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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Bob Lazar: Area 51 & Flying Saucers (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

Bob Lazar: Area 51 & Flying Saucers (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
I first heard about Bob Lazar: Area 51 & Flying Saucers on the Joe Rogan podcast. Yup it sounded far fetched but he at least had the courage of his convictions.  The show was entertaining.  It made the documentary with checking out. Don’t. Amateur, childish and poorly made this is a budget student film put together with all the flair of a corpse documenting his own funeral.  By far one of the worst films I’ve switched off this year.

Best Bit: That I watched on Netflix. Didnt pay. Winner.

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Avoid

If You Liked this Try: Independence Day, Alien Autopsy, Invaders From Mars

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Point Blank (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

Point Blank (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Another day, another poorly reviews and received Netflix ‘original’.  This time out is a remake of the 2010 French film of the same name starring Marvel’s own Frank Grillo and Anthony Mackie. And nope it doesn’t suck as much or as bad as the critics will have you think.  In fact it’s a pretty easy to watch, ultimately forgettable romp that ticks all the usual hardboiled crime film cliches almost as if it’s working from a tick list.  What makes the film work is the paring of Grillo and Mackie who both have buckets of charisma.  So it’s a decent way to pass an evening. Nothing more or less.

Best Bit: Always Frank Grillo

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream

If You Liked this Try: À Bout Portant, Payback, Man On fire

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Rim of The World (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

Rim of The World (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
I was surprised that checking online after quite enjoying Rim of The World, the reviews had been pretty brutal.  In fact it’s probably one of Netflix’s worst rated films yet… which is odd as, whilst it’s not amazing, it more than passed the time and I wasn’t bored once.  McG’s film has a certain late 80’s charm to it… a kids own adventure film set against the back drop of an alien invasion.  The kinda film that was a staple of my childhood.  Okay so it’s probably got less budget than BMX Bandits and it feels at times like an Asylum film but it for sure doesn’t deserve the panning it’s had.  Watch it, on Netflix, and make up your own mind…

Best Bit: Capsule lands!

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream (Netflix)

If You Liked this Try: The Goonies, Space Camp, BMX Bandits 

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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The Perfection (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

The Perfection (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
The Perfection arrives on the back of a run of less than well received Netflix originals.  Velvet Buzzsaw, Rim Of The World and many others have fallen short but critically and with the subscribers.  Whilst The Perfection may not be every one’s cup of tea, I actually enjoyed the hell out of this tightly constructed, nutty and often boundary pushing horror.  Taking hints from Argento and Cronenberg, The Perfection crafts a tight and well performed narrative that makes you believe the twists and turns that follow.  Original? No. Fun.  Certainly.

Best Bit: Bus

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream (Netflix)

If You Liked this Try: Susperia, Rabid, Revenge 

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Shaft (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

Shaft (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
So nearly 20 years after Samuel L Jackson took over the role of Shaft he’s back once again for a sequel/reboot that has more in common with 21 Jump Street and Starsky & Hutch in tone than it does the original shaft films.  Arriving in the UK direct to Netflix just weeks after its US release and with a bucket load of poor reviews, expectations were VERY low.  Which makes it a real surprise that the film was as good as it was.  Yup it won’t change the world and it certainly won’t win an awards but Jackson & Usher have great chemistry, the support cast are fine and the script knows what it has to do and when teh film finally reunites 3 generations of Shaft you cant help but smile. Yup the villains are mere cardboard cut outs, the story wafer thin and the plot you’ve seen before.  YET I laughed, I cheers and I dug it.  Well worth  watch.

Best Bit: Jackson was made for this quipping type role

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream

If You Liked this Try: 21 Jump Street, Shaft (2000), Starsky & Hutch

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Outlaw King (2018) – A Quick Capsule Review

Outlaw King (2018) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
It’s not often a single sequence can save a film from being a total bore but Outlaw King’s big battle just about manages to leave you with something memorable to walk away with in the latest Netflix original. That said it’s quite a long slog to get there.  Problem is we’ve seen all this before – Braveheart did it much better and all the TV shows and films that followed too. Also – let’s be honest… the acting here is iffy at best and whilst Pugh and Pine do their best, there’s some pretty stinky acting on display here.  So ultimately this is yet another Netflix original that fails to set world alight.

Best Bit: The final battle

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Avoid

If You Liked this Try: Braveheart, Kingdom Of Heaven, Rob Roy

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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The Silence (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

The Silence (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
The Silence boldly goes exactly where A Quiet Place and Netflix’s own Bird Box goes before it.  Okay so that’s not strictly true but for sure the three films all feature very familiar ideas, beats and execution which leads to some very obvious comparisons.  Sadly for The Silence it’s probably the weakest of the three, in part to the rather pointless voice over the film is lumbered with and whilst it throws in a couple of surprises it’s pretty predictable from start to end.  Now it’s not terrible – in fact at times it’s pretty fun and it’s 90 minute run time is much appreciated.  BUT you can’t help but think this could have been so much more!

Best Bit: Dog. Crash. Car.

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream (Netflix)

If You Liked this Try: A Quiet Place, Bird Box, Annihilation

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Triple Frontier (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

Triple Frontier (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Triple Frontier is yet another slightly underwhelming star studied Netflix vehicle.  Okay so it’s not at all bad but what should be an exciting adrenaline pulsing heist/on the run action thriller just feels flat by the end of it’s third act.  Yes there’s a few surprises along the way and the film flirts with some dark ideas (sadly without ever committing)  but with a cast this good you just want someone to jump of auto pilot just for a few minutes.  Sadly no-one does. J.C. Chandor has made some very strong films so far so maybe the bar was set higher than it should have been. Ultimately Triple Frontier  passed the time but I won’t remember it in a few months…

Best Bit: The heist

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream (Netflix)

If You Liked this Try: The Accountant, Inglourious Basterds, Three Kings

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Velvet Buzzsaw (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

Velvet Buzzsaw (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Velvet Buzzsaw is a great title in need of an equally great film.  Okay that’s a bit unfair – Velvet Buzzsaw isn’t terrible.  But it is pretty average in the whole, another Netflix original letdown. Filmmaker Dan Gilroy , who made the rather excellent Nightcrawler, tackles a more straight up horror here.  Sadly whilst the central idea is good, the film isn’t that scary.  It’s also not that bloody and whilst the cast seem to be having fun, you just cant help but think that if they had dialled it up to 11 it could have been something quite special.

Best Bit: Truck Stop

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream (Netflix)

If You Liked this Try: Nightcrawler, Society, Mother!

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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