‘Phil’s Quick Capsule Review’ (a nod to legendary comedian Bill Hicks who coined the phrase when he reviewed ‘Piece Of Shit’ movie Basic Instinct)… where a perfect 10 is rarer than a rain free British summer!
Written by Phil Hobden – UK based podcaster, writer and former filmmaker. Part of the All Things Film network…
A Review Site With A Difference. ‘Phil’s Quick Capsule Review’ (a nod to legendary comedian Bill Hicks who coined the phrase when he reviewed ‘Piece Of Shit’ movie Basic Instinct)… where a perfect 10 is rarer than a rain free British summer! Written by Phil Hobden.
Phil’s Quick Capsule Review: A film can fail but still be worth watching. For me that’s Redcon-1 – a film very much the less of the sum of its parts that ultimately is undone by its scope being far greater than its budget. It has a few nice moments but all the way through you see quite quickly that whilst it wants to be 28 Weeks Later meets The Raid, it’s more like a Devil’s Playground meets The Silencer (Look ’em up folks). There’s talent on display here – Strange is very good at the action scenes- but the film can’t pull off its set pieces and scares as, at every moment, it just feels like there wasn’t enough money to make the scenes big or spectacular enough. So Redcon-1 is worth streaming for the effort and vision alone but sadly in truth little else works.
Best Bit: It’s scope
Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream (for effort)
If You Liked this Try: The Raid, 28 Days Later, 28 Weeks Later
Phil Hobden is the former Film Editor & Writer for renowned martial arts focused COMBAT MAGAZINE in the UK. He is also a filmmaker in his own right, having produced two cult Independent action films in LEFT FOR DEAD and TEN DEAD MEN. He was the host for the award nominated Filmsploitation podcast for 4 years, currently co-hosts Ross And Phil Talk Movies and is a writer/editor for his own blog Phil’s Quick Capsule Review…
Phil’s Quick Capsule Review: Okay bias alert. I rate Bill Hicks as possibly the best comedian of the last 30 years. Bill Hicks is a modern day poet and a controversial genius all rolled into one and this innovative, interesting, simply first rate documentary is a must see for fans, converts or believers that America has given very little to the world. It’s clever, deletes deep into who Hicks was and leaves you with a huge appreciation of a true comic legend.
Best Bit:Bill’s Early Performances
Buy, Stream, Avoid: Buy
If You Liked this Try: Fahrenheit 9/11, Lost in La Mancha, Super Size Me
Phil Hobden is the former Film Editor & Writer for renowned martial arts focused COMBAT MAGAZINE in the UK. He is also a filmmaker in his own right, having produced two cult Independent action films in LEFT FOR DEAD and TEN DEAD MEN. He was the host for the award nominated Filmsploitation podcast for 4 years, currently co-hosts Ross And Phil Talk Movies and is a writer/editor for his own blog Phil’s Quick Capsule Review…
Phil’s Quick Capsule Review: Well Batman Ninja takes the rule book and throws it right out the door. Take Batman and his considerable rogues gallery and plant them back into Feudal Japan, throw in a sprinkling of traditional Anime trappings, some Mechas and a whole bundle of crazy and you get what is one of the most fun Batman films ever made. And that’s the thing – Batman films often lack the fun of Marvel movies but Batman Ninja delivers bright colours, impressive visuals and some insane ideas from start to end. In short Batman Ninja is a must for fans.
Best Bit: Mecha-Fights
Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream
If You Liked this Try: Batman: Under the Red Hood, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Batman: The Killing Joke
Phil Hobden is the former Film Editor & Writer for renowned martial arts focused COMBAT MAGAZINE in the UK. He is also a filmmaker in his own right, having produced two cult Independent action films in LEFT FOR DEAD and TEN DEAD MEN. He was the host for the award nominated Filmsploitation podcast for 4 years, currently co-hosts Ross And Phil Talk Movies and is a writer/editor for his own blog Phil’s Quick Capsule Review…
Phil’s Quick Capsule Review: Gremlins is a stone cold classic for sure but unlike a lot of beloved 80’s films it truly holds up today. Okay so the technology has moved on and its setting is about as 80’s as you can get BUT it’s themes, hi-jinx and boldness helps this film still feel pretty timeless. The thing that makes gremlins really work is underneath its cute exterior hides a brilliantly dark mean street. Fathers trapped down chimneys, deadly stair lifts and lethal snow plows… it’s everything a Christmas movie should be and more. And your kids WILL like it. Essential.
Best Bit: The Bar
Buy, Stream, Avoid: Buy
If You Liked this Try: Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Small Soldiers, Critters
Phil Hobden is the former Film Editor & Writer for renowned martial arts focused COMBAT MAGAZINE in the UK. He is also a filmmaker in his own right, having produced two cult Independent action films in LEFT FOR DEAD and TEN DEAD MEN. He was the host for the award nominated Filmsploitation podcast for 4 years, currently co-hosts Ross And Phil Talk Movies and is a writer/editor for his own blog Phil’s Quick Capsule Review…
Phil’s Quick look at what’s wetting his whistle for the upcoming year in films…
2018 once again delivered some great films but mostly it was the Indie movies that did made it. 2019 has the promise to be even more mixed with a bundle of reboots and Disney remakes… so here’s the films I’m most looking forward to in 2019. And a few that I’d be happy to miss.
The Must See’s
Most Excited: Toy Story 4
This could be a major bust but Pixar and Toy Story have always been a match made in heaven. Can this sit alongside one of the best trilogies ever made? I get the feeling it just might.
2. Hobbs & Shaw The Rock. And The Statham. In a Fast & Furious Spin Off. If anything about that sentence doesn’t make you go ‘I’m in’ then you are probably dead already…
3. Star Wars: Episode IX
So the ball’s back to JJ to land the end of the Skywalker(less) trilogy. Whether he can or not will depend on just how he takes the curve balls Johnson delivered and brings them in to make this trilogy feel complete.
4. Captain Marvel Marvel’s first female led superhero film could be something really special and judging by the trailer this is a must watch.
5. Once Upon A Time In Hollywood This could see Tarantino return to the form he’s lacked since the early days. The story, the setting, the cast… are all first rate. But this will all come down to whether the Hollywood darling can control his worst impulses. Let’s hope.
Bubbling Under: Avengers Infinity War Part 2 (Marvel delivers big as Phase 4 ends), IT: Chapter Two (Part One was amazing), Wonder Woman 1984 (the original was mostly excellent), Frozen 2 (come on!), Glass (Split was great and this could be something else), Godzilla: King of the Monsters (Monsters! Thousands of ’em), Spider-Man: Far From Home (Marvel + Spiderman = HIT), Joker (I could be wrong here but this looks pretty interesting) , Jumanji 2 (Welcome To The Jungle was great fun), The Irishman (Hopefully it will make it this year!)
The Must Nots
(Just a reminder of what T6 has to live up to!)
Stinker Of The Year: Terminator 6 It pains me to say it but the Terminator films have done nothing since T2. Yup Cameron is back (as producer) and yup it’s reboot territory again but I just don’t see a world where the 6th Terminator film can get anywhere near the form of its classic siblings.
Also Dreading: The Lion King 2019 (the trailer looks like the’ve done a Psycho ’98 here), Pet Sematary (this doesn’t have an IT feel about it), Dumbo2019 (I’d love to see it work but Burton’s not delivered in a long time), Pokemon Detective Pikachu (yup not interested), What Men Want (Remake of sorts of What Women Want… say no more), Aladdin 2019 (I’m not anti-Disney but this is yet another film that isn’t needed), X-Men: Dark Phoenix (The last X-Men movie was a total dog), John Wick: Chapter 3 (Part 2 was a bore), Alita: Battle Angel (Looks pretty bad), Men in Black Spin Off (The world doesn’t need another MIB film)
Last Year…
So how did I do last year?
This is the time of the year when I look back at my picks of the good, the bad and the ugly from 2018 and see how close I was (or as it often is the case, how far!)…
For best: I tipped Bohemian Rhapsody, Deadpool 2, Avengers: Infinity War, The Incredibles 2 & Black Panther as my most anticipated of 2018. And you know what all delivered one way or another. Which to be honest is a major first! Okay so Deadpool 2 and Infinity War would never be QUITE the films our mind’s had created.
As for the rest? Tomb Raider wasn’t great and neither was Ant Man & The Wasp. The Predator wasn’t great but it didn’t deserve the bashing it got, Mission Impossible 6 was epic (top 5) and The Happytime Murders again got a bashing that was (for the most part) pretty undeserved. The Purge: The First Purge ended up being the worst or the series so far and The Irishman never landed.
As for the Stinkers? Fifty Shades Freed ended up in second place behind Cloverfield Paradox, Solo – A Star Wars Story was okay (but little more), Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom disappointed, Day of The Dead: Bloodline wasn’t amazing but passed the time, Ready Player One was actually really good, X-Men: Dark Phoenix & Scarface didn’t land, Oceans 8 was everything you knew it would be and a little less and Pacific Rim: Uprising was far better than I expected.
Phil Hobden is the former Film Editor & Writer for renowned martial arts focused COMBAT MAGAZINE in the UK. He is also a filmmaker in his own right, having produced two cult Independent action films in LEFT FOR DEAD and TEN DEAD MEN. He was the host for the award nominated Filmsploitation podcast for 4 years, currently co-hosts Ross And Phil Talk Movies and is a writer/editor for his own blog Phil’s Quick Capsule Review…
Phil’s Quick Capsule Review: Nativity 2 : Danger In the Manger is one to miss. Yup even if you liked the first outing (I was NOT a fan) there’s little to enjoy in this seriously bloated and unfunny sequel. In fact I offer up that with much tighter editing and a much shorter finale (god so much pointless singing) this film would have least had the fact it was short going for it but now, at just under two hours, it doesn’t even have that. My kid liked it but I feared even she was bored by the end. Watch one of the many better Christmas movies instead.
Best Bit: Tennant is the best thing here by far
Buy, Stream, Avoid: Avoid
If You Liked this Try: Nativity, Nativity 3: Dude, Where’s My Donkey?, Nativity Rocks
Phil Hobden is the former Film Editor & Writer for renowned martial arts focused COMBAT MAGAZINE in the UK. He is also a filmmaker in his own right, having produced two cult Independent action films in LEFT FOR DEAD and TEN DEAD MEN. He was the host for the award nominated Filmsploitation podcast for 4 years, currently co-hosts Ross And Phil Talk Movies and is a writer/editor for his own blog Phil’s Quick Capsule Review…
Phil’s Quick Capsule Review: Krampus is the dark horror comedy you need during the festive period. Yup for every family that’s ever argued or had in-laws over that, to be honest you just can’t stand, Krampus will take those moments and add a bucket load of weirdness to it. It’s hard to describe Krampus – it’s part Home Alone, part Gremlins. But whatever it is it’s a whole load of fun. OTT, crazy and pretty trippy – If you like your Christmas films with a dash of bite then this is for you.
Best Bit: The loft
Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream
If You Liked this Try: Better Watch Out, Gremlins, Rare Exports, Home Alone,
Phil Hobden is the former Film Editor & Writer for renowned martial arts focused COMBAT MAGAZINE in the UK. He is also a filmmaker in his own right, having produced two cult Independent action films in LEFT FOR DEAD and TEN DEAD MEN. He was the host for the award nominated Filmsploitation podcast for 4 years, currently co-hosts Ross And Phil Talk Movies and is a writer/editor for his own blog Phil’s Quick Capsule Review…
So this is my semi-regularly updated of the BEST and WORST of the films from 2018 (2018 Films), as well as the best films I missed from last year and, of course, the Phil’s Quick Capsule Review Sharknado Award.
All in my very humble opinion…
BEST Films Of 2018… So Far:
Coco
Mission Impossible: Fallout
I, Tonya
A Quiet Place
Mary Poppins Returns
Honourable Mentions: Mandy, My Generation, Lady Bird, Revenge, Mollys Game, Upgrade, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri, You Were Never Really Here, Bumblebee, The Festival, Calibre, Avengers: Infinity War, Game Night, Black Panther, Ready Player One, Office Uprising, The Post, Bohemian Rhapsody
WORST Films Of 2018… So Far
The Cloverfield Paradox
Fifty Shaded Freed
Annihilation
A Wrinkle In Time
Mile 22
Dis-Honourable Mentions: Gotti, The Spy Who Dumped Me,Red Sparrow, The Commuter, The Humanity Bureau, Renegades, Peter Rabbit, Ocean’s 8, Death Wish, Hellraiser: Judgement, Day Of The Dead : Bloodline, Godzilla: Planet Of The Monsters Part 1, Extinction, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Patient Zero, Isle Of Dogs, Tremors: A Cold Day In Hell, All The Money In The World, The First Purge, The Ballard Of Buster Scruggs, Redcon-1
The 2018 Sharknado Award for Films So Good (!) They Cant Be Rated:
The Last Sharknado: It’s About Time
The 2018 Films I just couldn’t Finish…
Once Upon a Time in Venice
Great Films Of 2017 That I saw In 2018:
The Disaster Artist, The Babysitter, Mayhem, Icarus, The Greatest Showman, The Big Sick, LA 92, Better Watch Out
Phil Hobden is the former Film Editor & Writer for renowned martial arts focused COMBAT MAGAZINE in the UK. He is also a filmmaker in his own right, having produced two cult Independent action films in LEFT FOR DEAD and TEN DEAD MEN. He was the host for the award nominated Filmsploitation podcast for 4 years, currently co-hosts Ross And Phil Talk Movies and is a writer/editor for his own blog Phil’s Quick Capsule Review…
In memoriam. 2018 continued deaths relentless march through the great and good of Hollywood. Here’s a selection of those who passed in 2018 whose deaths will be felt within them film library of Phil’s Quick Capsule Review…
(Apologies for any one we have missed out)
Nicolas Roeg
William Goldman
Stan Lee
John Mahoney
Burt Reynolds
Fenella Fielding
David Ogden Stiers
Emma Chambers
Frank Doubleday
James Karen
R Lee Ermey
Margot Kidder
Aretha Franklin
Connie Sawyer
Reg E. Cathey
Mickey Jones
Steven Bochco
Verne Troyer
Milos Forman
Leslie Grantham
Scott Wilson
Rest In Peace and may your considerable legacy’s live on.
Phil Hobden is the former Film Editor & Writer for renowned martial arts focused COMBAT MAGAZINE in the UK. He is also a filmmaker in his own right, having produced two cult Independent action films in LEFT FOR DEAD and TEN DEAD MEN. He was the host for the award nominated Filmsploitation podcast for 4 years, currently co-hosts Ross And Phil Talk Movies and is a writer/editor for his own blog Phil’s Quick Capsule Review…
2018 was another epic year for TV. Even if we did miss Game of Thrones! Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime delivered again and even the BBC and YouTube jumped in with a good show or two. Here’s my lost and the 5 best and The Worst TV shows of 2018…
The Must Watch…
TV Show of The Year: Cobra Kai Nostalgia helped but Cobra Kai managed to step outside that to become a truly excellent Tv series. Compelling, funny and FAR better than it had any right to be Cobra Kai delivered across it’s first season and ended leaving you wanting more.
2. Nailed It In Brief: No i’m not going mad. Nailed it is bloody brilliant and grabs you with it’s ample charm and silliness. It’s a show you can watch with your family (I do) and one that defines compulsive binge viewing.
3. Better Call Saul In Brief: Better Call Saul finally gave us Saul Goodman this year and ended on a the dark downward spiral that would bring the character to what we know him in Breaking Bad. It was captivating stuff, brilliantly directed and expertly acted.
4. Billions In Brief: Billions is just insane. Lewis and Giamatti relish in their roles as they raise the fuckery weekly. It’s sharp, silly yet brilliant all at the same time.
5. American Vandal In Brief: Season 2 of American Vandal took the ball and ran with it. A poo based mystery once again played with all the tropes of the Serial style true Crime genre and delivered laughs, shocks and a mystery that kept you glued to the screen.
Bubbling under: Star Trek Discovery (ending the season strong), The Waling Dead (Season 9 has reinvigorated the series) , Silicon Valley (Still delivering even without TJ Miller), Sharp Objects (trippy as hell), GLOW (a strong second season) , Bodyguard (Slick BBC thriller)
The Must Nots…
Miss of the year: The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
In Brief: I loved the first series of American Crime Story. It was amazing. But for me the second series just didn’t connect. Much like the Serial podcast the bar was SO high the first time out that Season 2 was always going to struggle. And Struggle it did. Overlong, confusing and at times dull there was little to grab me.
Other shows I check-out ion this year: American Horror Story: Apocalypse, Westworld, Altered Carbon, The Terror, Luke Cage, Iron Fist , High Maintenance
