Reviews

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Dude gets out of the joint and inevitably ends up getting sucked back into criminality with tragic consequences. There is a touching love story and also (weirdy but cooly) the movie is interspersed with real people giving their story of their life of poverty or crime. Quite moving and gritty and also ethereal and dreamy at times. Shows harsh unfair life for trailer trash type folks, who rarely escape their destiny in spite of not actually being bad at heart people.

Damn i sat through all that boring shite just to get a glimpse of Godzilla's uncle at the end for half a second. This movie is bad, it's boring and frustrating. There are some good paradox ideas etc but there is nothing new. The acting is ok and there are some good special effects. But as for the end wtf i mean wtf was that corny Godzilla all about. The original Cloverfield was ok, Cloverfield Lane was great cause the twist and ending was not what was assumed and portrayed during the movie. But this was just too heavy going and boring and never really got my attention. I honestly felt like throwing my remote control through the tv at the end. Of course we knew there would be a surprise in store on earth 1 for the returning crew but to show that daft Godzilla like that was ridiculous. I think would have been better to show nothing and left to the imagination of the audience what may await - as we knew from folks on earth some bad shit was going down. I am giving this 2 star cause i like all sci fi and was some good effects etc but the overall movie is awful.

This movie literally blew the cobwebs out of my system i laughed so much along with my daughter - please do not listen to negative reviews of this movie -its daft and funny and meant to be that way and the characters really gel nicely.

I know its for kids but i seen it twice in a week it is so funny.

Just take a look and make your own view but i can highly recommend this esp as a family movie.

There is some funky tunes in this movie too esp Dr Love by Donnie Klang.

9 out of 10 for making you laugh,

I love Ryan Gosling since watching The Notebook and was highly recommended to see this movie by 2 women friends.

Gosling plays a dark mystery guy in this movie who speaks as much by silence as by words. He is a stunt driver by day and getaway driver by night for local thugs.

There is a kind of ethereal mystery quality throughout and the soundtrack helps in parts and over plays it in others in my opinion. Some of the city nights and lights overhead camera shots remind me of the movie Heat and there are many other movies that spring to mind at various points.

Gosling gets drawn into an ever decreasing circle of violence after trying to help his neighbour Carey Mulligan whom he likes and her ex-con husband -the violence is graphic and intense at times so be warned Mel Gibson Payback springs to mind.

There are a few other characters all playing stereotyped roles in this movie and all do a good if not great job.

Overall the movie is haunting bleak and dreamlike but no real warmth or love of the characters develops and at the end I am left feeling a bit empty and unfulfilled but it is moving at the same time.

I have not watched many movies recently so this is my first review in a while.

This movie made a big impression on me if not a great one -

Definitely worth seeing as it is a bit different although reminds me of other movies at various times. Was good but could have been great I feel.

This movie and part 2 has won me over in the end. Have not seen part 3 yet to comment sorry.

I had never bothered with Transformers toys, comics, cartoons or whatever they had - so did not have any real idea what this story was about apart from robots that change to vehicles and vice versa.

When the movie first started with the marines being attacked etc. I thought f*** me this is going to be the best movie of all time.

I think I was expecting a cross between Saving Private Ryan and Predator/Alien type movie at first and expected the robots to be more malevolent and the film to be gritty.

But when the silly cartoon kinda robots (Autobots) did show up and were hiding outside the house of Sam etc I felt like walking out and not watching the rest.

I have since changed my views after watching again and seeing the second movie.

I have accepted that this movie was based on a previous idea so had to copy that in most parts - and it is aimed at family and younger viewers too so accept the action had to be less raw.

That said Michael Bay has done a fantastic, brilliant, amazing job in showing mind blowing effects and sequences.

The sheer relentless action at some points I think did win me over in spite of the movie having to be tamed for general viewing.

What surprised me most is Shia Labeouf I think I once saw him in a bit part in I-Robot with Will Smith putting him in his place ha ha.

But in this movie he is perfect for the role - he is appealing to all I think be it young, old, male or female.

He has charm and humour and timing and sex appeal (for girls or gays not me) but he does look good I admit.

He is kind of a cross between a nerd, geek etc and action hero eg. Die Hard to me somehow as silly as that may sound thats how I class him and see him.

I just saw another movie called Eagle Eye with him as the lead and I really enjoyed that too - it's daft but non stop action and simply fantastic entertainment and relentless crazy funny thrill-ride.

He is just likable unlike many actors I could mention.

I think the movie would have fallen short without him but still would have been good because of the effects.

Megan Fox the eye candy who I heard is not in the third movie was nice, sexy, cute etc to look at and I thought she acted OK too but some people slag her too much for acting ability I feel.

Maybe Jessica Alba would have been better but not sure of age etc. Anyways they found a new one now for the 3rd movie hope she is good.

It's sad what happen but Fox must have done something silly or not understood her role and reason of being in the movie (eye candy only) in order to get fired really.

OK enough politics sorry - back to review.

This movie has everything sexy cool actors, action, effects, comedy and daft robots too - but in the end you can either ignore or embrace the idea and plot and just enjoy the ride it really is great.

I do wish as there was a grown up - darker version of this made by Bay but you cannot have everything i suppose.

Watch it and enjoy but don't think too much or look for reasons to criticize you will find plenty but that will spoil a great spectacle if you do.

I do not normally watch horror type movies at all so kinda watched this by mistake thinking it was a thriller.

This movie was OK in some respects in that is was scary for sure at times. Well done to director and crew for this.

Great in others areas (the two main actors esp the girl Emily Blunt is hot and talented too).

But overall the plot was just too silly and a mixture genres too.

I did get creeped out though for sure and some of the simple scare tactics of building suspense and unexpected things happening really really gave me the goose bumps.

This was achieved without expensive special effects and massive budget so well done there to the director.

Basic plot is two students get stuck on creepy road in middle of nowhere in a snow storm.

Some creepy - supernatural - time-shift kinda things happen while the girl and boy try to understand and survive the ordeal.

I would love to get stuck with her any time but not if i had to endure all the lunacy that happens ha ha.

The twist is revealed too early but its still good to watch.

I can honestly say I enjoyed and was scared watching this movie and would like to see more films with the 2 leads who are both cool actors.

Its silly, daft, scary, creepy, laughable, confusing I would say and could have been better in some ways I feel (but not sure how) but still was a good scare-ride.

Overall I give 6 stars mainly for the 2 leads doing so well at getting you to feel involved and trapped with them and also director did great job in some simple scenes that were genuinely creepy and scary but did not look as though they cost fortunes to shoot.

That is my assessment but as I stated I do not normally watch this type of movie so cannot fully understand what kind of movie this is and how it compares to others of that type.

I absolutely loved this movie.

This view may be affected by the fact that I love Hilary Swank and also I love doctors I find them so hot. So this is like a double helping of sexiness to me before we even start the movie.

I was not let down in the slightest in spite of the fact I had read some good and some not so good reviews and seen a clip already.

Its a short movie and you soon get into it - there is a strange creepy quality from the start (maybe the music etc)and seeing Christopher Lee (legend) leaves you in no doubt something sinister is lurking somewhere beneath the surface.

The dearest most beautiful Hilary Swank is soon into her special talent that no other actress can manage to pull off the same IMHO- this is the fact you really want to love her and **** her but at the same time you feel protective towards her and sorry for her too.

This is how I saw her in Million Dollar Baby and with The Resident you could not get a better setting and role to invoke these emotions- I think she was chosen for this part for this reason.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan does a great job too in being her landlord come stalker. You feel his confusion and frustration (about Swank) thanks to great acting on his part but at the end of the day he is playing a nut job and doing it very well.

There are some sexy scenes of Swank in bath, bed etc etc and you kinda feel excited and you are led to feel a bit voyeuristic too and that's quite nice but at the same time you feel like running in there to help her and beating the crap out of the Jeffrey Morgan.

Some people on here are writing odd reviews about the movie such as its displaying men as bad etc. misandric was the word they used (go-figure). Well it's that kind of movie for goodness sake - I suggest those people watch Gandhi or Lawrence of Arabia in future.

There are a few mildly gruesome scenes but nothing too bad but some creepy thrilling bits make it memorable.

I can recommend this movie if you like Hilary Swank or if you like thrillers or creepy movies too. For me the whole package combined is just great and I would pay to see this again anytime.

ps. @fe_scolfaro - I am not paid to do reviews btw. I just give my honest opinion as hopefully you have done too. We do all have our own tastes etc and I can understand that - whereas you think the whole audience should see things 'your way' I suppose.

This film is very good in my opinion.

I like odd, daring, crazy movies like this sometimes - not just the big famous titles.

The film kind of sneaks up on you though as to just how dark and sad it is - so do be warned if you are easily shocked.

The film is set during Pinochet's rule in Chile and the main character Raul is a dark, brooding, pitiless, frustrated guy who is obsessed with Sat Night Fever. He is around 50 but acts younger.

He sees himself as Tony Manero - (John Travolta) and watches the movie often.

I think the obsession is due not only to the fact that the guy has a screw loose but that he is dreaming of and projecting a better life than the reality of life under a curfew style oppressive regime in Chile.

The cool thing to me is that Raul looks like Al Pacino not Travolta and the character has more in common with Tony Montana (Scarface) as you will see when you watch.

Along with some other younger characters Raul has formed a dance act at a local bar/ cafe who are rehearsing to do some musical numbers from the film SNF.

We quickly see that the lead actor Raul is not just a petty thief but actually a serial killer who will do anything to get by.

There are constant appearances and references to Pinochet's agents and some of Raul's circle are involved in protesting and printing of leaflets so are often surveilled.

There is some strong sexual content in this but Raul seems a bit impotent and kinda only really gets off on the movie Sat Night Fever.

He seems to be idolised though by all the woman around him regardless of the fact that he cannot meets their needs.

There is one awful scene where Raul uses the white suit of another person as a toilet - to prevent him being a rival in the Tony Manero look alike competition - so just be warned it is hard to stomach at times and not for the faint hearted.

There are some bits I found funny too its not all dark but overall its just odd surreal and slightly unnerving throughout perhaps how life was in Chile during that regime.

Its like you are sucked into the dream/nightmare or quest of this person and you want it to end but also want to see more.

I think one reviewer said the ending was not good - I thought it was cool and it seems obvious what will happen next to me.

Personally I love films like this as I stated but don't think it will appeal to everybody.

The only amazing thing about this movie and story is how the real fighter managed to achieve success - if all the lunacy displayed in this movie was what he had to endure in real life.

This movie is based on the story of Mickey Ward who became a world champion boxer and his 'crazy' family.

As for the movie well it seems to have got more attention than it deserved in my opinion.

Christian Bale did do a very good job (seemingly effortlessly) - in displaying a zany train-wreck character. The junkie ex-boxer turned trainer and the half brother of the aforementioned Mickey Ward.

Ward was played by 'Marky' Mark Wahlberg who was a bit of a let down to be honest. I love Wahlberg normally he is cool, edgy and tough but in this seemed a bit out of his depth and looked uncomfortable acting as a boxer. His muscled out body (for this role) made him look all wrong to me - his normal physique looks much better.

Maybe Wahlberg deliberately played the quiet one compared to his domineering mother/manager played by Mellisa Leo and his 'in your face' over the top older half-brother Dickey Eklund (Bale) who once 'floored' (or was it a slip) the legendary Sugar Ray Leonard during a fight.

To be honest his mother and sisters of whom there were many looked far more scary than Wahlberg's - Mickey Ward.

The Sisters in particular looked like totally messed up 'trailer trash' characters who would not have looked out of place in the film 'Deliverance'. They were actually my favourite part of the movie to be honest - very funny, crazy and scary and well acted.

The love interest of the fighter was played by Amy Adams who did a reasonable job i suppose.

The 2 Oscars for best supporting roles? -Bale just for sheer lunacy and effortless acting of such a character maybe deserved to win and Leo too maybe as the mum character really got under my skin and caused me some emotion - i actually felt like slapping her a few times to shut her up ha ha. Mind you i didn't see the other nominees performances as yet.

This movie is definitely no Rocky which is the benchmark of boxing movies. Million Dollar Baby and Cinderella Man i really enjoyed and can recommend as great movies too (I have not seen Raging Bull to comment).

'The Fighter' is just not memorable really - the boxing scenes were poor but maybe based on what the actual fights were like. (but there was no passion here i didn't care if he won or lost whereas - I used to cry and scream at the TV when Rocky was fighting with emotion that was real) - Some say the Rocky fights were not great - but the thing is I loved the character and really wanted him to win. The best fight scene in this movie is between the girlfriend and a couple of the sisters - awesome compared to the boxing bouts on show.

As i said the highlights of this movie are Bale's crazy performance - the scary bunch of sisters for sheer entertainment - and the crazy domineering mum - but she was a bit too annoying really.

One of the sisters is actually quite sexy looking but i don't know the name of the actress or the name of the character. The rest of them I would prefer not to meet in a dark alley. (No offence to the actresses I am sure it was all make-up and great acting that made them so scary and freaky.

Watch this movie for sure and maybe you will enjoy as I did too in some aspects - but don't believe all the hype and expect something memorable it simply is not.

It is hard to describe this movie but to me - watching this movie is like going on a drug induced 'trip'.

I would advise you to watch alone if possible - not in a group setting - then you get more lost in the movie, i would suggest.

The first thing i want to say is amazing achievement to the director/writer Mike Leigh and esp the main actor David Thewlis.

These are both truly incredible and ground breaking performances and i have seen nothing as good as this before or since - in this style of film.

I think a lot of this was improvised and i believe the short script was formulated during rehearsal.

The opening scene is Johnny (Thewlis) 'raping'??? a woman in a dark dismal street and then fleeing from Manchester to avoid the dangerous brother of his victim.

He steals a car and seeks out an old 'girlfriend' in London to escape.

Johnny then goes on an brief but insane adventure/odyssey- during which time he interacts with various characters some of whom seem as odd and desperate as himself.

He seems to bully and exasperate the other characters by sheer intensity of will, superior intellect and a kind of mixture of spiritual insight, frustration and lust.

Johnny unscrupulously takes advantage of the kindness/vulnerability/stupidity/desperation of others and never seems to fail to find a bed (complete with accommodating woman)to sleep in. He repays the kindness of others with mental and sexual bullying - and with utter contempt.

The genius of the whole thing is that he is not just a bully - he really is a victim too from himself.

There are times when Johnny really gets under your skin and you actually feel like punching him to shut him up. He does kind of get his comeuppance from a group of louts - but you are sad too, when this happens.

Somehow you are secretly rooting for him as well as pitying and despising him.

You love and loathe this guy in equal measure is my analysis.

He seems like a caged animal and actually says one memorable line to the effect saying 'I used to be a werewolf- but i am alright nooowwwwwwww......' The 'now' tailing off into the howl of a werewolf.

The adjectives i would use to explain this movie and the emotions i felt watching it are - funny, crazy, bizarre, sad, pathetic, confusing, sexual, annoying, violent, twisted, nonsensical and brilliant. Often you see/feel a combination of these at the same time as you get sucked into the mayhem and genius of what you are watching.

There is much violence, sex and swearing throughout so just be warned - but it is done in a surreal way that does not offend me at all, but others more sensitive may be offended.

This film is a total one off and streets ahead of anything similar i have seen.

Attempting this movie really could have been a disaster but the genius of Thewlis and Leigh along with good and great performances from the other actors make this an absolute must see masterpiece.

Please just see it for yourself - only then will you see what i am trying to describe.

I am giving this movie 3 stars due to some good animation in parts otherwise it would have been 1 star only i am afraid to say.

The movie overall is poor and very tedious to watch.

This is mainly due to the terrible sound-track. Which starts off trying to be too epic (and takes itself too seriously for a cartoon in my opinion) and goes downhill from there.

There are many times I am angry thinking please just shut up that annoying music and let me just hear the sound effects and even the occasional talking of characters which does not happen enough.

There is too much emphasis on the horse and not enough on the people - fair enough nothing is more annoying than a talking horse but then again donkey was cool in Shrek ha ha.

They have tried to be too PC in portrayal of big bad white man and too much honour to natives and animals.

Matt Damon is damn cool normally but even he did not improve this movie by being the occasional narrator or voice of the horse.

Mostly this was mis-timed not by Damon but by whomever decided when and where the voice comes in.

As i say the animation is not bad at all in parts in fact good and so is the scenery.

Its just the constant dreamy soft rock concert music i think its Bryan Adams (who i normally like by the way). The way this is blended together is actually good for making you feel annoyed and bored and is such a shame for with this quality of animation the whole thing could have been so much better.

I would have personally wanted much much more for my 80 million dollars budget if i was financing this movie - i mean i feel short changed after getting this DVD for 3 pounds at my local supermarket.

They say never work with animals or children but when you have total control over all your characters being an animation i am afraid there is absolutely no excuses here. The quality of the animation is not the fault just what they did with it.

See it for yourself to make your own opinion by all means but i would not advise you to spend much money in case you feel the same as i do now. Ripped off and disappointed .