The Evil Dead: Is It Still Groovy?

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A group of young people go up to a cabin in the woods and boom a cult classic is born.

This is my first time watching The Evil Dead in a long time and I have to say it really holds up.

Part of what works so well about this film is that it nails the balance between comedy and horror splendidly, there are both laughs and scares to be had but neither comes at the expense of the other. Also there was an uncanniness to the dark humour a lot of the time that really served to mine the middle ground between the two aspects of the film.

The whole cast were good; however Bruce Campbell stole the show entirely. Obviously Campbell’s Ash is the main character for the franchise so it might be hard for him to steal scenes that are already given to him, but what I mean is that his performance is so instantly iconic that it is hard not to leave the film talking about him. His facial acting is off the charts and he manages to court both the everyman and the superhero like appeal.

My only criticism of the film would be that some of the claymation stuff towards the end of the film comes off as a little jarring. Yes, I know this film was made on a budget and is several decades old, but still when I saw the tongue of the Book of The Dead at the end it almost felt silly: luckily these sort of effects were only used sparingly.

Overall, a cult classic that still holds up.

Pros.

Campbell

The scares

The laughs

Nailing the tone

The makeup effects

Cons.

The stop-motion effects didn’t work for me

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Wanderlust: Aren’t Hippies Weird, Regressing Through Time

1.5/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Two, questionably, young go getters, played by Paul Rudd and Jennifer Anniston lose everything in the 2008 economic crisis and so decide to go and join a commune.

I understand that the rom-com genre is not really a place of originality but come on, I have seen this same film so many times before. It is a very predictable run away from your problems and join the circus sort of narrative structure and everything progresses in the way you would expect it to with little to no surprises.

Moreover, the way this film presents communes and those who dwell within them could be ripped straight out of a book of cliches as of course they are all wacky, have issues with boundaries and are into sleeping around. The last point I thought felt really forced into the narrative and when Anniston’s character does decide she wants to cheat on her husband it comes out of nowhere and doesn’t make sense from a character perspective.

The humour and the heart were all very genre standard neither particularly affected me in anyway.

Overall, yet another forgettable rom-com.

Pros.

Rudd has fun with it

It is watchable

Cons.

Reducing communes to a stereotype

The free love plot point

It was generic

It was too familiar

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Marry Me: Literally Saying Yes To The First Guy You See

2.5/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A singer, played by Jennifer Lopez, finds out on stage that she has been cheated on so agrees to marry a random guy, played by Owen Wilson, in the crowd. Rom-com plot beats ensue.

Both Lopez and Wilson are likeable actor so really this one should have been a slam dunk but there is just something about their relationship here that doesn’t work. Mainly this is down to chemistry and the fact the two of them don’t seem to have it at all and as a result you don’t buy their romance.

Moreover, when the film aims for heart and emotional resonance it often instead comes off as overly sentimental and more than a little cliché. The drama of the film reflects this and feels needlessly drawn out and over the top for the sake of it. The writers of this film were trying too hard.

In that vein narratively this film is deeply uninspired and comes off as feeling predictable and played out right from the start, you know the beats of this film as you have seen them in other, better, features.

Overall, fine but nothing more.

Pros.

The actors are both charming

The film is unintentionally hilarious

It is watchable

Cons.

The actors have no chemistry together

The film has strong pacing issues

It is cliché and predictable

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What Happens In Vegas: Just When You Think The Rom-Com Can’t Sink Any Lower

1/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Two deeply unlikeable characters, played by Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher, unwittingly get married in Las Vegas and then have to stay together for legal and financial reasons.

There are moments where this film is just straight up sexist and homophobic in its humour, and I get that it did not come out in the socially charged times of the current year, but did anyone ever think this was okay? Every time the film makes one of these jokes I either cringe or think what was the point? Do they just have to use slurs and stereotypes to try and be funny because they have nothing else?

In terms of laughs, yeah this film doesn’t have any. I chuckled a few times but it was not deliberate on the part of the film.

In terms of plot this film is incredibly generic and predictable, you know where this is going right from the start and rather than try and surprise you it just goes there. Every cliché and trope of the genre is trotted out here in a vein effort to drown you in a sea of mediocrity.

Neither Diaz nor Kutcher are likeable here and both come off as varying degrees of annoying, self-involved and obnoxious.

Overall, this really is the bottom of the barrel for the rom-com genre.

Pros.

It is watchable

Cons.

Diaz and Kutcher are both annoying

It is vapid and generic

It is toxic

The relationship doesn’t feel believable

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Death On The Nile: Cancel The Gal Gadot Cleopatra Film Right Now

3/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Hercule Poirot, played by Kenneth Branagh, is back and this time he is trying to solve a murder that takes place on a steamboat.

To address the elephant in the room first, obviously it is unfortunate that this film features alleged cannibal sexual predator Armie Harmer in such a large role, but it is what it is and they filmed it before the allegations came to light so for the most part I just tried to ignore it.

This was a mixed bag of a film. To the film’s strength it boasts a terrific performance from director/ star Branagh who really taps into the emotion of the character and gives us a peak behind the curtain in a way the first film never did, the latter stages of the film really highlight this. Moreover, newcomer Emma Mackey is also terrific and steals a lot of the scenes she appears in.

However, to its detriment the pacing is awful and it feels like the film has been on for hours before the plot-forwarding murder even happens. This is a result of the first act dragging horribly, it is also wildly inaccurate to the time period with music and dancing that belongs in a different era entirely, Branagh seems to be growing bored with the period setting here.

Worse yet, the film features some incredibly on the nose product placement for Tiffanies, perhaps on the same level as Crispy Kreme in the Power Rangers film everyone has forgotten about now.

The worst thing about this film is Gal Gadot. I have defended Gadot against a lot of in my opinion unfair criticism, I think she makes a fine Wonder Woman, however here her serious lack of acting chops really shows, as she is unable to do any accent other than her own, or emote, basic stuff. When she is finally removed from play, midway into the film, you are grateful as she was quite clearly miscast.

Overall, a fun if flawed second film.

Pros.

Branagh as Poirot

Mackey

The mystery

Cons.

The pacing made worse by the awful first act

Gadot

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A Taste Of Hunger: Making Delicious Food Isn’t Enough To Save Your Failing Marriage

3.5/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A couple, played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Katrine Gries-Rosenthal, try desperately to achieve a Michelin Star.

I thought this film had it all, charm, character and drama. The more I explore Danish cinema the more I am starting to become enamoured with it.

I thought both Coster-Waldau and Gries-Rosenthal brought a lot to the film and each gave strong performances. Moreover, I also thought their relationship and its various woes were also conveyed very realistically and in a way that affected you watching. Whilst watching you were never quite sure who was in the wrong in the relationship or whether the relationship should even continue on, but by the end you learn it is far more complex and nuanced than that. Much like life.

I thought the non-linear structure of the narrative became a bit confusing at times, though after watching it I can see why they went for it. I liked the mystery around who was writing the notes and thought the reveal was clever and well set-up.

My main issue with the film would be that the pacing didn’t work. Frequently scenes either needed longer, when trying to convey an important event, or less time, when trying to convey an unimportant one: better editing was needed.

Overall, an intriguing drama film with a compelling relationship at the centre.

Pros.

Coster-Waldau

Gries-Rosenthal

The drama

The mystery

Cons.

The pacing

The non-liner narrative wasn’t always clear

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Peacemaker: Murn After Reading

3/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

The police circle in on Peacemaker, played by John Cena.

I found this episode to be frustrating, not so much in what was happening as in how they got there. I found the planting of the diary in the last episode suspect, as in I don’t think the character would have done it, but I also found the fact that a secret government agency was unable to stop a determined detective equally baffling and poorly thought through. Clearly these things happen for story reasons rather than anything resembling logic or consistency.

However, that said the show is still very good and even this episode manages to have a number of standout moments. Chief among these is the slow breakdown of Peacemaker himself, as he is starting to come undone at the seams, this has been brewing over the course of the season but it is really starting to come into it’s own in this episode. Cena does a good job nailing the emotional beats.

Moreover, I think the possessed Song’s, played by Annie Chang, police takeover scene might be one of the best moments of the entire series, it perfectly establishes the threat and is also incredibly cool visually.

Also things are moving forward with the White Dragon, played by Robert Patrick, plotline which promises interesting developments in the next episode.

Overall, a weaker and more frustrating episode on the whole, but it still has some fun moments.

Pros.

Cena nailing the emotion

The Song takeover scene

Teases for things to come

Cons.

It feels a little contrived narratively

Some of the character decisions don’t make sense for them

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Liar Liar: The Origins Of So Many Gifs

3.5/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Lawyer Fletcher Reede, played by Jim Carrey, is unable to lie after his young son, played by Justin Cooper, wishes one full day of honesty upon him. This causes some problems for Fletcher.

As a child and teen I was a huge Jim Carrey fan, and I lost my way over the years only really coming back on board now because of Kidding, but as I rewatched this I remembered why I liked Carrey so much when I was younger. He plays the everyman so well; you can’t help but root for him and like him. It is almost impossible to hate a Jim Carrey character.

I found this film to be both heart warming and funny in equal measure, with enough memorable moments to confine this film to the classic conversation. I wouldn’t say every joke landed, as they often came on thick and fast, but more hit than missed.

I thought Carrey was on top form here and firing out of all comedic cylinders.

Overall, a comedy film that holds up and is arguably one of Carrey’s best, let down only by a slow pace and a predictable plot.

Pros.

Carrey

The jokes

The heart

Cons.

The pacing

The predictable nature of the plot

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Tall Girl: Falling Short On Having Anything Interesting To Say

1/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Yet another Netflix teen film with a terrible message.

This film is so vapid that it’s character can barely be called puddle deep. Clearly whoever wrote this film is not only widely out of touch, and doesn’t know how social media works and effects teens, but also has never met a teen girl before in their life, as the way the teens behave in this is barely even human.

Another thing that will annoy many about this film is the fact that though the central girl, played by Ava Michelle, has body confidence issues about her height it is just a small scale issue in the scheme of things. In a world were people are often bullied and beaten for their sexual orientation or skin colour, a narrative about a girl being sad because she is tall just comes off as privileged and again out of touch. I could give this film somewhat of a pass if it had something good to say about body confidence by the end of the film, but no the film instead gives out yet more toxic messages and then tries to wrap up.

Everything about this film sucks and honestly Netflix really needs to fire whoever runs their greenlighting process.

Overall, this is why everyone thinks Netflix only makes bad films.

Pros.

It is unintentionally hilarious

Cons.

It has a bad message

It is irritating

All of the characters have clear privilege

It has no depth at all

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Book Of Love: Don’t You Just Hate It When Your Novel Gets Turned Into Porn?

2.5/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Henry, played by Sam Claflin, is an author of an unsuccessful book. However, one day it begins rocketing through the Mexican bestsellers list and as such Henry must travel to the country in order to do press for the book, during which time he meets Maria, played by Veronica Echegui, his translator and the two develop feelings for each other.

No one will say to you this is the next great rom-com because it really isn’t. It will not set the world on fire, but it is watchable. You have seen this film many times before of course, as the plot beat for beat feels taken wholly from other genre films, but translated in a slightly worse way.

I enjoyed Sam Claflin, he rarely can do wrong, I thought his uptight uber British Henry had quite a few funny moments throughout the film. I do think there are a number of times when Henry borders on becoming stereotypical, but luckily the film never pushes him that far.

Claflin and his co-lead Echegui don’t have much chemistry together on-screen which gradually becomes more and more of a problem as the film goes on. Luckily by the end of the film it has given up on any semblance of logic and just starts throwing things at us, which even though it doesn’t make sense makes the film interesting.

Overall, a very bog standard rom-com, you have seen this before.

Pros.

Claflin

A few funny moments

It is watchable

Cons.

The leads have no chemistry

It is too familiar

It has pacing issues

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