Tag Archives: 20secondreviews

The Return of 20 Second Reviews (#14)

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Brothers
7 October 2010

Really top quality drama with three superb performances from Jake Gyllenhall, Natalie Portman and a disturbingly skinny Toby Maguire (yes, I realise that it was for the part). A wife has to deal with the news that her husband and the father to her children is missing in action, presumed dead.  His dysfunctional but dashing brother steps in to help out in her time of need and feelings develop. When the missing soldier returns after a harrowing captivity, his mental frailty is not helped by the suspicion that his brother and his wife have been doing the dirty. Considering the less than cheery subject matter, I will definitely want to see this one again. Tense but excellent.

The Bucket List
20 October 2010

With such respected and well-loved actors as Jack Nicholson (Jack!) and Morgan Freeman (God!), this film has a lot going for it even before a scene has been shot but unfortunately, it just didn’t quite live up to the potential for me.  I did enjoy it – it was fairly predictable stuff but still had entertainment value. But I felt it was slightly indulgent and in fact the thing which attracted me to it – the two lead actors – was the very thing which weakened the story-telling – I just couldn’t get past their ‘real-life’ personas. Still, it was pretty harmless. I won’t be watching it again though, unless I am stuck somewhere in a hotel and it’s the only thing on in English.

Avatar
20 October 2010

I am one of those people who can watch a film without being too influenced by the hype – I don’t judge a film more or less harshly and I often like things that have been universally panned. In other words, I am pretty open-minded and easy-to-please.  So when Avatar came along, I saw the trailer and thought, ‘it looks alright’.  I couldn’t get excited about it.  The hype was there but the reviews went both ways.  Now I must admit I did not watch it in 3-D – I avoid that anti-specs-wearer format where possible – so I admit that I might have missed some of the spectacular effects but to me this film was just ‘alright’, exactly as I thought from the trailer.  I thought it was predictable.  I thought it was pretty.  I thought that Sam Worthington was pretty (when he wasn’t blue). I thought it was a bit stupid.   I thought Sigourney Weaver‘s avatar was freaky.  I thought a lot of it was a bit freaky. I wasn’t even that blown away with the CGI – maybe I just expect CGI to look that good nowadays? Regardless,  I won’t go out of my way to watch it again.

Date Night
2 November 2010

I had high hopes for this one – Steve Carell and Tina Fey are two of my favourite comic actors and thankfully it did not disappoint.  Phil and Claire are an ordinary married couple living an ordinary life which gets turned upside down when they decide to go out to the city (NYC) for a date.  As they are enduring a lengthy wait for their table at a snooty restaurant, Phil decides to be impulsive for once and claims a table as their own, pretending to be a couple who haven’t shown up for their reservation. This seemingly harmless identity theft leads them into a whole world of trouble and hilarity.  Also there is Mark Wahlberg without his shirt.  Just sayin’. I am actually wondering why I don’t own this movie as I am sure it will be one I will want to see again and again.

Step Brothers
26 November 2010

I am a fan of Will Ferrell so again I had more high hopes for Step Brothers but I am afraid this one just didn’t live up to expectations.  It was funny and all but it was just a little Too Much.  It would have made a funny sketch in a TV comedy show but a whole movie of it was overkill and it got a little irritating.  Certainly doesn’t touch Anchorman, Talladega Nights or even Blades of Glory. Shame.

 

20 second review #12

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10,000 BC
18 May 2010

This was an ambitious project and I am not really sure it was 100% successful.  The story was fairly weak and the acting not much better.  The special effects were OK but just what you would expect nowadays and certainly one of the more impressive parts – the giant sabre tooth tiger – was spoiled by being shown in the trailer.  I deinitely won’t bother watching this again.

I Love You, Man
29 May 2010

I had high hopes for this film since I love Jason Segal and Paul Rudd and I suppose I was expecting the usual buddy comedy gross out movie which all the marketing of the film pointed at.  To some extent, I suppose that this could be a true representation of the film which was generally really funny (although I do remember a fair few jokes just not landing for me.  I got them, they just didn’t really get me laughing).  What was unexpected was the almost sweet relationship which developed and the spotlight which was shone on the difficulty for adults to make same-sex friends.  As such, whilst the hilarity may have not been quite up to Anchorman / 40 Year Old Virgin standards, the poignancy and sweetness made the film very enjoyable.  Will watch again.

The Wrestler
29 June 2010

I can’t say I was looking forward to seeing this film.  Without wanting to seem unkind or squeamish, the thought of having to watch Mickey Rourke’s surgery ravaged face for 90 minutes or more was totally unappealing.  I was also not convinced about his acting ability (although this too is very unfair since I did not have much on which to base this opinion).  However, seeing him in Iron Man 2 changed my mind already (despite the rather shaky start) and when I watched The Wrestler, I was blown away.  This film was heart-breaking.  It was uplifting at times too but generally heart-breaking. The brutality of the sport and its exploitative nature was shocking and the cost to his body and his relationships was saddening.  Marisa Tomei was golden in this – I have never been disappointed with her though – and the only weak(ish) spot for me was the character of his daughter played by Evan Rachel Wood who on paper had every right to despise him but somehow still managed to come across as mean and peevish. Will no doubt see again.

Let The Right One In
29 June 2010

This is turning into a total love-in post! I LOVED this movie.  It was so touching, chilling, beautiful, stark, Swedish and brilliant.  The lead child actors were captivating and the whole thing was superb from start to end.  I barely want to tell you about the story but PLEASE go and watch this vampire flick in the Swedish original before the US remake is released – I cannot believe it will hold a candle to the original since so much of its appeal is the quirkiness of the setting.  There is not a sparkly vampire in sight.

Paranormal Activity
7 July 2010

It has been a long, long time since I have seen a film as scary as this.  I am usually pretty unfazed by scary films: slasher flicks usually only offend me and then bore me and a lot of the more intelligent ones can give me the odd jumpy moment but rarely make my heart race for minutes on end.  I actually considered stopping the DVD when we watched this as we were both getting freaked out.  It uses one of the strongest mediums of scary film: the handheld camcorder effect.  It also fails to show you most of what is occurring, leaving the screams and the thuds to tell the story.  Your own imagination is the most powerful tool to scare – are you listening to me, makers of Jeepers Creepers??!!  The multiple endings are worth checking out – especially one which was not on the DVD.  Creepoid!

20 second review #11

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The Hurt Locker
27 April 2010

I thoroughly enjoyed this tense and revealing movie set during the Iraq war.  Jeremy Renner’s portrayal of the cavalier bomb disposal sergeant was particularly surprising since from the trailers, I thought we were going to see all bravado and machismo but Renner brought some vulnerability and a sense that the character was losing his ability to determine right from wrong and a general sense of disillusionment.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
27 April 2010

Based (loosely, according to Wikipedia) on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, this is a strange story of a man who ages in reverse. I never really got how it would work or how you could get such a concept to the extent that you would care about the characters but somehow this happens.  It helps that I adore Cate Blanchett who plays Brad Pitt’s love interest.  Pitt also does a respectable job.  Not sure I would clamour to see this again but enjoyed it nonetheless.

Night at the Museum 2 – Battle of the Smithsonian
7 May 2010

This sequel does nothing more than provide more of the same from NATM and if it weren’t for Amy Adams (LOVE her) and the superb recreation of the Smithsonian museums, I might have thought it was a bit of a waste of time.  Sure, Ben Stiller is funny.  Yes, a monkey slapping Ben Stiller is funny. Ok, I think Ricky Gervais as the bumbling Englishman is mildly amusing.  Yeah, Owen Wilson and Steve Coogan make a cute buddy team.  But it wasn’t anything more than this.  Which is fine, when you just want a piece of jolly, light entertainment.  This would be the perfect film to watch on Boxing Day when you are full and tired.

Zombieland
11 May 2010

Cannot express enough how much I love this film. It works as a zombie movie, a comedy, a love story and an indie style quirky movie – all in all, it’s fantastic.  The cast is perfect: Woody Harrelson as the worldly and brusque zombie killer, Jesse Eisenberg as the dorky but cute apocalyptic survivor, Emma stone as the savvy and funny love interest and Abigail Breslin who plays her equally savvy younger sister.  Plus a stellar cameo from Bill Murray.  I will want to see this again and again.

Away We Go
18 May 2010

Some things are a given: quirky indie dramedy romance? Love. John Krasinski (even with a beard): Love. Movies about having babies AFTER I have found out I am having a baby myself: Love (although this didn’t stop me from loving Juno despite seeing it well before conception).  This warm, funny film takes a couple on a journey across the States as they try to find a suitable town to settle in so that they can raise their unborn child.  On the way they meet some mental friends and family (Allison Janney is sublime, Maggie Gyllenhall, a hoot).  I really wasn’t sure about Maya Rudolph before seeing this but I was won over.  Will definitely want to see this again.

20 second review #10

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District 9
24 February 2010

A superb film but not what I was expecting – mainly because I had misunderstood the synopsis from a quick look at the trailer.  Aliens have landed (almost) in South Africa and the film picks up twenty years on when the aliens (read: blacks) who are housed in a district right outside the city too close for the Humans’ (read: whites) liking.  A program to move the aliens to a new district (read: internment camps) 200 miles in the middle of nowhere gets underway but some plucky aliens will not go down like that and attempt to escape earth.  South African actor Sharlto Copley is simply superb.  I am particularly inmpressed and fascinated with the rather unique film-making tchniques used, particularly with the script which was largely improvised.  Actors were given the outline of the story for each scene but left to improvise their lines.  Watch it now – I will want to watch again for sure.

Body Of Lies
24 February 2010

Tense drama which I remember enjoying but now am finding it hard to remember any plot points.  Di Caprio gives a great performance and Crowe is as unpleasant as ever which luckily the role calls for.  I won’t bother watching it again but am sure it is worth a first watch, if only I could remember more about it.

500 Days of Summer
24 February 2010

This film is right up my alley.  A love story that is most definitely not a love story.  The lead actors, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, work fantastically together and everything about this film from the way it was shot to the dialogue to the music made me fall in love with it. Not only do I want to see this again but I want to own it so I can watch over and over.

Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist
20 March 2010

Oops this one arrived from Lovefilm the day after I bought it on DVD.  In a similar vein to 500 days of Summer, this is an indie-style romcom that takes one of my favourite young actresses, Kat Denning, and pairs her with the cutiepatootie Michael Cera (revising his Juno role essentially).  Music plays another big role in this film and it is definitely a feel-good flick with not as much substance as 500.  I will be rewatching though (since I have the DVD!).

Defiance
20 March 2010

Gripping and mind-blowing – this group of Belarussian jewish men and women survived the harsh winter to avoid Nazi persecution only to have to go on the run to try to escape the attack from the Nazi soldiers who find out where they are hiding.  It is based on a true story. Not sure if I will watch again but mainly because it’s not the kind of feel-good film that you want to see over and over.

20 second review #9

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Sex Drive
28 November 2009

Billed as this decade’s Road Trip, I knew that this was not going to be an insightful, intellectual piece but that was fine.  I loved Road Trip after all (Tom Green and his ‘unleash the fury!’ = genius).  Unfortunately, Seth Green‘s small part notwithstanding, this chewed pole.  I choose that phrased advisedly since it is fitting for this kind of film.  It was pretty harmless, I suppose,  but it failed to really make me laugh which is what I believe comedies are meant to make you do.  The highlight was the confident (if unbelievable attractive and popular – and I mean that literally, I don’t believe it) young  Lance played by Clark Duke (who I feel I should know since he is an ‘internet sensation’ and according to IMDB, in Greek but since I don’t watch that, I don’t. Sorry.). Anyway, it was just meh.  I won’t waste my time watching it again. Moving on.

Transporter 3
5 January 2010

Another film which is not about to make me think, like, at all, but with this franchise, you can be sure of  five things:

  • Jason Statham will take his shirt off repeatedly.
  • There will be an outragously long fight scene.  At least, one.
  • There will be a pretty cool car chase.
  • Jason Statham will get off with a pretty girl.
  • Jason Statham will save the day.

It made me laugh, I enjoyed it and seeing Statham (who clearly has it written into his contract for a certain amount of bare chest time) undress and use it to attack about multiple ninjas (well, Asian attackers, I don’t think they are actually ninjas but then, I am no expert), well, that’s good value.  That said, I won’t be watching again.


Yes Man
12 January 2010

This film had moments of hilarity and brilliance, largely when Jim Carrey was on form or when Zooey Deschanel was on the screen.  I am likely to forget it pretty quickly.  The concept, derived from Danny Wallace’s book on the same name, is that Carl (Carrey’s character) has always been a bit of a stick-in-the-mud.  He takes no chances, he turns down opportunities and is generally a crap friend.  When he is forced to attend a seminar held by some nutjob guru, he decides to say ‘yes’ to everything.  And his life is transformed in the process.  There was nothing particularly wrong with it and I might be checking out the soundtrack, which included Zooey Deschanel.  However,  I won’t be watching again.


Enduring Love
12 January 2010

I have been meaning to watch this for ages.  In this adaptation of Ian McEwan’s book, Daniel Craig (pre-Bond) plays a man who witnesses (and tries to prevent) a tragic accident and is then stalked by a creepy-ass bloke who also tried to help.  The stalker, brilliantly played by Rhys Ifans, is a million miles away from the lovable scruff he plays in Notting Hill.  The film had all the tension, drama, tragedy and emotion that you might expect from an Ian McEwan adaptation.  I may well watch this again but not before I read the book.


17 Again
19 January 2010

In yet another Lovefilm list blunder, this film arrived two weeks after we had watched it at the hotel in Cornwall (which had free DVDs to borrow).  Zac Efron plays the transformed Matthew Perry character who wishes they could do it all over again to avoid making the same mistakes.  It was pretty funny and definitely exceeding expectation, although that was probably because expectation was low to being with.  And as for whether I will watch again, since I returned the Lovefilm DVD immediately without watching, there is your answer.  Zac Efron may be a cutie sometimes even that is not enough!