Kind: Watches

watching a movie, television show, online video, play or other visual-based event
Watched Lightyear (2022) from letterboxd.com
Legendary Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear embarks on an intergalactic adventure alongside a group of ambitious recruits and his robot companion Sox.

This is just not enough fun. It takes itself far too seriously. Admittedly, I’m not the target audience but my children were obviously very bored at times. You see, Buzz has to learn about “teamwork”. Sadly, that takes three quarters of the movie and there is pretty much nothing else going on. There is a single plot line that is endlessly, and needlessly, stymied to the point of teeth gnashing frustration. The story is almost bereft of any good ideas.

It all looks pretty neat, though. I love the design and the sound is great. The soundtrack is not particularly note-worthy but the voice work is very solid. 

I just wish they hadn’t confused tension and excitement…

★★½

My review

Watched Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers (2022) from letterboxd.com
Decades since their successful television series was canceled, Chip has succumbed to a life of suburban domesticity as an insurance salesman. Dale, meanwhile, has had CGI surgery and works the nostalgia convention circuit, desperate to relive his glory days. When a former cast mate mysteriously disappears, Chip and Dale must repair their broken friendship and take on their Rescue Rangers detective personas once again to save their friend’s life.

I went into this with quiet optimism. It was not rewarded. The set-up, the story and effects all work well enough. It’s just really badly put together. It has loads of what should be great little touches that just don’t land. It’s like a five year old telling a joke, where all the timing and intonation is off.

Very poor.

★★

My review

Watched Mom and Dad (2017) from letterboxd.com
In a suburban community, moms and dads, one after the other, mysteriously feel the irresistible impulse to attack and kill their own offspring.

The premise and set-up are great but, once the carnage starts… well, that’s the problem. There is no carnage. There is nowhere near enough splatter for this to be a horror and it is way too short on laughs to be a comedy.

Missed opportunity. Passed the time, though.

★★½

My review

Watched The World's End (2013) from letterboxd.com
Five friends who reunite in an attempt to top their epic pub crawl from 20 years earlier unwittingly become humankind's only hope for survival.

It’s just too long. It’s a big part of the “joke”, that the crawl goes on too long. But it’s boring and self-indulgent.

★★½

My review

Watched Moon Knight (2022) from letterboxd.com
When Steven Grant, a mild-mannered gift-shop employee, becomes plagued with blackouts and memories of another life, he discovers he has dissociative identity disorder and shares a body with mercenary Marc Spector. As Steven/Marc’s enemies converge upon them, they must navigate their complex identities while thrust into a deadly mystery among the powerful gods of Egypt.

Far surpassed my admittedly low expectations. Like the Mandalorian, “new” characters seem the way to go.

What I liked most about this was the chunk in the middle, where you could almost forget it was the MCU. But the VERY MCU conclusion wasn’t unwelcome, either.

★★★★

My review

Watched Thor (2011) from letterboxd.com
Against his father Odin's will, The Mighty Thor - a powerful but arrogant warrior god - recklessly reignites an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.

Watched this with my children (7/10), their first MCU film, and saw it with new eyes.

I’ve always felt it was a bit hammy and tongue-in-cheek, and maybe it is, but that just made it better for the kids. The generally light tone and total lack of subtext worked really well for them.

Decent live action films aimed at kids are now few and far between but they both enjoyed it and I enjoyed watching it with them.

★★★★

My review

Watched Blue Thunder (1983) from letterboxd.com
Los Angeles, California. Officer Murphy, a veteran Metropolitan Police helicopter pilot suffering from severe trauma due to his harsh experiences during the Vietnam War, and Lymangood, his resourceful new partner, are tasked with testing an advanced and heavily armed experimental chopper known as Blue Thunder.

The stunts in this are outrageous. The insurance must have cost a fortune.

While the story might just be your standard conspiracy, maybe it still has a little bite today. My knowledge of 80s LA geography is a bit shaky but I’m pretty sure of “the plan”.

There is some pretty jarring sexism throughout though.

★★

My review

Watched Oblivion (2013) from letterboxd.com
Jack Harper is one of the last few drone repairmen stationed on Earth. Part of a massive operation to extract vital resources after decades of war with a terrifying threat known as the Scavs, Jack’s mission is nearly complete. His existence is brought crashing down when he rescues a beautiful stranger from a downed spacecraft. Her arrival triggers a chain of events that forces him to question everything he knows and puts the fate of humanity in his hands.

There is something about this that stops it being great that I can’t quite put my finger on. All the elements are there, it just doesn’t quite happen.

The production design and costumes for the maintenance team is pretty much worth a star on its own, though.

★★★★

My review

Watched Top Gun: Maverick (2022) from letterboxd.com
After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy's top aviators, Pete Mitchell is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him.

I obviously I don’t watch enough “mindless” blockbusters any more. Either that or it just started out a bit too Poe-faced. Maybe it was the very real flight scenes that threw me?

By the time I realised what I was watching it was a bit too late to enjoy it as intended. I’ll need to watch it again!

★★★

My review

Watched Finding 'Ohana (2021) from letterboxd.com
Two Brooklyn siblings' summer in a rural Oahu town takes an exciting turn when a journal pointing to long-lost treasure sets them on an adventure, leading them to reconnect with their Hawaiian heritage.

This works for me across the board. Whether as a Goonies homage, a weird anti-tourism commentary, family bonding drama or a fun family film.

It is WAY too long but, for me, there were some moments that made that worthwhile.

★★★½

My review