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The Irregulars (2021)
Not Sherlock; Not fantasy; But good drama.
The hate and lack of appreciation towards this series is totally uncalled for!
Being a Sherlock purist, I was taken aback for a moment by yet another "loose adaptation". This is NOT an adaptation, but surely the lure worked for me. Neither is this a fantasy for the sake of just being one. To be inspired by a great creation, yet being able to shine through it with your own creativity is a gift.
The wonderful actors, specially the children, and the engaging drama carries it through with the season. The script and direction are rather good as well.
For those biased views, worried about parts being era-inappropriate, I've but just one thing to ask. When was exactly the era when the supernatural used to be natural then ay?
If it is actually the casting that makes you uncomfortable, be decent enough to at least not flaunt your racial reservations.
GIVE IT A CHANCE. Go through the season.
Brave New World (2020)
Why are dystopian futures so unrealistic
Though this novel is over half a century old, the creators do take their liberties.
That makes me wonder even more, why do all 'dystopian authors' lack vision? Their lack of a scientific background?
Overall, this was pretty mediocre...nothing engaging, and nothing damning. In fact, nothing crucial really seems to be happening ever (despite being so). Infact, the most intriguing thing for me, over all the episodes, was that the actors resembled Liev Schreiber/Tom Hiddelston & Keira Knightley :D
Cursed (2020)
Daniel Sharman, the saving grace
Only watched this because of Sharman, was worried the next season would become unwatchable if they kill of this arch enemy, but that certainly wasn't the biggest worry.
Most myths have multiple versions, and like it or not, one gets adapted, and the gaps filled in by the screenwriters. But what they made here apparently doesn't seem to be any version of the Arthurian legend whatsoever!
The cast is also a disappointment...quite a waste of talents. They are all wonderful actors, but most of them suited for other parts.
Alex Rider (2020)
The best part is probably Otto
After watching the dreadful, yet star studded movie I did not have high hopes for this series.
Moreover, Otto Farrant (in & as Alex Rider) looked more like any unassuming, sweet teen; the farthest you can expect from a badass spy when it comes to looks. And oh! Wasn't I in for a pleasant surprise, in the best way possible. He played the kind, humble appearance to the best of his advantage with his splendid acting, alongside the rest of the cast, the beautiful screenwriting and direction.
Came in the evening planning to check out the new kid in the block, before I continued with my work. Ended up binge watching the entire season...and eagerly awaiting the following ones.
Give it a go, Recommended!
Had went against reading the books after the movie, but now I sure will!
Kudos to Otto & co ;)
P.S. Please someone manage this (& related) pages better.
Scoob! (2020)
Certainly better than they say
Nostalgia is not something that holds me back over judging this movie. I had watched a couple Scooby episodes in my childhood, and that was it.
Overall, a decent fun movie for KIDS!
The storyline is nothing extraordinary, but, I stress again, a fun enough one for kids. With a quick origin story,pleasant voiceovers, and neat animation, this did not lead me to regret my hour & half.
Easily a solid 7.
How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
Watched it a 100 times, and...
it's still managed to make me smile, laugh, tear up and excited every time. And I can still watch it a hundred more times, even at this age loooong past my teens, and still be as entertained as the first time round. This has the perfect dosage of wit, humor, drama, action, scattered bits of suspense and...the perfect team of the six riders. The twins never cease to bring that giggle back, even with their old pathetic jokes. I mean, who would've thought to make a voice cast of Jay Baruchel...which has now become almost iconic! Such a perfect amount of time spent on the build-up; especially the bonding; and the climax. It has one of the best (thought through) story lines. Congratulations to the Dreamsworks team on a job well done. And of course to Cressida Crowell for her creations.
How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)
Potential for an all time classic.
One must start with pointing out the two protagonists: Hiccup & Toothless. Among the several 'handicapped' protagonists I have come across over the years, Hiccup & Toothless are by far the only ones who do not garner even the tiniest bit of sympathy over their handicap, flaunting it all the way through. Elsewhere, with handicapped leads, their handicap mostly balances out their amazingness: either their intelligence, niceness, brilliance, or just to increase the attention. On the contrary, for Hiccup & Toothless, despite their matching missing leg & tail, the handicap, if anything, only adds to their amazingness and uniqueness, though you nearly forget about it at most times. Although the storyline for How to Train Your Dragon 2 is a bit 'grown-up' than its predecessor, it still is a pleasant couple of hours for every age group. A big thanks for such attention to detail, brilliant colors & above all, the voice cast. Also, very few movies manage to deliver it a second time through. However, this movie certainly delivers to it by improving on the smallest of details and all new add-ons that complement those present. A solid 8-8.5. Dreamworks does it again with the new mature & confident...err Hiccup!
The 9th Life of Louis Drax (2016)
Wow!!
This movie needs more credit just for the sheer unexpected nature of the storyline.
I must say, I started with a blank sheet. Did not read any reviews, spoilers or anything that would have ruined the fun for me. Had just watched a clip, and it seemed okay enough to continue with the ~2 hour ride. Must say, did not regret a bit.
For the first 5-10 minutes, I took it for a (childrens') comedy. For the following as many minutes, I was wondering if it was afterall a spiritual movie to the core. Then I had settled for plain family drama; well, that is, until I arrived at the last 15-10 minutes.
Not that it is an absolute masterpiece in every aspect of film making, but sure, really really sure, it's worth the time. That's probably all one could give up without giving up the storyline.
I totally recommend the fun experience.
The Shannara Chronicles (2016)
Admirable CGI for a series
The first thing that caught my attention in the trailers was the implementation of the Shannara universe, looked almost as good as Lord of the Rings (Sorry LotR, didn't wanna demean you). Still, it's pretty good for a series.
Then comes the cast. Despite Allanon and the Elf-king being familiar faces in the industry, the three main protagonists are not. Was skeptic whether Will would live up to the glamour of the female cast, and was pleasantly surprised with his humorous & innocent rendering of the character. Overall, the cast had me pretty much smiling to myself.
The novels however, are already out there, and twists and turns in the plot while sticking to the original might prove difficult. Still, it will be interesting to see what the screenwriters may incorporate while staying true to the novels. I for one, wouldn't mind if this turns out to be something entirely different...but good nonetheless. Also, looking forward to if & when the rest of the novels in the series will be produced.
Wishing the Shannara team all the best!
Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments (2016)
Do the actors get paid for this?
I had been looking forward to this for a while. After realizing the movie series might not have received a second go.
Unfortunately, it seemed like something that a group of friends with a camera would come up with. Most of the time they would've come up with something better! Cheap props, incoherent background music and miserable acting just ruined the mood of the show. As if it were hard to afford something better than plastic swords and school-goers for actors. The drawbacks are bared specially during the actions or with the effects.
The (only?) positive would be the screen writing for now. Would give it a shot with a few more episodes. Really hope they redeem the show.
Jurassic World (2015)
Entertained!
First, lets not compare this to its predecessors. The aboriginal Jurassic Park certainly came with its own unique thrills. The Jurassic World not only revives the franchise, but also packs some punches on its own.
The most enjoyable part for me, and a lot of others I talked to, was the 3D rendition. It jerked us off our seats more than a couple of times. The dinos were impeccably animated, and all in all, it was worth the trip to the cinema! However, the movie certainly had us arching our brows a few times as well. Fair warning, this movie build up on the previous installments, so do your revision before hitting the cinemas. I was highly skeptic of the lead cast, but they did not disappoint as much as the erotic plot. Come to think it it, it felt more of a dinosaur chase in a video game than a movie.
Insurgent (2015)
A movie better than its novel.
My score is solely based on the fact that the movies so far have entertained me far better than the books. The tweaks in the script from the original novel is certainly value added...so far! The family bond (Tris' family), the chemistry of Tris & Four, the evils of Jeanine & Evelyn, and most of all the narration, are all brilliantly held up. Even more, the characters that did not make it to the movie (from the original novel) are rarely missed.
The cast live up to their standards, and the direction is decent as well.
Having said that, the recent age of these dystopic, virtual reality, post apocalyptic themed adaptations already feel like a drag. Still, hoping for the last part of the trilogy to come out as good as Divergent & Insurgent. In the very least, the series seem much less violent than its counterparts, suiting my taste.
Fantastic Four (2015)
Want faithful adaptations? Don't watch movies
Oh come on. This is waaay better than those "home-made" low budget, plot less, full of holes in the edit, painfully acted movies. It is highly probable that you would be disappointed if you're an avid follower of the comics. Then imagine the disappointment when our favorite novels & classics are "adapted" into movies! Those would go way back in the negatives then.
These movies are called adaptations for a reason! Nevertheless, it is not such a disappointment if you're ready to watch it with a open mind (or not a worshipper of Marvel comics). The acting is pretty decent, and it paves a good enough path for the future installments; i.e., if there are any! The CGI is pleasant and if you need an excuse to finish your popcorns, go for it!
Strange Magic (2015)
No original story, too much forced music!
Watching the trailer, if you're reminded of EPIC, you won't be wrong.
Watching the movie, you'll be reminded of several other animations, and, at the end of the day you'll realize it's actually a poor-mash-up of all those.
And oh, the awful music. Just keeps coming on. Did not expect such a disappointment from Disney after the likes of musicals in Tangled & Frozen! Each song drags unnecessarily and is mostly not even pleasant. Most of them aren't even placed decently. I often shared the agony of the dark creatures there.
Plot or character build-up, they don't seem to have heard about it. I can't remember the last animated movie where I did not really adore the characters (I must say here, I'm big on anything animated). Unfortunately here, I couldn't really really root for any.
On top of it all, a predictable plot plus too many loose ends.
On the plus side, if you really enjoy animations, like me, forget about what's going on in the movie & just watch the immaculate animation. Kudos for the effects and sound too. Well, that's quite expected off Walt Disney, ain't it?
Big Hero 6 (2014)
Great start, disappointing end.
I was really really impressed by the start and expected that to continue until the end.
But alas, every good thing comes to an end; and this one long before the movie itself ended. Turned out to be those Power Ranger kids in (questionably) upgraded costumes at the end of the day.
Honestly, I would have rated the movie a 10 until before the blast: inspiring, innovative, unique and innocent. The flow of the storyline was exceptional. The characters were building up pretty good, and so was the chemistry.
To round it off as beautifully, I expected a super intelligent bot fight-off for the last scene (well nothing of the sort as it started off with). They had certainly built up the ground for it, with a pretty smart face-off to start with.
But then, there comes the cliché! The oh-awful villain with a grudge for a team of unassuming nerds to take on. All the brilliant plot build-up simply goes down the drain with the stealing & the mask!
I might even guess that these are two stories by two different authors.
To top it all, an absolutely unrelated storyline pops up promising a sequel!!
Demotivates me to look forward to the sequel!
Elementary (2012)
What's in a name?
Well yes, back to the basics again. I am in the team who find it unjust naming the characters by the legendary nemesis created by Sir Conan Doyle. I don't see the point of it, making a whole new series with the only thing similar being the set of names! Had it been otherwise, the series would've been above most other thrillers. Considering the excellent act put up by Jhonny Lee & the rest of the crew, the series would've been way more appreciated by me calling the characters differently.
P.S. The only thing I loved in the original Sherlock context is the twist in the Moriarty case. Buuuut...could've been presented better!