The Bad Batch (2017) – A Quick Capsule Review

The Bad Batch (2017) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
The Bad Batch is crazy.  From insane Keanu Reaves extended cameos, to crazy Jim Carrey appliances to just its central premise, long run time and trippy middle section… it just makes no sense.  It’s Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone meets Mad Max meets The Hills Have Eyes meets pretty much anything nuts you can think of.  Its also not amazing and far from essential but it’s also not THAT bad. In fact it passed the time quite well even if there are probably a 100 better things to watch.  Watch it for the eclectic cast, for the best audition to direct a Mad Max movie you have ever seen or just because you have a two hour train ride with time to kill.

Best Bit: Legs. Arms. Lunch.

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream (Netflix)

If You Liked this Try: Max Max: Fury Road, Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone, Drifter 

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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The Defiant Ones (2017) – A Quick Capsule Review

The Defiant Ones (2017) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
I’ve been a huge fan of Dr Dre and his music for a long time.  Whether as an artist (The Chronic) or as a producer (see Eminem and MANY others) I’ve held him and his talent in high regard.  His partnership with Jimmy Iovine is at the heart of this HBO documentary which looks at their rise across the 80’s/90’s and eventually to the largest purchase of a company that Apple has ever made.  It’s fascinating stuff – from the those they have produced to the trials and tribulations, Rap wars and signings, falling outs and controversy that have happened along the way.  It’s essential viewing for anyone with even a passing interest into the history of modern music.

Best Bit: The whose who at Iovine’s wedding

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream

If You Liked this Try: Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap, Straight Outta Compton, Beats Rhymes and Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 – A Rewatched Quick Capsule Review

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 – A Rewatched Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Filled with humour, action and heart, Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 is a most enjoyable follow up to the smash hit original that manages to build on that films successes whilst successfully expanding the universe, characters and wit on what came before.  It goes without saying that the cast are uniformly excellent (with former WWE wrestler Dave Bautista being a real stand out) and new comers such as Russell & Stallone just adding to the overall coolness.   It’s not perfect – the pacing of the final act and the inevitable fall into CGI things fighting CGI things let it down but there’s enough investment in the characters, warmth and humour (and man it’s a funny film, probably the funnest of the year so far) to allow you to overlook these.  So not as good as the original BUT still a success in it’s own right and still well worth a rewatch!

Best Bit: The Opening 

Worth A Rewatch: Yes

If You Liked this Try: Guardians Of The Galaxy, The Avengers, Ant Man

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Spiderman Week: Spiderman: Homecoming (2017) – A Quick Capsule Review

Spiderman Week: Spiderman: Homecoming (2017) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
A year on Spiderman: Homecoming is still a top draw Marvel film.  Keaton’s Vulture, Holland’s Peter Parker, even the support from Favreau and Downey Jr enhance the film and it’s still great to see a teenage Spiderman (yes I’m looking at you Garfield).  There’s still pacing issues (second time around the film takes a while to get going) but it’s worth it for scenes like that in the car and the odd Ferris reference.

Best Bit: The car

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Buy

If You Liked this Try: Spiderman, Spiderman 2, Ant-Man

 

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Ghost Stories (2017) – A Quick Capsule Review

Ghost Stories (2017) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Ghost Stories is a pretty decent attempt at recreating the old school horror anthology that was pretty popular in the 1980’s.  Anchored around a myth busting TV presenter , it’s all pretty effective until you find out in the end that actually nothing is quite as it seems and the story folds in on itself.  Which is a shame because if it had stuck with its core premise there could have been a really interesting film here.  So overall it’s effective, even if it lacks a cohesive narrative and any real shocks.

Best Bit: The first story 

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream

If You Liked this Try: VHS, Creepshow, Twilight Zone: The Movie

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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T2: Trainspotting – A Revisited Quick Capsule Review

T2: Trainspotting – A Revisited Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
T2 Trainspotting is a brilliant film. Not the film you expected. Or even wanted.  But brilliantly done.   It’s a film that, maybe for the first time ever on screen, captures what it’s like to be lost in life at a time where its hard to change who you are and when the dreams of life settle to the reality.  As a 40 year old who at times feels the failure to be what he wanted to be, whose settled in life on a path different to what he thought and sees a future so different from what he imagined, it was always going to be a story that would hit a nerve.  And it did.  For the first time in a long time I had to reflect about a film.  Sit quietly and take it all in.

It won’t be for everyone, not even for every fan of Boyle’s groundbreaking original and it certainly lacks the intensity, raw energy and exuberance that Trainspotting delivered.  But like the film,  I’m not 19 anymore either so my life has slowed down and it feels right the film should reflect that.  The fact that the film leaves you at the end feeling that you wanted more from it, feels oddly like it was actually the point.

So on it’s own merits then it’s a well told story , excellently directed,  superbly performed (especially Ewan Bremner’s Spud) about what it’s like to be closer to the end than the beginning and what it’s like to feel lost in your own mind. I liked it a lot.

Best Bit: The cubicle

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Buy

If You Liked this Try: Trainspotting, Go, Lock Stock And Two Smoking Barrels

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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78/52: Hitchcock’s Shower Scene (2017) – A Quick Capsule Review

78/52: Hitchcock’s Shower Scene (2017) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Probably one of the most famous scenes in cinematic history, 78/52: Hitchcock’s Shower Scene takes a granular look both at the scene itself and the relationships, influences, creation and history that lead to it.  It’s a fascinating documentary that breaks down a sequence probably more than any film ever has done in movie history.  This also means that this isn’t for everyone of course – you need to be a fan of the craft or the film at least – but for those that are there’s some amazing trivia (not least that Raging Bull took the sequence shot for shot for a boxing scene) and analysis of a true master.  Amazing.

Best Bit: Influenced and rip offs montage

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream

If You Liked this Try: Psycho (1960) , Psycho(1998), Raging Bull 

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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The Endless (2017) – A Quick Capsule Review

The Endless (2017) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
The Endless is a head fuck of a movie.  Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing depends a lot on your expectations.  This isn’t an easy watch especially if you expect a film that delivers answers to all the questions it asks.  The Endless just isn’t that film.  But if you want a film that leaves you think and heading to R/TheEndless to debate theories then maybe give this a watch.  As for me – I enjoyed it but found it trying a little too hard to care by the end.

Best Bit: The cabin

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream

If You Liked this Try: Spring, Life, Signs, Primer

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Better Watch Out (2017) – A Quick Capsule Review

Better Watch Out (2017) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Better Watch Out is a real treat.  Released last year, it’s already hit many people’s best Christmas films list and I can see why – it’s clever, witty and OTT.  It also throws more than a few curve balls in along the way which really elevates it beyond the usual run of the mill Christmas horror films.  Levi Miller delivers a stunning central performance as the kid in lust with his babysitter and for a film tied very much to one location, it always manages to be inventive and surprising.  Better Watch Out is a must for horror fans (and fans of subversive Christmas films)

Best Bit: Oh so THAT’s the film

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Buy

If You Liked this Try: Krampas, Jack Frost, The Babysitter, Home Alone

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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The Lego Ninjago Movie (2017) – A Quick Capsule Review

The Lego Ninjago Movie (2017) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
If you’ve seen other of the previous Lego films, The Lego Ninjago Movie will feel very familiar. That’s not a bad thing – after all it’s a format that’s worked for the video game franchises for years.   Yup it’s funny, silly and totally forgettable.  It’s also fair to say that it’s not going to challenge anyone’s brains but the film does feel a little like the returns are slightly diminishing after each new instalment with a degree of predictability setting in.  BUT kids will love it and it certainly passed the time…

Best Bit: L-Loyd

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream

If You Liked this Try: The Lego Movie, The Lego Batman Movie

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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