Horrible Bosses 2

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Kate

I don't really remember the first film. I think it was pretty average. This one feels less than average.

I really do love Charlie Day, and I can usually tolerate his constant shrieking but the three of these guys all yelling for 2 hours is too much. And I just didn't find it funny. There's nothing really likeable or redeemable about these characters.

Penguins of Madagascar

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Michael

This film opens with animated Werner Herzog, playing himself, narrating a documentary about penguins. And performing some questionable acts to make it more compelling. Hilarious.

This one feels like a cash grab, and I always worry about when the comedic side characters that are funny in small amounts are thrust front and centre in sequels and spin-offs. It rarely works. But I was never particularly enamoured with these guys anyway and the writing here is consistently funny enough that it doesn't feel like the entire film is an afterthought.

The new characters here don't make much of an impact. Dave the Octopus has a bizarre running gag involving puns of famous actors names that kids probably won't get but adults might like. Or find confusing. His rubbery animation is pretty funny though.

The North Wind doesn't really have as much to do though, save for being the straight guys for the comedy.

Unfortunately didn't get to see the film in 3D, despite being advertised as a 3D screening and receiving silly penguin glasses. Don't know what happened there but apart from that, technically it's pretty shmick.

The end really felt like business as usual though. It wasn't particularly memorable. But overall, there's some good laughs here so you could do worse.

Paddington

IMDB

First time viewed: Yes

Current Release: Yes

Paddington gets a modern live action update. I always remember him from the animated television series from when I was younger as being a simple, minimalist and sweet little show. Obviously that's not going to work for modern audiences and the amount of slapstick and gross out humour they crammed into those first trailers had me extremely sceptical. 

A pleasant surprise then, to find that the finished film is hilarious, with a wonderful quaint and off-kilter sense of humour, and is absolutely charming. That probably should have come as no surprise given the director is Paul King, of Mighty Boosh fame. He fills the film with quirky little directorial flourishes from start to finish. 

The story is very simple, you get the gist of it from the trailer. I'm glad Ben Wishaw jumped in to voice Paddington, he's a great fit. The rest of the cast do a fine job too.

I do love that creepy Paddington meme, but he's sweet enough in the film. Except when he gives a hard stare. 

Definitely one to check out, it's great fun.

The Captive

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes

Managed to see this film without ever hearing anything about it beforehand. Always interesting.

This is a pretty straight forward and very dark thriller/drama that tries to appear more clever than it is by telling the story in a non-linear timeline. So we're given a lot of information up front with no context and slowly the pieces fall together once you figure out when things are taking place.

This is a pretty dark story and the cast all do a fine job, although I found Kevin Durand dangerously close to being a stereotype. But it's a really neat little thriller from Atom Egoyan.

Guardians of the Galaxy

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: Yes

Write Up.

Bluray Commentary time. Wow James Gunn comes off as really insecure, always talking about how all the actors and extras in the film are his best friends and assuring us that they are buddies off screen and he has a fun time with everyone. It's pretty funny. Apart from that not too much was gleamed from the commentary. But there's some okay extra features.

Final Destination 2

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Tyler, Kate, Andrew

This sequel might be my favourite of the bunch. Although I'll need to rematch the other to be sure. But this one doesn't have to bother with much exposition and already starts to play with the pattern set up by the first film.

The opening sequence here is the stuff of legend. Easily the best set piece of the whole franchise and it's harrowing and expertly executed. It accomplishes so much leg work for the rest of the film and immediately puts the audience on edge, shattering the conventions of the previous film. And then just keeps on doing it.

There's some nice ideas that are introduced in this one. But really the most fun parts are of course the amazing deaths. This time around there's a wonderfully eclectic group of strangers that are in this journey together which makes for some slightly more interesting drama. Perhaps more importantly, the bloodshed in this one is glorious and gooby.

It's an absolutely fantastic sequel. Bring on the rest!

Exodus: Gods and Kings

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Tyler, Kate, Andrew

Do you know the story of Moses? Have you ever seen The 10 Commandments? Or even Prince of Egypt? Well this is that but it cost more.

You really have to question why this was made. Love it or hate it, at least Noah tried to interpret the bible story in an interesting way, fleshing out characters and adding to the drama. And some really crazy visual ideas. Ridley Scott's bible epic has great visuals, as you'd expect. And shooting it natively in 3D is pretty stunning. But there is nothing really new or interesting about the telling here. It is the most straightforward and common version I can imagine being made today. When I left the cinema, all I could think of was, "yep, that was the Exodus story I remember."

They don't add anything to these characters. These great, although perhaps distractingly miscast, actors all do what they can but there's nothing really here for them to flesh out. The visual ideas they do interpret, like depicting the word of God, the Nile flowing red, the passover or the parting of the Red Sea, they were done in very simple ways. The rest of the story was done very literally.

As usual, technically it's a marvel. Great score, amazing cinematography, a lot of VFX. So many frogs. As I said before, the 3D is great. In the battle scenes the shots are held one or two beats of action more than we're used to seeing today so the 3D isn't jarring. Obviously it's been well thought out. I just wish they thought about a more exciting way to tell this story.

There's is one small line Moses says to Jesse from Breaking Bad after the Red Sea incident that can be read into a lot and was probably the only interesting idea the film brought up but as soon as it's uttered it's forgotten about and not really dealt with in any way.

If you don't know the story, or really love it, this is a great way to see it told on the big screen. But don't expect any interesting ideas or in depth characters here. This is the safest film they could have possibly made.

22 Jump Street

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Tyler

Write Up.

Silly, but such fun.

Repo Man

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: No
Watched With: Tyler

I'd been meaning to check out this cult classic for a long time. What an odd film.

The Mule

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Tyler

What fun. Angus Sampson's film is yet another Australian Crime thriller, but this one has a wonderful black comic streak in it and a great cast to boot. Based on a true story? Crazy.

They really manage to pull this one off. From the set up alone, you'd think it's a pretty straight forward film but there's enough twists and turns, great characters and some good writing to keep you engaged the whole time.

Definitely worth a look, if you have the stomach. (PUN!)