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TST Film Review Thread

How to Train Your Dragon (cinema) - the new live action one. Really very good and is completely faithful to the original, I just preferred it as an animated film. And I guess that’s the problem with these live action remakes, they’re either so faithful to the original that they’re a bit pointless, or they change too much and lose the heart and soul of the film

Snow White (Disney+) - unlike HTTYD this did change a lot from the original, I found it very watchable despite thinking both the acting and the CGI was really poor for the most part. The musical numbers were class though, put a right smile on my face.
 
What We Did On Our Holiday
An odd choice of a movie to watch, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. At first, I thought it was going to be one of those “everything goes wrong” movies where they ruthlessly beat this innocent protagonist in the ground for being a male nurse or whatever. This movie at the start made me think it would, and come with a side of birth control PSA to boot, but I was very wrong!

Well, it was an “everything goes wrong movie” but it uses that as a way to unearth character flaws and doesn’t come off as mean spirited one bit. I shan’t spoil anything, as I went in knowing nothing, but it’s one of those movies that are very dark in content but uplifting in its tone and messages - pretty much my favourite kind of movie.

Third act gets a bit… over the top sentimental when it is in fact a bit ridiculous. Although, saying that feels odd in retrospect, because the plot in the middle of the movie is far more ridiculous, but it felt like something the characters would do - so I believed it. I can’t afford that to the third act though, some bits of the resolution feel a tad contrived.

Stick with it, the kids will be your favourite characters in it by the end.

Also, divorce movie where the parents don’t get back at the end. I really appreciate when movies do this.
 
Obviously the big coaster holiday meant no cinema for a few weeks and I did sadly miss a few films I wanted to see (Ballerina and Tornado) but I've been able to start catching up on what is on release...

F1 (The Movie)

basically Top Gun Maverick in race cars with amazing technology sticking cameras into real cars and filming taking place during real race weekends over the past two seasons. Barring the actors everyone else is a real person in the F1 paddock, drivers, team principals etc.

Brad Pitt is the washed out never was brought in to help improve a failing F1 team butting heads with the teams rookie driver. Was a very enjoyable romp. The racing sequences are stunning.

How To Train Your Dragon (2025)

The original was probably one of the most delightful surprises I've ever experienced in the cinema.

So with that a live action re-make that covers the same story is a hard sell.

Think it was well cast. Gerard Butler reprising the role of Stoic is at his Butler best. They even do expand the lore somewhat to explain why the vikings are in Berk, and a few more references to Hiccups missing mother. I guess they'll be doing another re-make soon enough. I hope they can get Cate Blanchett in to reprise her role.

The film hits those emotional beats, but as you know what's going to happen it doesn't work as hard.

So its good but not great like the original. Would love any sequels to do something new and not just re tread 2 and 3 but that doesn't seem likely.

M3gan 2.0

This does the whole Alien/Aliens and Terminator/T2 of switching from what was nominally a horror original into an action sequel.

Obviously like M3gan this also is infused with humour.

Really enjoyed this, some great action and some very funny bits as well.


Next up for me will be Elio and Jurassic World Rebirth.
 
Recently watched Conclave and Manchester-By-the-Sea. Both very good Oscar-winning movies that are very character-driven and use their dramatic set pieces sparingly for dramatic impact. I love a good comic book movie but do get desensitised by the amount of action going on, and the characters can feel a bit sandy at times.

Manchester-By-the-Sea handled depression and other unsettling moments really well, you can tell all of the emotion the actors, writers and the rest of the production crew put into the film.

Conclave otherwise is an insightful piece into religion and politics, and the different types of people that seek power, and the moral compass that they lead by.

Both films really resonated with me on a personal level. Been really into films recently since the COVID pandemic, as I guess I’ve got some breathing space in yet another major life transition. Definitely seeing the quiet, resilient optimism shining through in everything that I’ve watched.

Also watched the final season of Squid Game, it was alright. Didn’t like the CGI on the baby and the dog, to the point they were kind of immersion breaking. Trajectory kind of broadly follows the Hunger Games trilogy, and are largely to the same standard. I just kind of feel like I’ve kind of grown past these dystopian narratives.
 
Went to watch Elio this afternoon.

I enjoyed it and liked the overall themes but it still felt like a mid level Pixar film, the sort of film Dreamworks or Sony would've been made up with back in the day.

Disappointed to see how poorly its done at the box office though, Elemental had strong legs via word of mouth so hopefully this will too.
 
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