47 Meters Down (2017) – A Quick Capsule Review

47 Meters Down (2017) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
47 Meters Down is a 2017 survival horror film written and directed by Johannes Roberts, who brings his track record in lower budget independent films to another, mostly enjoyable, lower budget independent film.  It’s nothing new – Open Water, Jaws and a million other films have trodden this path but Roberts does a good job of keeping the tension present during its sub 90 minute run time.  Okay so it runs out of steam a touch by the end and pulls a move that is at best described as ‘well worn’ but there’s enough to enjoy here to recommend as a beer and curry type distraction.

Best Bit: Yup I knew it! 

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream

If You Liked this Try: Jaws, Open Water, Deep Blue Sea

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Secret Cinema: Casino Royale (2019) – A Not So Quick Capsule Review

Secret Cinema: Casino Royale (2019) – A Not So Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review: I’ve always wanted to attend a Secret Cinema. I missed Star Wars, Back To The Future and 28 Days later (all top 15 films for me) but when the opportunity came up to be Bond, and especially within the gambling world of Casino Royale, I thought this was the one. This is my Secret Cinema.  I should have waited. 

Secret Cinema Casino Royale is a massive bust. From it’s hot as hades out out London location to its total lack of immersion and cohesion, it feels little more than an over subscribed under planned money grab.  A way to funnel you into the expensive drinks and food (actually not bad tasting). An hour in I had no idea what I was meant to do, where I was meant to go or how to get involved. It was overcrowded, the few actors where swamped and few seemed to care. 

By hour two when the Casino was revealed I was bored and less than excited by the overcrowded two play tables and bad dancing on stage. The best dressed competition was a real low point. 

At least the film is still one of Bonds best. 

But as it turns out this is also one of the worst way to watch a movie. For a company priding itself on its ‘experience’ and love of film the constantly getting up to go to the bar drunk people, noisy bar area and crashing catering staff almost take away the fun of seeing the film on the big screen. The interactive actors did little to enhance the experience. Oh and worst of all the version they projected here skipped numerous times. Criminal. 

Overall a big double oh no and certainly not an experience I’d recommend. 

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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The Dark Crystal (1982) – A Quick Capsule Review

The Dark Crystal (1982) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
It may surprise you but I’ve never seen The Dark Crystal.  Yup a 80’s cult film that seems to have passed me by.  And it’s always dangerous watching a film loved by so many (critics and fans alike) years after its original release.  Cult films don’t always age well for newbies.  But with Netflix’s TV show on the horizon now was as good a time as any. So how was it? Good actually. In fact I really enjoyed The Dark Crystal – even if it is one of the most insane films I’ve ever seen.  Yup its aged and for sure the technology has moved on but Henson’s work has always survived better than most but as always it’s the story, voice acting and direction that helps the film stand out.  So yup The Dark Crystal is a fascinating film and one that’s made me super excited for the upcoming TV show…

Best Bit: Puppets!

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream

If You Liked this Try: The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance, The Muppets, Labyrinth

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Child’s Play (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

Child’s Play (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Child’s Play is saved from being a total disaster by one sequence near the end the film that takes place in a mall.  That one sequence is JUST about good enough to drag this from a 3 or 4/10 to a 5/10. It still doesn’t quite stick the landing and the sequel bate ending makes no sense…. but it could have been worse.   The thing is ANY horror film that cuts away from its gore more than it focuses on it is made for the wrong audience.  Chucky fans don’t want cuts away… we want head slices, chops and gore.  What Child’s Play 2019 feels like is a debate between a filmmaker who wants a NC-17 and a studio who wants a PG-13.  Nobody wins here.  And nobody did. (Note to Mark Hamill who does a nice job and the central AI idea kinda works.  Kinda).

Best Bit: The Mall

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream

If You Liked this Try: Child’s Play, The Bride Of Chucky, Child’s Play 3

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Wonder (2017) – A Quick Capsule Review

Wonder (2017) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Wonder is a charming, heart warming and well acted drama that never misses an opportunity to twang on your heart strings across it’s somewhat bloated near two hour runtime.  Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson & especially Jacob Tremblay make this film giving a believability to the story but oddly whilst this film is about Auggie it was Izabela Vidovic as Via whose story resinated with me the most.  Yup it’s overlong and starts to repeat itself a touch but regardless Wonder is a joyful film that leaves you smiling.

Best Bit: Science

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream

If You Liked this Try: Coco, Marley & Me, A Monster Calls

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Long Shot (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

Long Shot (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Long Shot is bloody hysterical.  Like laugh out loud funny.  From a razor sharp script to some stunning chemistry between leads Rogan & Theron, this is the funniest all out comedy of 2019.  Okay so there’s very little original here and you know exactly how this will play out from the poster BUT to be honest I hardly cared when I was this entertained.  Great support cast, some nice ideas and some solid comic direction honestly makes this a must watch.

Best Bit: Molly

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream

If You Liked this Try: Notting Hill, Sausage Party, Knocked Up

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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War For The Planet Of The Apes (2017) – A Revisited Quick Capsule Review

War For The Planet Of The Apes (2017) – A Revisited Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
WFTPOTA is not your average Summer blockbuster.  Dark, brooding and much smaller scale that the trailer and title would have you believe.  And that for me was the issue.  I wanted a bigger film.  A bolder film. This is much more intimate and small scale.  It’s a good film but it’s not the film that should, for me, be potentially ending Caesar’s story.  There are really interesting elements at play but as the film starts to repeat some motifs from the earlier films, I just wanted things to speed up a little.  Also whilst the ending is satisfying, how they get there isn’t.  The final confrontation and especially it’s conclusion just doesn’t work, playing on convenance  and underplays the cleverness that the series has displayed to date.  So good but not the sequel many would have wanted.

Best Bit: Sirkis is stunning

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream

If You Liked this Try: Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, Dawn of The Planet Of The Apes, Planet of The Apes (1968)

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Outbreak (1995) – A Rewatched Quick Capsule Review

Outbreak (1995) – A Rewatched Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Outbreak remains a lot of fun all these years later.  Yeah it’s dated a little but this glossy Hollywood take on a plague/virus movie knows at its heart that it’s a blockbuster and ensures it has enough BIG moments to keep even the most fickle of film watchers entertained.  At times it veers towards A Few Good Men territory (lots of BIG actor grandstanding) but even through this it tries to keep the characters at its core.  Hoffman is great and Donald Sutherland chews up the scenery with relish. And ketchup. And probably mustard as well!  One issue – this film is a bugger to find online, a victim of the ripped apart nature of modern streaming services.

Best Bit: Helicopter vs Planes

Worth a Rewatch: Yes

If You Liked this Try: Contagion Carriers (2009), It Comes at Night, A Few Good Men 

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Low Low (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

Low Low (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
On their last day of summer, four high-school girls confront sex, violence and their uncertain future as they struggle to reconcile a rebellious youth with impending adulthood.  Low Low is an entertaining, challenging and interesting independent film that hits more than it misses, telling a simple well tread story with a solid cast and direction.  It’s nothing new for sure but not everything has to be.  Well worth a watch.

Best Bit: The cast

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream

If You Liked this Try: Stand By Me, Go, Booksmart

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Batman: Hush (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

Batman: Hush (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Batman: Hush continues DC’s impressive run of animated adaptations of their classic comic book back catalogue.  This time is the seminal Hush storyline which gives us a veritable rogues gallery of Batman villains – from The Riddler, Joker, Scarecrow, Bane and many  more…  and once again you are left wondering why DC live action just doesn’t follow this massively successful template rather than the dross it’s produced.  So no surprises for fans of the original story but for everyone else this is super solid.

Best Bit: Bruce/Damien awkward chart

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream

If You Liked this Try: Batman: Year One, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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