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TST Film Review Thread

Just seen Ghostbusters Frozen Empire myself.

It did feel like they just threw a bunch of ideas at the wall and saw what stuck.

Definitely too many lead characters, I mean it's nice that now they can get Akroyd and Murray to reprise the roles. Just a pity this never happened when Ivan Reitman wanted to make a third film. Feel like Afterlife was a good way to close the book on the original characters and just Winston should've been around in this one as the financial backer. Too many main characters to service in the 3rd act.

I did like the family dynamics with Rudd, Cook, Wolfhard, and McKenna Grace. More of that please.

Walter Peck returning, wasn't sure about this from the trailers. But worked perfectly with him now being the Mayor, a real pointed view of how failure and incompetence doesn't hinder. (see also the mayor in Jaws 2 had been re-elected even though he was directly responsible for a number of deaths).


The red Ghostbuster uniforms/coats looked great, I'd buy one of those.
 
I watched Ghostbusters Frozen Empire today and quite enjoyed it! Kumail Nanjiani's character added nothing to the story. His comedy felt very jarring, and even his 'big moment' at the end left me feeling nothing for his character. Aside from that, I thought it was a fun film to watch. It is the worst Ghostbusters film, but I still liked it in its own way.
 
I saw frozen empire on Friday night. Ghostbusters is the one franchise, if it can be called that. That I will consume everything on and buy anything related to it.

It's good. Not to same scale as afterlife, but it's good. My concern was over too much fan service, they just kept it at bay. It's good that the Spengler family thing is building along nicely good click between the four there. Phoebe character ark is developing very well.

James acaster character was a novel little edition. The temptation to have him as oscar barratt must have been there. Glad they didn't follow it up. Peck as mayor i was little surprised, I thought they were going to use him like the IDW comics do, someone to oversee the Ghostbusters. But it makes sense that 'dickless' would get to the top job and still be bitter about 1984.

The "franchise" for lack of a better word, does need to move on and this film, I hope, is the start of them moving away from the old heads. Some good nods to first film in the library and at least we had nods to the happenings of 1989 lurking in the back ground. Which was missing in afterlife. I thought Ray, Winston and janine were all used well. Venkman seemed a little out of place in it all.

Overall. It's a nice little film that ticks along nicely AND is a welcome addition to the previous 3 (we can all agree answer the call can stay away from canon. Although I would bring Holtzman into the series happily.) Ok, Kumail Nanjiani didn't quite nail the character. I will agree on that. That's the only real nick pick I have.
 
It seems critics are giving it a hard time, yet it's raking in the cash at the Box Office, and this thread seems to have burst into action, even after a year of such high quality film making. That's the power of a strong franchise for you.

I'm also in the camp of never missing anything Ghostbusters related. I was obsessed with it in the 80's, the VHS tapes of the first two being well worn, watching every episode of the cartoon series, playing with pots of slime, the action figures, and my toy Ecto 1. I'm pumped for this movie even if it turns out to be rubbish.
 
Finally released in the UK at the weekend and completing for me seeing all the Academy Award nominated animated film was Robot Dreams. From director Pablo Berger.

Set in 1980s New York City in a world populated with humanoid animals instead of people. Our main character is 'Dog' a lonely bachelor whose tired of being alone, then one day he builds his own robot friend.

They become fast friends until one fateful day at the beach dog has to leave robot behind.

The film is basically a silent movie, the only words we hear are from the song 'September.' The animation whilst simple is so well done and packed full of Easter eggs and add so much depth to this world as it really captures that new York vibe.

The story is wonderful, funny, sad, thoughtful, had about 6 existential crisises whilst watching it.

Heartily reccomend.
 
So after the Toho masterpiece Godzilla Minus One which also picked up a best special effects Oscar earlier this month we finally get the next WB film Godzilla X Kong - The New Empire.

Firstly why are all these Godzilla films now maths equasions?

Continuing the monsterverse were we left it after 2020s Godzilla vs Kong, thankfully we've jettisoned a large number of the human roles in this one following a small number of returning characters.

Despite getting top billing this is very much Kongs film as his exploration of the hollow earth look to mistakenly unearth the next threat to humanity.

Overall it was just OK, really should be more fun.

Still I'm glad we have a situation were we can have very serious and moving Godzilla films, whilst also having absolutely nuts monster mash ups.
 
Watched Barbie last night now it’s on Sky. Enjoyable and unique but compared to the general consensus I was a bit underwhelmed.
 
Watched Next Goal Wins tonight on Disney+, based on the true story of the American Samoa football team following their record breaking and humiliating 31-0 defeat to Australia. Directed by Taika Waititi and very much in his style as far as humour and script goes.

Personally I really enjoyed it and would recommend.
 
Released today Monkey Man , written, directed, and starring Dev Patel.

An absolute delight of a revenge via ultra violence flick.

Some very inventive fight sequences throughout.

I know Aaraon Taylor-Johnson seems likely to be announced as James Bond in the near future, but I think Dev Patel would be a great fit as well. Get him to direct and you could save some cash as well.
 
Watched Scoop tonight, a new Netflix film about the infamous Prince Andrew interview.

Decent and very watchable, felt more like an episode of The Crown than a movie though. Billie Piper and Gillian Anderson both very good.
 
Not sure how I'd not seen it previously but spotted it on Netflix and through it on. Arrival starring Amy Adams as a language expert called into help the US military attempt to communicate with an alien space craft, one of twelve that have mysteriously came to earth.

A stunningly great film and piece of sci-fi. Absolutely floored by the ending.
 
Out at cinemas yesterday was Alex Garlands Civil War led by Kirsten Dunst as veteran war reporter.

Set in seemingly dying days of a US civil war were a number of states have succeded from the union during the presidents 3rd term. With the western forces of Texas and California massing to strike the final blow with an invasion of DC itself.

The film mostly follows Dunst and her fellow reporters as they traverse the shattered country trying to travel from New York to DC.

So it's mostly a travelogue as they encounter multiple encounters with civilians, militia groups, and soldiers.

Brilliantly shot, and looks amazing for its $50 million budget (a record for an A24 film). Don't go in expecting any sort of political angle as like the journalists we follow it's quite the neutral film. However that doesn't stop it from showing the horror of the idea of what a civil war can and has done to countries.
 
Been another few trips to the cinema for me...

Back To Black the Amy Winehouse biopic. As I'm sure I mentioned back when the Bob Marley film came out is the major issue is all these films follow the same plot almost beat for beat.

Marisa Abela is great as Winehouse, really captured the spirit. However the film itself is really basic and screams just being taken from her Wikipedia page. Weirdly paints everyone in a relatively good light including her ex husband, and her father. Not good. Her music still great, though please remember The Zutons wrote Valerie.

And catching up on the recent Dreamworks release Kung Fu Panda 4 seeing Jack Black returning as Po the dragon warrior and introducing a fox voiced by Akwafina. The furious five all being MIA, clearly Dreamworks didn't want to stump up the cash.
Perfectly good fun with the buddy duo of Pos two fathers providing plenty of light relief. Villain is rather undercooked though, especially their plot to steal the powers of other warriors.
 
New out this weekend is another ultra violent revenge thriller Boy Kills World starring Bill Skarsgard as an orphan out for revenge against the fascist leader that killed his mother and sister.

Quite surreal at times as his sister appears throughout as part of his imagination. Also our lead character id a mute. So we hear his inner monologue throughout, it's done by H. Jon Benjamin so to me the whole thing sounds like an episode of Bobs Burgers or Archer.

Gloriously violent and darkly funny.
I'd give it 4 axe blows to the head out of 5.
 
New out this weekend after being delayed from last year is Challengers starting Zendaya as a tennis protege turned coach for her husband (Mike Faist).

The film is set during a climactic Challenger tournament as Faists character, a multi slam winner nearing retirement readying himself at one last push to win the US open competing against his former best friend and doubles partner (played by John O'connor) whose pro career never took off.

It uses this match to flashback over the events of the previous 13 years showing their friendship, and how Zendayas character would eventually fracture it.

Great film, the actual tennis scenes are almost dizzying to watch and so inventive. Genuinely felt like I had to duck out of the way on a number of occasions.

Great performances from the three leads as well, really enjoyed having something like this released right before we dive into blockbuster season.
 
I've been sitting on this review for two days now. The so-called Dungeons and Dragons movie.

I kept expecting them to start fucking. Genuinely, I've seen porn with a better plot.
 
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