What's in/on Your DVD/VCR/PVR etc

[Matt2112]

Wuthering Heights

Emerald Fennell's take on Emily Bronte's classic tale is as overwrought, overlong and underwhelming as her previous film, the over-hyped Saltburn, rather than as searing and engrossing as her excellent debut, Promising Young Woman, which is looking more and more like an ironic title with every subsequent release.

Hopefully her next effort fulfils more of that early potential.

Rating: **

[Fishy]

Finished Lord of the Flies

[Matt2112]

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Sam Raimi's latest, infusing his favoured elements of wry satire and a splash of bloody gore in a story of a career woman (Rachel McAdams) who gets stranded on a remote tropical island with her obnoxious boss (Dylan O'Brien) after a plane crash.

Both lead actors carry the film very well, and the frantic set-pieces showcase Raimi's characteristically OTT black humour; however, the screenplay doesn't quite match the standard set by those other elements, so overall the film is merely quite good when it could have been terrific.

Rating: ***

[pxr5]

We've just finished Small Prophets on the Beeb. Only six episodes that seemed to be over very quickly (maybe that's a good thing?). As a comedy, there were few laughs and as a drama it just about held ones attention. In saying that it did have a certain British charm about it, possibly relying on that a bit too much and at the end of the last episode we get a "To be Continued" - Hmm? The effects with the Homunculi were very good though 6.5/10

[pxr5]

Finished IT: Welcome to Derry last night. I actually preferred the first 4 episodes over the latter ones. Pretty good overall though 7.5/10

[pxr5]

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. The second in this series of movies. It follows on immediately after the first film following Spike as he is inducted into 'Jimmy's' gang. Jack O'Connell is brilliant as the crazy gang leader and Ralph Fiennes just oozes class. Both these actors really do make this film. It's brutal in parts and it's got the best use of an Iron Maiden track ever. I did prefer this to the first of the trilogy from last year and of course there is one more to come. 9/10

[pxr5]

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms - A Game of Thrones spin off that takes place 100 years before the events of GoT. 

"A century before GOT, Ser Duncan the Tall, and his squire, Egg, wandered through Westeros while the Targaryen dynasty ruled the Iron Throne, and dragons were still remembered. Great destinies and enemies await the incomparable friends."

It feels like watching GoT when it first started, so it's good. I've read the book (which is quite short) and this is only 6 short episodes. I don't think the whole book will be covered in this season as after 2 eps it's still with the story at start of the book. It's a shame it'll be over so soon though, but there will be more.

[pxr5]

Whizzed through the last 4 eps of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. The book is split into 3 separate stories, each about the travels of Dunk and Egg. This first series only covered the first one of those and even though this was only 6 short episodes it did feel slightly dragged out. All in all though, a great addition to the GoT world and it gets a healthy 9/10 from me.

[pxr5]

Mercy (2026) - A largely forgettable movie set in the near future with Chris Pratt playing a detective on a virtual trial after allegedly murdering his wife. He has 90 minutes to convince an AI judge (Rebecca Ferguson) of his innocence before being executed if found guilty. It zips along at a fair old pace and it is quite suspenseful in parts. There is a chase scene with a large truck through the streets of LA that is brilliant. Overall though - just another popcorn flick with a decent production - 7/10

[dom]

"i Swear" really enjoyed this, heartwarming stuff.

And I absolutely loved the swearing 😂

Also saw "Limitless" an enjoyable tale with Bradley Cooper and his mind expanding drug. Even the plot holes didn't spoil it for me

[R6GYY]

Also saw "Limitless" an enjoyable tale with Bradley Cooper and his mind expanding drug. Even the plot holes didn't spoil it for me

Have you seen the TV series of the same name? whilst Bradley Cooper isn't the star, he does reprise his role in this.

Sadly, there was only ever 1 season and I was really disappointed when it finished. The young stars are Jack McDorman, and Jennifer Carpenter (of Dexter fame).

[dom]

No, I didn't know about it, but will add it to my list thanks- someone said I should try Lucy though - the female equivalent film with Scarlett Johanssen in the lead role.

[Fishy]

Finished off Hijack s2.. quite entertaining but just utter nonsense..

[Matt2112]

Sinners

Much hyped on the back of a record 16  Oscar nominations, Ryan Coogler's gender-bending film has often been fairly described as 'Crossroads meets From Dusk Till Dawn'.

There are actually several genres thrown into a melting pot here, but unfortunately the result for me was quite insipid and the film is a failure on too many levels - it's an expensively made, overlong, occasionally diverting straight-to-DVD flick that belongs in the more obscure corners of Amazon Prime rather than the podiums of lavish award ceremonies.

Rating: **

[Matt2112]

Weapons

Writer-director Zach Creggar's follow-up to 2022's well received horror Barbarian is another taught, suspenseful and generally well crafted chiller that's elevated by fine performances from a very good cast.

However, much like Barbarian, this is better when building the tension than revealing what's lurking underneath, and some tonal shifts into slapstick humour only work to break its spell.

Still, there's enough to like about this one to make it worthwhile.

Rating: ***