Random Acts Of Violence: A Reflection On Our Society

Random Acts Of Violence is a horror thriller film directed by Jay Baruchel. The film follows Todd (Jesse Williams), a comic writer who starts seeing the murders within his comic come to life around him, as the serial killer that the comic is based on becomes active once again.

I enjoyed this film for having a hard look at violence within our society. What inspires what? If a killer watches a violent movie that then inspires there killing does the movie bare any responsibility? Obviously the answer is no. Can we become trapped in cycles with forces that define our life for the worst almost forming a co-dependant partnership with them? I don’t know the answers to these questions, but the film sure does take a good stab at it.

I thought the idea itself was quite novel, moreover the execution was incredible; especially considering that Baruchel is an inexperienced director. The tension and real sense of fear in this film is unlike anything I have seen in a long time; it is a very human threat that we could all be susceptible to.

My one issue would be due to this strikingly real-life theme, the film itself is quite depressing. With something like the Conjuring you can divorce it from reality, because it is so larger than life, however you can’t do the same with this. It is not really an issue though as it is to be expected with this type of film.

Overall, a startingly good debut for Baruchel, very well done.

Pros.

The sense of genuine fear

The premise

It keeps you on the edge of your seat, pardon the cliched phrase

You care about the characters

Cons.

Maybe it is a little too dark, a little too close to home

4.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Scooby Doo And The Loch Ness Monster: The Scottish Accent Is Further Butchered

Scooby Doo and The Loch Ness Monster is an animated family film directed by Scott Jeralds and Joe Sichta. The plot sees the Mystery Machine gang head to Scotland to meet up with Daphne’s (Grey Griffin), family for the Highland games. However, the most infamous Scottish legend of all is terrorising the proceedings, the one and only Loch Ness Monster.

There is a certain safety in a formula, you know what you’re getting. I have talked at length about the Scooby Doo formula in other reviews and I think for the most part it works, but here it was a little too samey and left the whole film feeling very unmemorable and a little bland.

The Scottish accents were butchered to hell as well, so don’t watch if you’re an easily offended Scottish person. However, unlike in Monster of Mexico, I thought the Scottish side characters were treated as more than mere stereotypes and were okay. They felt like characters in their own right and not cheap clichés so that is a positive.

I also enjoyed the ending tease where it implied that Nessie was in fact real; after having been proven to be people in a costume moments before. I like the fact that this era of Scooby Doo shock things up and didn’t have every monster just be a person in a costume using unrealistic practical effects; the added supernatural mystery of these films gives them more substance.

Overall, a very standard affair, not the best Scooby Doo animated film, but not the worst either. I’m glad the local side characters don’t feel like harmful stereotypes and I think the ending adds some much-needed mystery to things.

Pros.

It is very watchable

The ending tease

Not having the side characters be stereotypes

Fun to turn your brain off to

Cons.

It doesn’t grab you

It is forgettable

3.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Week Of: Adam Sandler Just Has To Be An Old Lady, Ruining A Dramatic Performance

The Week Of is a comedy film directed by Robert Smigel. The plot follows Kenny (Adam Sandler), the father of the bride as he tries to make sure everything goes right on his daughter big day, whilst not being out done by the groom’s father Kirby (Chris Rock).

So when I put this film on I was expecting a standard Adam Sandler comedy film, nothing too surprising, a few cheap laughs. However, this film was far more than that. I would say though there are a few badly timed gags and bits this film almost plays like a drama, and I enjoyed that.

Sandler’s character is much more toned down, his usual stick is not here, and he is playing his role in far more of a reserved way. I enjoyed his performance and it reminded me that Sandler can be a good dramatic actor when he wants to be. However, there is one out of place, needless, scene of Sandler dressed as an old lady singing for no reason at all; that stops my praise for his performance from being full on.

When the film did use humour it was sparingly and done with intent, a lot of the jokes felt well throughout and actually made me laugh rather than just seemingly like the writers trying to guess how many dick jokes they can fit into an hour and a half.

Overall, very much a surprise. Both Chris Rock and Adam Sandler act, and do it well.

Pros.

Not Sandler’s usual stick

The comedy is used sparingly

The drama is good and the main focus

Sandler and Rock play it straight for the most part

Cons.

Why did he have to dress as an old lady?

4/5

Reviewed by Luke

Open Season: Brother Bear without the Charm

Open Season is a family animated film directed by Roger Allers, Jill Culton and Anthony Stacchi. The plot sees show bear Boog (Martin Lawrence), go on step to far and get sent by his human owner to go and live in the woods. His life of comfort and domesticity has left him soft; how will he get tough enough to survive in the wild, especially in hunting season.

I remember, vaguely, watching this when it came out in the cinema. It left very little impression on me then and watching it now, I can say it does leave an impression, but an odd one.

So, there is an off-kilter nature to this film, maybe it was just me, but I didn’t find this film funny or charming like family films often try and be, instead I found it to be sad and even melancholic at times. It felt like there was something off just beneath the surface of it. Maybe that was my viewing of it.

None of the voice cast do a particularly good job, Lawrence tries but his material seems like a parody at best, and the rest fair far worse. Ashton Kutcher as Elliot, Boog’s deer side kick is thoroughly annoying and doesn’t have any real redeeming qualities. The rest of the voice cast is wasted, veterans like Patrick Warburton are just reciting clearly joyless lines and it is painful.

Overall, something seems off about this film, it is not terrible, I have seen far worse animated fare, but it is incredibly average and depressing.

Pros.

Lawrence is trying

It is watchable

Cons.

None of the characters are likable

Kutcher is annoying

The supporting cast are wasted

I left watching this feeling depressed

1/5

Reviewed by Luke

Iron Man: The One That Started It All

Iron Man is a Marvel Comics superhero film directed by Jon Favreau. The plot sees billionaire weapons dealer Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), get captured by terrorists who use his weapons. This leads Stark to rethink his business model, it also leads to him becoming the superhero known as Iron Man.

This is were it all began, this was the first film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and likely without it, said universe might not have happened at all. This film was responsible for setting up one of the most complex characters in Marvel’s shared universe as well as for setting the tone for future adventures.

Personally, I enjoy that this and other early MCU films, pre full Disney, had more of rough around the edge’s kind of charm. A bit more adult and far less of the incredibly safe content that would come later.

Downey Jr. gives the performance of his life, resurrecting both his career as well as the character of Iron Man who had fallen out of mainstream popularity long ago. The life and energy that Downey Jr. brings to the role is truly extraordinary and would very hard to replicate with a different actor.

Overall, a very enjoyable film, the best Marvel film to some, and in my top 10 for sure.

Pros.

Establishing the world

Robert Downey Jr’s performance

The humour

The rough around the edges feel of it

Cons.

A weak forgettable villain

4.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Bridesmaids: Melissa McCarthy Is Actually Funny, For Once

Bridesmaids is a comedy film directed by Paul Feig. The story follows Annie (Kristen Wiig), a woman whose life is coming apart at the seams, yet she handed the responsibility of being her best friend Lillian’s (Maya Rudolph) maid of honour. What follows is a struggle for power between Annie and Helen (Rose Byrne), Lillian’s new fancy friend who seems to upstage Annie at every turn, with the struggle between the two threatening to take over the whole wedding.

I have been meaning to watch this for some time, I enjoy the films of Paul Feig for the most part, with the exception of his Ghostbusters film, so I went in with high expectations. It does serve to be a more nuanced version of a gender swapped Hangover, which many accused it of being, and is probably the better of the two films.

I appreciated the comedy of this film it was far more subtle then I was expecting to be. When I saw the names of those involved with it, I was expecting gross out jokes and a lot of physical comedy, and though that is a part of the comedy profile of the film there are also a lot of smart jokes as well. In that regard Melissa McCarthy was actually bearable, not only that but she made me laugh.

Overall, this film showed off the talent of all involved except Byrne who it wasted badly, a strong comedy film and a mostly enjoyable watch.

Pros.

The comedy

Reigning in McCarthy and the others

Not relying on gross out gags and slapstick and having some actual well thought out smart jokes

Nailing the drama

Cons.

There is no reason that this film is on for two hours and ten minutes

4/5

Reviewed by Luke

I Am The Pretty Thing That Lives Here: The Most Pretentious Film Of All Time

I Am The Pretty Thing That Lives In The House is a horror mystery film directed by Oz Perkins. The film follows a young live in nurse Lily (Ruth Wilson), as she slowly starts to unravel the past of the house she is staying in.

I am not going to lie to you even after watching this I still have very little idea of what went on and why. The reason for this is because the story is told in one of the most obtuse ways I have ever seen in cinema, there are cuts to a novel (which is also real life), and a constant stream of narration that only serves to make the film more confusing.

Perkins doesn’t seem to understand that by being pretentious it does not make his film good, nor does it make it deep and meaningful. This film seems to be in love with itself, it thinks it is so clever and well put together and it thinks you should think that to. Well sadly, it just comes across as a mess of confusing pretentious airs with little charm or engaging story telling to keep you invested.

Overall, this film wastes the talents of Ruth Wilson and is far to up in own arse to ever be good.

Pros.

Ruth Wilson

Cons.

It is confusing

It is pretentious

The storytelling doesn’t hold up

It is smug

1/5

Reviewed by Luke

This Is Where I Leave You: Depressing Realities, Don’t Watch This For A Laugh

This Is Where I Leave You is a comedy drama film directed by Shawn Levy. The plot follows a family as they grieve the death of their father, and are trapped together for a week, by their mother. Old rivalries are reborn and the past rears its ugly head once again.

So, this is a depressing watch. I put it on because I enjoy the comedy of Tina Fey and I thought it might make me laugh, boy was I wrong. I didn’t laugh once not once, and that wasn’t through a lack of trying on the films part, but when I left it I was bummed out. I had to watch a series of funny shows and programs to try and shake it off.

It is a failure as a comedy film, that we have established, thought comedy is subjective. Sadly, it is not much better as a drama film, I felt like the film was not as deep as it thought it was and a lot of its big revelations about life just came off as obvious clichés. The writing just wasn’t up to snuff to make it an impactful drama film in the way it wanted to be.

Overall, this is a failure as both a comedy and drama film, moreover it manages to waste a great cast and be thoroughly disappointing

Pros.

The actors are trying

Cons.

Sadly they have nothing to work with

The writing is bad and over reliant on clichés

It is not funny

It feels laughably shallow when trying to be deep

1.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Sleepover: Possibly The Worst Child Actors Ever

The Sleepover is a comedy crime family film directed by Trish Sie. The plot sees a quiet suburban mum Margot (Malin Akerman), have her super thief origins exposed to her family and then promptly get kidnapped along with her Husband (Ken Marino), and her ex-partner/ fiancé Leo (Joe Manganiello). It is up to Margot’s kids to save their parents.

So this is yet another miss in the original film category for Netflix, it has very little going for it and is borderline unwatchable. It seems to want to be so many different films, namely Adventures In Babysitting and Spy Kids, and fails miserably at both.

The child acting in this film is mind numbing they might be the worst child actors in the history of film, everything they say is so asinine and cringe that it proves whoever wrote the dialogue has never met a teen or a young person. The line about the Dewey decimal system was the moment I knew this film was utter trash. Stranger Things’ Sadie Stanley is probably the best of the child stars, but that is by no means an endorsement.

The adult sections of the film are better, in that they give my eyes a reprieve from rolling, and if the film had given them more focus then the film would be a hell of a lot better. Akerman kicks ass and is believable as a super thief, Manganiello plays the hammy villain well; spoilers but you weren’t really going to watch this dumpster fire were you? However, the standout of the whole film is Ken Marino as the bewildered but well-meaning husband to Margot, he actually made me laugh quite a few times and made the torture of watching this film somewhat bearably, if they do a sequel cut everyone else keep Marino.

Overall, maybe Netflix should stop letting a computer green light their films, maybe that is a good idea; obviously it is.

Pros.

Ken Marino

The adult sections and storyline

Cons.

The kids are awful

The dialogue is heinous

It is so dumb

It is a waste of your time

1/5

Reviewed by Luke

Survival Skills: A Few Steps For How To Survive On The Job

Survival Skills is a drama film directed by Quinn Armstrong. It is a fake police training video done in the style of an 80s after school special. We follow officer Jim (Vayu O’ Donnell), during his first year on the job. As the film goes on we learn that nothing is at it seems, and things start to get trippy.

I have to hand it to this film; I have not seen anything this unique in a long time. It is a wild crazy ride and it is very hard to tell what is going to happen next. I enjoyed the retro style of the film and think that it added a keen sense of personality to it. However, it did come with a few noticeable visual draw backs.

I found the story of Jim trying to stop a domestic abuser whilst keeping to his policing rules to be truly riveting. It was compelling and we much like Jim really want to see the abuser get what is coming to him, the film shows Jim’s breakdown as he is roadblocked by red tape and turns to taking the law into his own hands.

Overall, I found this to be a very fun watch, nothing was quite as it seemed, the drama was compelling, and the horror was chilling. A very well-done film that is guaranteed to be the most unique film you see this year.

Pros.

The Style

The overlap and crisscrossing worlds

The trippy nature of the whole thing

The horror and the drama

Cons.

The style is a double-edged sword

4.5/5