Irishize Reviews

Faces in the Crowd (2011)

A real turkey of a film!

[2/10 · 15 October 2011]

Crikey, but this is bad.

Where to start? An already slim plot, stretched so thin it's ridiculous. Quite a few unintentional laugh-out-loud scenes. Lazy writing, *very* predictable bad-guy.

It's actually a pity this film wasn't a little bit worse - it's just a few scenes away from being the next "The Room", but the boredom is just too much.

If you're a *huge* Jovovich fan, maybe, just maybe you can get through it, but you will be checking your phone/watch/shoe-laces for any morsel of entertainment for long periods of this mis-fire!

You have been warned!

PS What is the deal with films getting tagged as "Horror" these days? Might as well have classified it as "Cookery". Seriously, who categorised this? Is it a ploy by the studio to recoup their $15,000,000 budget on this turkey?

The Final Destination (2009)

Keeping the spirit of Final Destination alive & kicking!

[9/10 · 29 August 2009]

I deliberately tried to avoid reading/watching too much about this before release date, as I was willing to give it a chance (as a fan of the previous FD films - also I find that trailers these days tend to be fairly spoiler-full!).

Now this film ain't out to win the Palm D'Or or anything, but what it does it does really well! The cast do a better job than I feared, given they are largely unknown - and some do very well. But at the end of the day, they are co-stars to Death! :)

This film really delivers entertainment and thrills - something many other recent "horror" films should learn from! From the opening scene (including the opening credits) this recreates and updates the mood and "feel" of the previous outings perfectly. All the ingredients are there - the "waiting for the other shoe to drop" kills, tongue-in-cheek moments and even a few references to the earlier films.

The 3D is really used well too. It actually does enhance the action without being gimmicky - and not just in the action-sequences (though they are, in the main, very well executed), but in some of the set-up shots (with things like the grass on the lawn of one of the houses and other establishing shots given a great subtle 3D effect!).

Bottom line - if you liked the other FDs you will love this one. Can't wait for the next one!

Star Trek (2009)

Takes me back to Star Wars in 1977!

[9/10 · 9 May 2009]

This really was a pleasure of a film. Abrahms has plotted a course that manages to get the balance of engrossing action and entertainment just right.

And entertainment is something that has been missing from the SciFi genre for a while. I'm just about old enough to have experienced Star Wars in the cinema in 1977. The feeling of seeing your imagination (as opposed to what some focus-group *think* people like) up there on-screen can't be beaten.

There is a scene on a snowy planet that is very reminiscent of Star Wars' Hoth - not in plot terms of course, but in the way it carries the viewer with the hero and the odds he faces. And another aboard the Romulan ship that conjures up the feelings of watching Mr. Skywalker battling for his life in "Revenge of the Jedi". This is just for comparison of course - the film is very confident in it's own universe, and Star Trek's fantastic range of characters and history is used to full (and respectful) effect here.

The design-work involved is top notch too. Influences from the original TV series are everywhere and the realism of 2001: A Space Oddysey is evoked also. The fight scenes are orchestrated so that they don't just feel like set-pieces, but real action moments.

The only slight gripe for me was Scotty. When I heard Simon Pegg was playing him I though it sounded like perfect casting. But I think his performance was hammed up too much for "comic effect" - and it didn't work. It was all the more apparent given the rest of the cast's believable performances as young versions of the classic cast. But we can forgive Mr. Pegg. As anyone who has seen the excellent series Spaced will know, his SciFi fan credentials are above reproach! All in all an excellent film that stays true to what makes Science Fiction on film one of the most compelling experiences.

Funny Games (1997)

Jaded by the usual Hollywood 'slashers'? Try this...!

[9/10 · 12 July 2006]

An excellent film. I give it 9 out of 10.

I think this will appeal to those who are well versed in the usual film set-ups of so-called 'violent' films.

The director plays with the audience's concept of what they expect of a film and also what a director must "provide" for them.

This gives an interesting twist on what the viewer expects (and demands) of his/her 'entertainment'.

A refreshing watch. I hope other directors are inspired by some of the techniques used here to such effect.

Definitely a satisfying watch... Don't read too many reviews of it. Just leave your expectations at the door and you will "enjoy" the ride!

Silent Hill (2006)

For Silent Hill Game Fans & Those tired of predictable "horrors"

[8/10 · 3 May 2006]

I was really looking forward to seeing this film. The games (I had only played SH1 & 2) were outstanding cinematically for their time.

The film did not disappoint. As a big fan of the games himself, the director caught the emotions of a gamer (in a darkened room with the sound turned up, seeing for the first time one of the many unsettling visions in the game). If you've never played the games though, then this film is probably not what you would expect when you read the word "Horror" in relation to the usual flicks.

Its more of a creeping/what-the-hell-IS-that?-film than a jump-fest.

In summary, I think the director maybe got the balance wrong in terms of including knowing nods to the gamers watching, while neglecting the first-time viewer. It could've done with more jump-out-of-your-skin moments (which are also present in the game).

But all-in-all, game-to-film conversions are still the poor cousin of "proper" films.

This is the best one out there so far.

Baby Bob (2002–2003)

Why not just poke my eyes out with a stick?

[8 April 2006]

What the Fudgecicle? Found this by accident at 8am on a Saturday morning on Sky One (UK channel). This has to be the worst thing I've seen on TV. As others have said, there were some big names attached to this series... Why, one wonders?? Must've been pretty big paycheques!

There's a very creepy scene where the Grandfather (after a failed audition with the 'talking' baby) says "This will be our little secret", the baby says "I'm good at keeping secrets"... Did anybody actually *read* this script before filming it?

Strange, strange TV execs with more money than sense are still going strong I see! :-P

Well at least it got canned pretty sharpish! Someone must have woken up at the controls!!

Life on Mars (2006–2007)

Intriguing Entertainment!

[16 March 2006]

Like some of the reviewers here, I wasn't expecting much of this and started watching almost by accident.

I am a '24' man(!) and I have to say after watching this, 24 (after season 3 anyway) starts to show it's weaknesses. In "Life on Mars" you really start to care about the character and what is happening - it has many surprises. Some are startling, some dawn on you as you watch.

Now I wouldn't be old enough to actually remember the 70's, but it is very atmospheric - and crucially, not in an over-the-top way.

The 'real world'(??!) storyline is handled with a light touch too. You go through it with him as clues (or more questions) pop up unpredictably!

This deserves to be a huge hit!

Be Cool (2005)

Dreadful, cynical, pointless... yep, that about covers it!

[2/10 · 22 September 2005]

I am just amazed that DeVito has the neck to be part of the finance behind such a soul-less and empty shell of a 'film'.

The other 'stars' could really have telephoned in their performances. They should be (and probably are) ashamed of this - seriously!

The surreal moments (103-year-old, butcher-faced Steve Tyler 'finding out' why he wrote one of his hits from the 'cool' 51-year-old Travolta {Born 1954})are spoiled by the sheer clumsiness of the writing and delivery.

The way the film is played out seems very dated - like a cross between Hart-to-Hart (guns can easily be dealt with by a lame one-liner) and the cheesiest cheese commercial on the Cheese Channel(tm) on the feast of all cheeses!

Suffice it to say that this is truly a 'lowest-common-denominator' type of flick. Actually, calling it a 'Flick' is derogatory to other light-hearted-not-to-be-taken-seriously films.

I give it a 2 out of 10 instead of a 1, as it was so unbelievably bad, I actually got a laugh out of it - but it was *despite* its awfulness, and not because of any merit in this waste of celluloid.

Vacuous drivel like this should not be marketed as 'entertainment'! Phew! (*pauses for breath*)

Consider yourself warned! :-)

Threads (1984 TV Movie)

This Shows The Power of TV In The Right Hands

[10/10 · 22 September 2005]

In common with some other commentators, I was in secondary school ('High-School') when I first saw this (About 13).

The only reason I got to see it at all is that I don't think it was hyped at all at then time (it was on Irish TV - RTE) and I am very glad I did.

This film, although originally made for TV, is a showcase for how a Gi-normous budget is not always necessary to evoke powerful feelings in the viewer. It seems to have been unofficially 'banned' by UK TV stations ever since.

If you haven't seen it, see it and you'll know what I mean. (Its just out on DVD region 2 recently).

You will never watch a 'disaster' movie in the same way again.

Highly Recommended!

Unleashed (2005)

An awkward, lumbering mess....!

[2/10 · 12 June 2005]

This film starts out really well, as some other reviewers have mentioned. Don't get me wrong, I like a good fight scene as much as the next guy, but the few good scenes there are, do not make up for the mawkish, almost embarrassingly dire dialogue that poor Mr. Freeman has to dole out. He really is doing a DeNiro on it - feathering his retirement nest financially while he still can. And good for him! But it does make for some unwatchable dross! Li's character - in fact all characters in this film - are so dumbed down that they squander any empathy the audience may have had at the outset. Don't get me started on Hoskins! And his 'goons' are just sub-cartoon standard.

Ah well, I hope Li gets some better roles in the near future, as he is probably capable of more than this type of rubbish.

My verdict: Perfect for 10 to 12 year old boys (whatever the rating is) - too lightweight for anyone else I think!