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Smashingsteve
Reviews
Willow (2022)
Bland and boring
Dear God... I wasn't expecting a lot from a Disney+ show but even these low expectations weren't met! Willow is rife with astonishingly bad acting, painfully obnoxious characters, bland direction with no visual flair, and the worst offense of all: it's sooo incredibly boring. It has some beautiful landscapes and it's kind of fun to see Warwick Davis back (but to be honest... he is hamming it up as well). Not worth though to torture yourself by sitting through all eight episodes. Avoid this mess and rather enjoy the original classic again. The story of Willow ends in the film. And rightfully so!!
Loki (2021)
Very disappointing...
Just watched the finale, so I could form my final opinion of the whole season. I love the character of Loki, Tom is always great, but he plays second fiddle in his own show. And that finale... lots of yapping. God, what a disappointing, pedestrian tv show. All the overhyped 10 givers should go out more...
The Redwood Massacre (2014)
Holy cow...
First of all, The Redwood Massacre looks really ugly, overly lit almost like a amateur play. I was probably expecting waaaay too much after a few positive reviews (from friends and/or family I suspect...), but the acting is bad in this, the kills are ridiculous (and I don't mean in a good way), with laughable sound design and the worst offense is to me that the blood looks like syrup for on my tasty breakfast pancakes. The Redwood Massacre is bad, so very, very bad. And this thing got a freakin' sequel!?? The apocalypse is obviously upon us!
American Pie Presents: Girls' Rules (2020)
The one that effectively killed the franchise
This female centered American Pie flick is sadly a not very funny, completely sanitized film with lazy writing and directing. The worst offense is a very forced feminist message. But before the pitchforks and fire comes out I am all for equal rights, but crudely forcing the message in every bit of (once) popular entertainment property doesn't work (Well hello Ghostbusters, Terminator: Dark Fate and Charlie's Angels!). This latest gasp of American Pie will go down in history as: the one that effectively killed the once hit comedy franchise.
VHS Nasty (2019)
Why?
Don't even understand this exist. There are much better (and better made) docs out there on the subject. So no new info, only a bunch of unknowns talking and talking about dry stuff everybody knows. The framing, sound, lighting and editing is really bad and cheap. When I started watching it, I had no idea it was the 3rd part of the VHS Lives doc 'franchise'... But I should have known. Those two docs where also made with no actual visual eye or interesting cutting. Ater watching 17 minutes of this boring garbage I wanted to give up and spend my time better, but I held on... Well that are 95 minuten that I will never get back. Avoid! And watch Video Nasties 1 and 2 by Jake West (Doghouse) and Marc Morris instead!!
Never Surrender: A Galaxy Quest Documentary (2019)
Now I am a fan!!
A beautifully crafted, honest and emotionally poignant feature length documentary about the making of the underrated sci-fi comedy "Galaxy Quest". I liked the movie when I saw it when it was being released, but I wasn't a fan persé. Now I am. A must-see!
Winter Ridge (2018)
Qualitatively built thriller full of surprises
UK based director Dom Lenoir delivers his mainstream feature debut with the atmospheric and tense independent detective thriller "Winter Ridge", starring producer Matt Hookings, as the tormented detective Ryan Barnes, alongside Alan Ford (Snatch, An American Werewolf in London) and Game of Thrones's Hannah Waddingham. It's surprising that this was shot for quite a low-budget for a feature, because "Winter Ridge" feels like a high-end production from beginning to the surprising conclusion, full of beautiful raw landscapes, eerie aerial shots, perfect editing and expertly crafted sequences full of tension (like the carchase!). The story follows a tormented detective in a complex chase after a vicious serial killer which terrorizes a secluded mountain village, while his wife is in a coma. The story has a good pacing and built-up, and you feel the emotional journey of detective Ryan Barnes. Matt Hookings is great in his part as a detective on the edge that is battling his own demons while trying to unravel a mystery, and he keeps his own next to UK acting monuments like Alan Ford and Hannah Waddingham. Especially Waddingham is unforgettable as Joanne Hill. So do yourself a favor and check out this tight indie thriller if you have the chance at a film festival near you!
Shurayukihime (2001)
Fantastic Japanese action-flick!
The Princess Blade has it all! Great FX, good acting performances (especially Yumiko Shaku, also known from Godzilla X Mechagodzilla), dramatic tension and above all: really cool and slick action scenes by that other 'master' Donnie Yen from Iron Monkey and Blade II-fame.
A nice treat for hardcore action-fans!
8,5/10