult film and despite being rather strange it knows exactly what it is and how to cater to the audience.
Decent plot, decent acting, and decent characters. Insurrection feels like a Star Trek movie at it's core. It's one of the movies in the series that comes off as a feature length TNG episode which ultimately works really well. Picard is right on character and Starfleet's willingness to abandon the Prime Directive when it suits their fancy was treated with the disgust it deserved.
It's a decent installment for Disney Animation Studios but it borrows some of the charm and wit from its much superior cousin The Incredibles. The bad guy reveal was painfully obvious and the plotline is rather average but the animation is still pretty spectacular to say the least.
I really enjoyed the movie and thought "wow, trekkies will probably love this one." I couldn't have been more wrong after reading some of the fan base reactions to it. After reading a few reviews it became glaringly obvious that somehow I'd viewed it solely as a popcorn movie without even noticing. After the initial viewing it turned into the mess that so many claim it to be. It is rather insane just how many character holes there are in the movie as the same characters you've come to know and love turn into caricatures of themselves that are sometimes unrecognizable.
I think the space battle is epic though, I always wanted something like that just once in Star Trek but I was kind of bamboozled by it and initially forgot about its glaring flaws.
It manages to capture maybe a shred of the magic in the original but overall it just doesn't stand up as a worthy sequel. The stunt work is decent and the fight scenes well choreographed but it just doesn't have that pop that we experienced in the 2000 original.
Of course it was relatively creepy when I was a kid and I wholeheartedly agree with other commenters that it had slight elements of terror in it which really stick with you. They did a great job of making everything feel so zainy and out of this world with the animation and colors.
Comments 576 - 600 of 733
Movie comment on Maleficent
DisneyStitch
Stunningly average, perhaps entertaining enough to keep kids attentions but it struggled to be anywhere close to Disney-level storytelling. Maleficent is very much the star of the show here (with Angelina in the role and up against the rest of the cast it would have been impossible to attempt otherwise.) Copley is rather wasted in the role as King since he has the acting chops for much more depth. Overall it's simply a live-action kids movie, not too much here for adults or even true Disney cinema fans either.Movie comment on The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
DisneyStitch
I've been a huge fan of the tv show for years so I was somewhat disappointed that Hollywood had turned its money hungry eyes towards another classic show. That being said, this has practically nothing to do with the tv show, in fact it doesn't even qualify as loosely based on the show. Illya Kuryakin was my biggest complaint, instead of being a wise-cracking Russian with a sly smirk and some dry humor he's some version of the Terminator with near-zero character and the tendency to go Incredible Hulk on various pieces of furniture. The opening act is rather intriguing and feels very much like the tv show, it crashes and burns from then on with a sub-par plot and script. Granted, the original tv show was no masterpiece but Guy Ritchie struggled tremendously and downright failed to catch the flavor of U.N.C.L.E. at all. Suddenly it finally becomes clear that it's all a set-up for future movies which at this point probably won't be happening. That will reduce this flick to the ever growing pile of Hollywood attempts to suck more money out of past ideas.Movie comment on Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
DisneyStitch
It's a superhero movie with no soul, it just plods along pretending to care. Though in some odd way I honestly thought it was going to be much, much worse. I didn't like it but I didn't overwhelmingly hate it either. It's just 150 minutes of "meh" with a whopping 250 million dollar price tag.Ben Affleck is not amazing at playing Bats but since the movie has nothing going for it, it's hard to care either way. The cameos for other Justice League heroes were shoehorned in with no taste whatsoever and did nothing but make the movie more confusing. Jesse Eisenberg is totally unconvincing for me as Lex. I can't take him seriously here if my life depended on it, *anybody* else would have been a better acting choice. Eisenberg is a competent actor but his acting profile and amount of energy is just totally unsuited for the character that has always been Superman's eternal villain. It's a shame because there are a myriad of other villains in the DC canon where manic energy and youthful ambition is a prime factor but this was just one of the worst miscasts going. You could almost see Snyder going to Eisenberg and saying "forget everything you know about Lex, play him like you're the Riddler instead" and that's what we got.
Once again we are reminded that DC is playing major catchup to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The poor folks at DC are so distracted by what their competitor is doing that it is seriously affecting their judgment. The DC universe is so convoluted and scatterbrained at this point that it doesn't bode well for the future.
Movie comment on Bridge of Spies
DisneyStitch
I'm not really sure what this movie wants to be. It isn't really a "spy" movie in the truest sense, I guess I'll put it under being a cold war thriller but I didn't think it was terribly thrilling. Spielberg has unfortunately lost a great deal of his touch over the years. Back in the day you could smell a Spielberg flick just by watching some of the film work but it doesn't ring as true anymore. You'd think that Spielberg behind the camera with a Coen brothers script in his hand would be solid gold, unfortunately it didn't pan out quite like that.Tom Hanks gives a solid performance, but his character isn't that interesting. The danger factor also isn't as present as the countless other spy/war movies that you can probably rattle off as your own personal favorites. I guess a "B-" is fair for this one.
Movie comment on The Hustler
DisneyStitch
Newman's acting chops are as phenomenal as his pool playing. He plays a truly despicable pool hustler that drips with arrogance and narcissism. The romance running through the film between the pool playing can drag on but I think really adds to the hopelessness that the couple feel deep down. They both know on some detached level that it won't work out but like Newman's character in the movie, they don't know when or how to quit.Movie comment on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows
DisneyStitch
It is positively a live action, feature length, Saturday morning cartoon as most reviewers have pointed out. The problem is that it isn't really supposed to be. It's arguably more fun than the first installment but it's so dumb, it literally pretends it's audience is just a bunch of kids plopped in front of their television sets. Stephen Amell was wasted as Jones, in fact the character was kind of pointless throughout the entire film. Is he supposed to be a vigilante like the turtles in this universe? It is never explained so he just pokes along as a weird side character to keep Megan Fox company. I miss the old turtles with the robotic mouths more and more after watching the CGI. In true Michael Bay fashion we can look forward to another movie in the future (and another, and another, and...)Movie comment on Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn
DisneyStitch
You'll probably love it if you're a hardcore Halo fan, I know I sure did. The acting is not top notch and the story is a microscopic glimpse of the Halo world and storyline but it's still fun to watch, seeing the Chief in live action is always a treat. I positively adore the fact that Kelly-082 is shown in the movie. She's my all-time favorite Spartan and just seeing her included makes it five stars for me. Can't tell you how much I loved her in the Halo novels.Movie comment on Gravity
DisneyStitch
Remarkably simple script (and number of characters) but it is executed with brilliant effect. The shuttle being destroyed in the beginning of the film is disturbing and terrifying. Many movies have used the vacuum of space as a plot tool to showcase the total outside environment to be dangerous but not to the effect that Gravity does. There are times you feel that the characters are walking a tightrope over tall buildings but there's no gravity here, one slip and you're drifting forever. Terrifying.Movie comment on The Martian
DisneyStitch
The premise is interesting and Damon gives a well acted performance but it's difficult for me to get excited about it. More power to the viewers who were on the edge of their seats but I thought the movie a bit dull and plodding along. There isn't that sense of adrenaline that Intrerstellar or Gravity can give you. Perhaps I've seen too many "stranded in space" character movies.Movie comment on Independence Day: Resurgence
DisneyStitch
Is it possible that it makes the original look like a doggone masterpiece in comparison? Yes, yes it is. It's hard to describe how pointless and totally unnecessary this movie is. To make it even worse, it's a near carbon copy of the last movie down to the plot points. I mean come on, didn't the characters learn from their mistakes the first time that they decided to repeat them point for point 20 years later? It's a shame because with a group of dedicated writers they could have turned it into something worth watching. Instead they decided to go the traditional Hollywod route of money first and making a good movie dead last. It's a shameless cash grab, it literally doesn't even try to hide it.I have this overwhelming urge to go watch and enjoy the first film...
Movie comment on The Public Enemy
DisneyStitch
Not my favorite gangster film. It plods along at a rather slow pace and the sound transfer for the DVD release is not the best which makes it difficult to hear at times. The early signs of Cagney's penchant for gangster flicks is certainly present but it is rather off, it hasn't been refined into the classic Cagney that the audience would later adore. Such an essential movie though if nothing else to see how Cagney would evolve into perhaps the greatest gangster of the silver screen.Movie comment on Sahara
DisneyStitch
Just your average, predictable, action/adventure flick.Movie comment on Babar and Father Christmas
DisneyStitch
I watched this movie so many times on VHS that it literally broke and I had to buy another copy. It's been so long since I've seen it but I remember it being one of the more beloved and heartwarming Babar films I'd seen.Movie comment on The Chipmunk Adventure
DisneyStitch
This was and still is one of my favorite childhood movies and when recently when I saw someone selling a brand new copy for a few dollars I couldn't resist. Still love the musical numbers and the plot after all this time. This movie probably jump-started my love of traveling as a kid.Movie comment on Lifeboat
DisneyStitch
Hitchcock made several "limited setting" films throughout his career, Lifeboat stands well on its sea legs against many of his classics. The cast is well chosen and the plot works its way to every good plot point that one could come up with on a stranded lifeboat. Tallulah Bankhead was a brilliant pick and mirrors her character's preposterous appearance on a Lifeboat in the Atlantic perfectly.Movie comment on Rush
DisneyStitch
Knew practically nothing going into it but Howard knows how to craft a product to the point that practically anyone can enjoy, and dare I say, love it very much. The star of the show is Daniel Bruhl as Lauda. He is that good of an actor that he can make Lauda a real person to the audience even if they (me included) have no idea who racing icon Niki Lauda is. Watch a few videos of Lauda before or after this movie and you'll be dumbstruck how well Bruhl was able to nail his mannerisms, his voice, and he even looks like him to boot.Movie comment on The Enemy Below
DisneyStitch
A pretty good submarine movie, though the final act did feel a bit too Hollywood-ish to me. It doesn't try to be a gritty and dark submarine movie as many others have worked with in the genre but still manages to be quite entertaining. It seems to me that this particular film has been copied or parodied in other films like U-571 which even borrowed some of the dialogue and also the Star Trek TOS episode "Balance of Terror."Movie comment on Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!
DisneyStitch
If we didn't need the second installment we absolutely, positively didn't need another one (and I'll probably be saying the same thing when #4 rolls around.) Granted I don't think any of the Sharknado movies were particularly funny but this one just seems so tired and worn out. One small positive was seeing Frankie Muniz acting again.Movie comment on StarStruck
DisneyStitch
Granted I haven't seen too many DCOMs (Disney Channel Original Movies) but this one scores at least some brownie points for having a more original plotline (at least at that time.)Movie comment on Big Trouble in Little China
DisneyStitch
One of those movies where you can't help but tilt your head at the TV and mutter "what... exactly am I watching here?" It's a classic cult film and despite being rather strange it knows exactly what it is and how to cater to the audience.Movie comment on Star Trek: Insurrection
DisneyStitch
Decent plot, decent acting, and decent characters. Insurrection feels like a Star Trek movie at it's core. It's one of the movies in the series that comes off as a feature length TNG episode which ultimately works really well. Picard is right on character and Starfleet's willingness to abandon the Prime Directive when it suits their fancy was treated with the disgust it deserved.Movie comment on Big Hero 6
DisneyStitch
It's a decent installment for Disney Animation Studios but it borrows some of the charm and wit from its much superior cousin The Incredibles. The bad guy reveal was painfully obvious and the plotline is rather average but the animation is still pretty spectacular to say the least.Movie comment on Star Trek: Nemesis
DisneyStitch
I really enjoyed the movie and thought "wow, trekkies will probably love this one." I couldn't have been more wrong after reading some of the fan base reactions to it. After reading a few reviews it became glaringly obvious that somehow I'd viewed it solely as a popcorn movie without even noticing. After the initial viewing it turned into the mess that so many claim it to be. It is rather insane just how many character holes there are in the movie as the same characters you've come to know and love turn into caricatures of themselves that are sometimes unrecognizable.I think the space battle is epic though, I always wanted something like that just once in Star Trek but I was kind of bamboozled by it and initially forgot about its glaring flaws.
Movie comment on Wo hu cang long: Qing ming bao jian
DisneyStitch
It manages to capture maybe a shred of the magic in the original but overall it just doesn't stand up as a worthy sequel. The stunt work is decent and the fight scenes well choreographed but it just doesn't have that pop that we experienced in the 2000 original.Movie comment on Alice in Wonderland
DisneyStitch
Of course it was relatively creepy when I was a kid and I wholeheartedly agree with other commenters that it had slight elements of terror in it which really stick with you. They did a great job of making everything feel so zainy and out of this world with the animation and colors.Showing items 576 – 600 of 733