Tag: action films

Underrated Movies You Should Watch

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Mortal Engines. I don’t understand how this film didn’t get more love, I truly don’t. I fell in love with it the moment I turned it on. It’s Peter Jackson to perfection, the actors are just wonderful, the cinematography is beautiful, and it leaves you feeling like there’s hope at the end, despite the grim setting of a world of moving cities bent on eating each other. I still need to finish reading the book (which is really different, yet is shaping up to be just as awesome) but I truly recommend the film to anyone who hasn’t given it a chance yet. Ignore the reviews, it’s wonderful.

(My longer review for Mortal Engines from a while back is here.)

Kong: Skull Island. These kinds of movies are very hit or miss for me. I liked Peter Jackson’s King Kong, but I didn’t feel as in love with the new Godzilla films, which sort of overlaps universe-wise. The next film coming out is about Godzilla and Kong, which I’m definitely curious about after this one! This one though? This one is everything I want in an action movie: a historical setting, great characters, brilliant classic rock soundtrack, hilarious one-liners like: ‘Run to the side, you idiot!’ a line everyone who has ever watched a movie screams at the screen at some point. It also gave us one of the most fantastically random epic fight scenes ever. Behold:

If you haven’t watched Skull Island, what exactly are you waiting for, hmm?

The Host is a new one for me. I remember watching it when it first came out because I love Saoirse Ronan, but maybe I just needed to be in the right mood for it?? Because when I rewatched it this week, it just stole the emotions right out of my chest and it’s all I’ve been thinking about since. I wrote up a flailing book review for it here, as I promptly picked up the book after watching the film. It’s truly a great story about kindness and found family and the cast are so wonderful and the romance is amazingly angst and it ends so well. Definitely recommend!

Sorry, Jared, lil’ bit.
(gif set credit)

Tomorrowland. Oh my gosh, whyyyyy haven’t more people watched this?? It’s so freaking cool! A young girl finds a coin that shows her another world – a better world – and she sets off to investigate the meaning of the coin and finds more mysteries – and robots! – than she could have ever imagined. The film deals with concepts of utopia/dystopia, optimism/nihilism, history/futurism. I’ve rewatched it so many times and I cannot emphasise enough how underrated this gem is.

Anyone else have a favourite underrated movie that needs more love?

Movie Review: Spiderman: Far From Home (2019)

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I’ve always had a soft spot for the Spiderman franchise. I grew up with animated Spiderman and Toby Maguire Spiderman, and I enjoyed Andrew Garfield’s version, too. I really, really adore the new versions, though. Tom Holland suits Peter Parker best, I think, and I love what they’ve done with Peter’s relationship with Tony Stark. The father/son dynamic that they have/had going is lovely to behold. I also love the new Aunt May and the new MJ. Something about the new films just feels lighter than the other versions – and more believable as high school? I adore the other versions, but none of the actors looked young enough to be a sixteen year old Peter Parker.

This latest one takes place after Infinity War/Endgame, all of which I saw way after the fact. I actually prefer that, though. Seeing them once the hype dies down makes them much more enjoyable as you aren’t going in with far too much expectation. This one follows Peter, MJ and Ned on their class trip to Europe a few months after everyone has returned to life as normal as possible post-Avengers. Happy’s now dating May, while Nick Fury is trying to regain control of the situation in general (i.e. how to fill the Tony Stark shaped hole in everyone’s lives).

It’s on the class trip that shenanigans strike, and with them comes Mysterio, and Peter is once more dragged into the thick of things – all the while trying to profess his feelings to MJ. Poor Peter!

I thought Tom Holland was as brilliant as ever in this. You can see from the start how heavy a loss it is for Peter not to have Tony around and I seriously wish we could’ve had another movie of just them bantering. ;_;

I really liked that this film wasn’t as grand scale, for want of a better phrase, as the previous ones. Honestly, what I loved so much about Antman (2015) was how the final showdown took place on a boardgame and I liked how this one was just focusing on Peter learning how to move on with his life, struggling with confessing to MJ, his friendships with Ned and Happy, and just generally more day-to-day goings-on in the life of the Friendly Neighbourhood Spiderman. The focus on a smaller scale, more friends-and-family-drama was a welcome addition to the franchise and brought all the FEELS.

Film Review: Mortal Engines (2018)

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There are few aesthetics that I like more than steampunk. Futuristic tech with old-timey designs and styles? Sign me up! So it follows that I’d love Mortal Engines, but I didn’t realise how much I would love it. I’ve had the book for a while but haven’t got around to reading it yet, so I didn’t really know what the film was about besides moving cities.

*spoilers*

The storyline follows Hester Shaw, an orphan in a world far in the future after war and massive technology have ravaged the land, leaving only predator cities and at risk stationary settlements. One powerful city, London, consumes smaller cities, stripping them for parts and stealing from the citizens. The opening scene is London chasing Salzhaken, a tiny city with salt stores. When the inhabitants are shepherded into London and their things are taken from them, Hester slips through with her blade and stabs the city’s leading archaeologist and deputy mayor, Thaddeus Valentine. Hester escapes and Tom, an admirer of Valentine’s, chases after her. She tries to jump off the city and he grabs her. She tells him that Valentine killed her mother before yanking free and falling. Seconds later, Valentine pushes Tom off the side of the city for having heard the secret. He tells his daughter, Tom’s friend Kate, that he fell to his death.

On the ground, stuck in the great tyre treads of London, Hester picks Tom’s pockets and sets off, furious at having failed to kill Valentine. Tom follows, unable to shut up and now doubting everything he’s ever known. The two are found by scavengers who bring them to a slave market where they’re subsequently rescued by Anna Fang, the most notorious assassin on the continent. Let me just say that Anna Fang is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. She has the most gorgeous plane, for starters. It looks more like a badass flying lantern. She’s also proficient in all weaponry and fights for the Anti-Traction League, a group against the predator cities.

The trio are chased by a new enemy, Shrike, a ‘Stalker’ who is more machine than man, and who is obsessed with killing Hester for ‘breaking her promise’. It’s revealed by Hester that Shrike raised her after he found her near death and saw her as his child. Shrike doesn’t have a heart, but remnants of his past life as a human bleed through and there is genuine affection there. We also learn that Shrike found Hester days after her mother Pandora was killed by Valentine after she discovered an ancient piece of technology that he wanted to control. I really, really enjoyed the Shrike storyline. It’s utterly distressing but in a very well written way, and Hester’s relationship with him was a poignant background story.

Back on London, Kate befriends Bevis, an Irish mechanic who witnessed Valentine shoving Tom off London and agrees to help her find out what her father is up to. I appreciated how quickly everyone got on the same page. There was no wishy-washiness about the characters, no bargaining or bullshit. The characters adapted to situations quickly and maturely, and Kate and Bevis as a pair are just as dynamic as Hester and Tom.

Everything comes to a head at Shan Guo, the great wall barrier that protects settler cities from predator cities. The final show down was fast paced and cathartic: Tom gets to test his flying skills, Hester has her showdown with Valentine, Kate plays an essential role, as does Anna. For everyone who has ever wanted a movie that doesn’t sideline its female characters, this one’s for you!

It must also be said that I loved everyone’s outfits in this movie: Hester’s outfit, Anna’s outfit, Tom’s outfit – it’s a steampunk DREAM, lads. Truly, truly stunning. The design of the cities was gorgeous and inspired. The shout-outs to history and culture had me in awe, too. There were a lot of great current analogies and throw away lines that were brilliant.

The ending was great, too. I honestly loved every aspect of this movie and thoroughly, thoroughly recommend it. ♡

Film Review: #Alive / #살아있다 (2020)

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Because who doesn’t turn on a zombie movie first thing in the morning before you’ve properly finished your coffee?

Oh my gosh, this film was actually great! I’m very picky when it comes to zombie films/shows, as so many are so cliché, but I quite liked this one. It’s fast paced, straight forward and felt almost like an indie movie with the focus being on only two characters and their day to day lives, only there’s zombies outside. Actually, it’s quite a lot like 28 Days Later.

The plot follows Oh Joon-woo, a gamer and streamer, who wakes up one day to find that the zombie apocalypse has started and he’s trapped inside his apartment. Over the next few days, Joon-woo tries to contact his family, the outside, anyone, but there’s no responses and the signal dies fairly quickly, although the news continues on the television for a while. The uses/drawbacks of modern tech are touched on. The drone is helpful, having nothing with an antenna is not, etc. I liked that aspect.

Across the apartment complex is Kim Yoo-bin. The pair start to communicate by holding up messages to each other and eventually string a rope between their apartments to send food and walkie-talkies. But you can only stay inside for so long in a zombie apocalypse and soon the pair are faced with what to do next …

If you like zombie movies, or character driven action films, definitely check this one out! I loved the two main characters and the ending was very satisfactory.

Film Review: Venom (2018)

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I wanted a movie that was going to cheer me up and I’m so glad I picked Venom. It’s honestly the funniest movie I’ve seen in a while and probably one of the best superhero movies I’ve ever seen. I only realised after I watched it that it didn’t get great reviews – well, SILLINESS. IGNORE THE BAD REVIEWS, THIS MOVIE IS AWESOME SAUCE AND A KETTLE OF FUN. Tom Hardy is good in literally everything (Virgin Queen, Peaky Blinders, The Dark Knight Rises, etc.) but as I don’t keep up with movies at all, I had no idea Michelle Williams and Riz Ahmed were in it too! Great casting, great movie.

The film follows Eddie, a reporter who wants to hold bad guys accountable for their crimes and doesn’t hold back on his opinions of their awfulness. Unfortunately, being a good reporter and a good person doesn’t sit well with his bootlicker boss, and Eddie gets fired when he goes after a corrupt scientist, Carlton Drake, and asks him about the cover-ups of his company. To Eddie’s horror, the move also gets his fiancée Anne fired, too. Furious, Anne breaks up with him, and in one day Eddie loses his job, his love, his apartment and his cat. Poor, poor Eddie. 😥

Drake’s experiments continue when his company uncovers an alien ‘symbiote’ and tries to match it with various human hosts. Horrified by his methods, one of his scientists seeks out Eddie to expose the truth. Unfortunately, everything goes wrong, and the symbiote gets inside Eddie.

Cue, DRAMA AND ACTION.

Venom, the alien symbiote, is hilarious. (And he takes deep personal offence to being called a ‘parasite’ FYI.) He and Eddie are basically a sarcastic duo fused together. Like if Jekyll and Hyde could talk to each other and liked each other, but were constantly duking it out. I giggled throughout their ensuing escapades, fending off bad guys and trying to sort out their shenanigans of being stuck together. Eddie tries to keep Venom good, Venom struggles with listening, but he likes Eddie and comes around to the idea of fighting for the good side. Plus, Venom’s commentary of how awesome Eddie’s ex is, is so funny.

10/10, totes recommend, ignore the bad reviews, this movie is a m a z i n g.

Film Review: Cellular (2004)

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I remember watching Cellular waaaaaaaaaay back when it first came out. I think I was like eleven or something at the time. It’s been a while! But I do remember liking it, and when it popped up on my Netflix, I decided to rewatch it. And you know? It’s a pretty decent action movie and the actors really make it fun. It’s got Kim Basinger, Chris Evans, William H. Macy and Jason Statham.

The film definitely couldn’t have been done today (like Phone Booth, anyone remember that one? Also written by the same guy, as it happens) as there’s a lot of old tech glitches that are long since avoidable – like being on the phone and getting your lines crossed with someone else in a car nearby. Ahhh, the old days of mobile phones!

The plot is fairly straight forward: a woman, Jessica, is kidnapped and manages to use a broken rotary phone to dial an unknown number. The guy on the other end, Ryan, picks up, she asks him for help. Ryan at first thinks she’s joking, but he’s convinced to go to the police station where he encounters Mooney, a cop ready to retire and start his day spa with his wife. Mooney directs Ryan upstairs, but at the same time, Jessica learns that the kidnappers are going after her son. With few choices and no way of calling Jessica back if the signal dies, Ryan decides to get her son first. And so begins the chase!

Chris Evans is great in this, and I really liked William H. Macy’s comedy. Kim Basinger is a badass, too! Honestly, the whole cast are great. For a good action film, I totally suggest this one.

Film Review: The Old Guard (2020)

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Give me diverse superheroes, she begged; give me gay superheroes, she pleaded. AND THE OLD GUARD DELIVERED ‘EM IN SPADES. AW, YUUUUUUUUUS. Firstly, what a cast: Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, Harry Melling, Van Veronica Ngo and Chiwetel Ejiofor. So you already know it’s going to be amazing. AND IT IS.

I didn’t have much context for The Old Guard before starting it. I only found out it was based on a graphic novel when the credits rolled. So that’s really cool. I’m definitely curious about the novel now. But the film is top notch.

The Old Guard is about four ‘immortals’ who, largely, can’t be killed. But there’s a limit to it. At some point, their time is up. But the years have left them jaded and lonely. Their families have long passed and they can’t get close to anyone outside of their group because it always ends in bitterness and tears and blame. Amongst the group are Andromache of Scythia, nicknamed Andy, centuries old and hardened with cynicism; Sebastian Le Livre, known as Booker, who once served under Napoleon; Yusuf Al-Kaysani, known as Joe, who served in the Crusades; and Niccolò di Genova, known as Nicky, an Italian Crusader from the same time. Joe and Nicky were enemies during the Crusades but are now partners and their romance is the absolute best. Let me just share this with ye:

He’s not my boyfriend. This man is more to me than you can dream. He’s the moon when I’m lost in darkness and warmth when I shiver in cold and his kiss still thrills me, even after a millennia. His heart overflows with the kindness of which this world is not worthy of. I love this man beyond measure and reason. He’s not my boyfriend. He’s all and he’s more.

(Watch the scene here.)

Give me a movie of just Joe and Nicky, please and thank you! Joe and Nicky talking about how they met in the Crusades was great and we need more of them. Perfect, fabulous super boyfriends. A+ ADDITION TO THE GENRE, LADS.

After Andy, Booker, Joe and Nicky are set up, they take up a revenge mission against Copley, the man who betrayed them. Halfway there, however, they share a dream about Nile, a Marine who’s just like them. Not wanting to abandon one of their own, Andy goes for Nile while the other three head on to find Copley and his benefactor.

So much about this movie hit me harder than I expected. It isn’t a happy superhero film by any means. The focus is heavy on the price of immortality and all the downsides. Booker’s backstory was especially sad and I really felt for him. I’m also interested in more on the relationship between Andy and Quynh, so I’m desperate for a second film where that’s explored. Quynh is an immortal from before the events of the movie, so you only get snippets of where she went and why, and I want more! That whole storyline messed me up. Honestly, every character was fascinating and there isn’t a moment of the film where you’re not desperate to find out more.

For anyone else who’s been waiting years for an inclusive superhero film, get on this one asap!

Films, Poems and Currently Reading Roundup and Review Post [02/06]

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JONAS (2018) | lgbt+, french, drama

Jonas [aka I Am Jonas] is a gut-punching, haunting addition to lgbt+ films. The film follows the eponymous main character Jonas after he’s arrested on night out at a club, Boys. One of the police officers knows him from school and they reminisce for a little while in the back of the car. The film then begins flashing from the past to the present and we learn how Jonas ended up so angry and adrift. We see Jonas as a teenager meeting Nathan, a new boy in school. They quickly fall in love and, despite homophobic peers, start a relationship that’s kind, sweet and supported by Nathan’s mother, who also welcomes Jonas into her home.

Back in the present, Jonas follows a man around the city, keeping his distance until he goes into a hotel where the man works. They talk a little. The man doesn’t know him, but it’s clear Jonas knows the man. After setting off the smoke alarm in his room and getting kicked out, the pair start to talk in the lobby. When Jonas is invited to go drinking, he accepts, and we slowly start to learn more.

The story moves along with slow determination. There’s clearly some mystery to be unfolded. This is definitely a heavy kind of drama. Prepare for tears. I do recommend it, though. Félix Maritaud is an incredible actor and I really want to see him in more films! A very well done film over all.

Mr. Right (2015) | action, comedy, romance

Okay, I honestly really liked this one. It’s silly and over the top and implausible and ridiculously good fun, and it is totally worth a watch! The movie follows Martha (played by Anna Kendrick), a risk-seeking woman who’s allergic to good advice and wise decisions, and Francis (played by Sam Rockwell), a notorious killer for hire, apparently (?) and former spy, allegedly (?). Basically, you’re not sure what’s up with Francis for most of the movie, or whether he’s good or bad, but he’s clearly had a lot of training and is good at dancing and has enemies coming out of his ears. Oh, and he wears a clown nose. You’re just not told why for a good bit. You only know that he’s kind to Martha and completely honest with her. (She thinks he’s joking when he talks about his job and how he got his scar.)

I think what I liked so much about this one was how honest and straight to the point all the characters were. There was no side-stepping around topics or slow, predictable build up. It’s kind of like when you’re watching a movie about someone first learning about magic and they keep denying it and you’re like, c’mon, just believe in it already. This movie isn’t fantasy, it’s action, but it’s great that the characters just jump straight to the point.

Martha and Francis are clearly made for each other (and clearly on a frequency that no one in their lives finds normal), but they suit each other. And their chemistry is fantastic. If you like fun, romance and action, I recommend giving this one a shot!

POEMS POEMS POEMS (/◕ヮ◕)/ Seriously, why don’t I read poetry more often? I’ve read so many poems this weekend and I have missed poetry. *chef’s kiss* These poems are all from Uncanny Magazine Issue 21.

‘Found Discarded: A Love Poem, Questionably Addressed’ by Cassandra Khaw was absolutely breath-taking.

The Greeks believed
that a human being
is one entity unseamed at the spine,
opened at the breastbone, parted at
the lips, which is why we spend all our lives pressing
together at the hips, at the fingertips

RIGHT?! How lush. I’m in awe. Read it here.

‘The Fairies in the Crawlspace’ by Beth Cato is so dark and twisted and really, really well done. If you like Grimm’s faerie tales, this one is for you.

the fairies needed no web
to snare the girl

Read it here.

די ירושה by Sonya Taaffe is short and poignant. I really liked it!

History drops a hot potato in your hands,
tells you to walk uphill with it, both ways.

Read it here.

I also quite liked ‘The Sea Never Says It Loves You’ by Fran Wilde. Poems about the sea are some of my favourites.

But the water is warm and the salt spray tastes your lips
And you say yes.

Read it here.

I hope everyone has a lovely week. Stay safe out there, my friends.

Film Review: The Lovebirds (2020)

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Oh my gosh, The Lovebirds is so funny. I haven’t laughed so hard at a film in a long time. It’s a simple enough story, following Jibran (played by Kumail Nanjiani) and Leilani (played by Issa Rae), a couple on the verge of breaking up. They can’t agree on anything and are fighting all the time. When a man takes their car, claiming to be a cop, he kills a biker and flees the scene, leaving Jibran and Leilani at the scene of the crime. A random pair tries to perform a citizens’ arrest, and fearing that they’ll be blamed, Jibran and Leilani also flee the scene.

The plot is simple enough, it’s just them trying to figure out what happened and getting into increasingly complicated and hilarious scenes. Anna Camp’s cameo was so funny. I’ve really missed her on my screen (True Blood shout out!), and she brought the comedy as ever. I have to say, though, Kumail Nanjiani definitely stole the show. I was laughing so hard at his jokes that I almost got a headache. I’m definitely going to be looking for more of his movies! SO. BLOODY. FUNNY. I’ve just learned he’s going to be in The Eternals with Richard Madden, who’s one of my favourite actors. COUNT. ME. IN.

It’s a fast paced comedy movie that’s a perfect escape for those in the mood for something light!

Film Review: Tomb Raider (2018)

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I love the Tomb Raider remake. I adored the Angelina Jolie ones back in the day and was quite attached to them, but I think the new version is probably my favourite. And Alicia Vikander is such perfect casting!

The film reboots the franchise and follows Lara who has spent years refusing to believe her missing father, played by Dominic West, to be dead. She works as a bike courier and has no interest in taking over his estate, but she’s finally convinced to return to her childhood home and, in her father’s would-be tomb, she finds his old files. Her father’s left her a message instructing her to destroy his research, but instead she delves deeper into the mystery of his disappearance. She follows his research to Hong Kong and seeks out the son of a man who helped her father, Lu Ren, played by Daniel Wu. Lu Ren’s father also went missing and he agrees to help her.

The pair take a boat to distant island called Yamatai. There they encounter Mathias Vogel, who’s following the same clues as Lara’s father, hoping to find the long lost tomb of Himiko. Vogel is funded by a secret organisation who are holding him hostage, and in turn he takes Lara and Lu Ren hostage. Managing to escape, Lara finds herself in one dangerous situation after another, and unearths the secrets she’s been seeking her whole life.

Lara and Lu Ren were definitely my favourites, but I loved Vogel’s casting. He’s a good villain, and Walton Goggins plays him perfectly. WALTON GOGGINS FOR ALL THE ROLES ALWAYS. (Seriously, he’s brilliant.) Dominic West is great, too. Kristin Scott Thomas also has a background role! The casting for this film is just perfect.

My favourite things other than the casting: the action scenes are so badass (!!!); the lack of a stupid romance that makes no sense; the scenery and camera work are brilliant; and the backstory and legends and clue-hunting. As a child raised on Indiana Jones, this is just fantastic! Watching it feels very immersive and honestly so much like a video game, but in a really good way. It’s edge-of-your-seat intensity from start to finish and I can’t wait for the sequel, which I think is coming out next year. Can’t wait!

Recommended for fans of Indiana Jones, for sure, but also just general action lovers. Alicia Vikander is wonderful from start to finish!

**gifs found online, not mine