Posted by Matthewon August 16, 2015 Movies, Reviews /
Comments Off on Quick Reviews: ‘Shaun the Sheep’ and ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E.’
I saw two movies this weekend! And I’m actually writing about them! Huzzah!
Shaun the Sheep
Would you like to have a delightful time at the movies? Then you should totally see Shaun the Sheep. In 90 minutes of beautifully stop-motion animation by Aardman –the folks behind Wallace and Gromit (among other things)– Shaun the clever sheep leads a flock of sheep on an adventure to the big city. It’s funny, sweet, and emotional and despite having no dialogue manages to have a pretty menacing villain, a pretty great central story, and a delightful musical number in the middle.
Sure, it’s a kids movie, but it’s a great kids movie and you should totally see it.
The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Would you like to be bored at the movies? Really? Why would you want that? To each their own I suppose. In that case you should totally check out The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Guy Ritchie’s update of the 1960s TV show. It’s not outright bad but it’s all style and no substance. Shallow is the word and since the main characters never feel like they’re in any real danger it’s hard to get excited during otherwise fairly well executed action sequences.
Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer don’t really have that much in the way of chemistry which is a problem too. Cavill in particular didn’t really work for me. Hos character is supposed to be cool as ice and aloof but many of his one-liners fell flat for me since he came off so detached. Hugh Grant is in it too but he’s famous enough that when he shows up in a seemingly innocuous role it’s easy to predict what’s going to happen next. His best one liner is spoiled in the damn trailer, and then at the end when they finally form U.N.C.L.E. he just says it and the screen goes black. It’s annoying because this movie really felt like it could have been a lot better but as is it’s just a sloppily handled bore.
Posted by Matthewon July 12, 2013 Podcast /
Comments Off on Podcast Episode 50: The Last of Us, Forza Horizon, Deadpool, The Lone Ranger, Much Ado About Nothing and Yoga
This week on a very special Awesome Friday we’re joined by Debbie from Nirmala Living for a discussion of The Last of Us, the latest Forza game, the Deadpool game, The Lone Ranger and Much Ado About Nothing, as well as yoga, nutrition and probiotics. Yes, really!
Posted by Matthewon July 03, 2013 Movies, Reviews /
Comments Off on Review: The Lone Ranger
The Lone Ranger hasn’t been on screen in more than 30 years. I remember watching reruns of the 60s tv series when I was a kid, watching the masked man fight for truth and justice with his partner Tonto with the William Tell Overture playing in the background. This was a time when heroes could be heroes without being complicated.
So how does that translate into the current times of dark, gritty, rebooted superheroes? Meh.
It’s been a whole since I had such mixed feelings about a movie.
Posted by Matthewon April 17, 2013 Trailers /
Comments Off on The Long Ranger Sure Looks Fun
I don’t expect The Lone Ranger to be a substantive or intellectual work of American cinema, however it sure looks like a boat load of fun. Hit the jump to watch!
Posted by Matthewon February 03, 2013 Trailers /
Comments Off on Trailer: The Lone Ranger Super Bowl Spot
The 90 second spot for The Lone Ranger that aired during the Superbowl is now online. Hurray!
I’m going to go with my first instinct on this and say that despite the fact that it looks like it might be fairly predictable (do you think Armie Hammer might have been betrayed and left for dead and found and nursed back to health by Tonto who had previously been betrayed and then together they ride out to exact justice on the bad guys together and in the process much action and badass hilarity ensues?) I think that it might still be a whole lotta fun.
This about Pirates of the Caribbean here. The first one, not the rest of them. It’s that level that I’m talking about. If they hit that same mark this movie could be one of the top earners of the year.
From producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski, the filmmaking team behind the blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, comes Disney/Jerry Bruckheimer Films’ The Lone Ranger, a thrilling adventure infused with action and humour, in which the famed masked hero is brought to life through new eyes.
Native American spirit warrior Tonto (Johnny Depp) recounts the untold tales that transformed John Reid (Armie Hammer), a man of the law, a legend of justice — taking the audience on a runaway train of epic surprises and humorous friction as the two unlikely heroes must learn to work together and fight against greed and corruption.
See what I mean about “probably predictable but likely still fun”?
