Sharknado 5: Global Swarming (2017) – A Revisited Quick Capsule Review

Sharknado 5: Global Swarming (2017) – A Revisited Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Yup it’s back and this time it’s travelling across the Globe. It’s as insane as you’d imagine and oddly the rather bad Katie Price cameo isn’t the worst acting in it (Tara Reid who once shone in American Pie is beyond phoning it in these days).  Yup each country has it’s own unique set of cameos as the film goes from one set piece to the next, in one country to the next, with zero logic or story effort.  But who cares when it’s this fun. And it IS fun, probably the fact the most fun since the second Sharkndao film all those years ago.  It wont convert new fans for sure but as a piece of forgettable fun the Sharknado films always deliver.

Best Bit: Sidney Opera house

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream

If You Liked this Try: Sharknado, Lavalantula, Sharknado 2: The Second One

Sharknado Rating ★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Author: Phil Hobden

Raw (2017) – A ’31 Films Of Halloween’ Quick Capsule Review

Raw (2017) – A ’31 Films Of Halloween’ Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Raw is a visceral, bloody, hardcore look at family, desire and, er, cannibalism.  Arriving on a sea of hype – people walking out of screenings, vomiting, fainting and everything in between it’s a film that has a lot of live up to.   And for once it does.   One of the most intimate looks on film at the taboo of eating  human flesh, it’s a film that lives and dies on it’s central performance by Garance Marillier .  Which is lucky because she delivers.   In spades.  I can’t say enough good things about Raw.  It’s a hard watch but one WELL worth it.  Believe the hype.

Best Bit: Waking up…

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Buy

If You Liked this Try: Cannibal Holocaust, Ravenous, Alive

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Justice League (2017) – A Revisited Quick Capsule Review

Justice League (2017) – A Revisited Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Justice League isn’t the worst film ever as some critics will have you believe.  BUT it’s also a long way from being good.  DC’s Sniderverse continues it’s desire to make some of the best superhero of all time as dull as possible with the introductions of the latest batch – Aquaman (Underdeveloped), Cyborg (Terrible design & CGI) and The Flash (Not a patch on the TV version) along side an increasingly bored Batfleck, Sulky Superman and the actually still good Wonder Woman.  They team up, they fight CGI things and little else happens.  Nothing has weight, people com back from the dead (and we don’t really get to see the wider implications of this, despite it being a major story point) and SuperJoss crash lands Snider’s film with the help of a script polish (you know its him as the moments stand out like a sore thumb) and CGI moustache removal (it’s as bad as it sounds).  For me it’s the weakest of the DCEU (but the margins between this, Man Of Steel and Suicide Squad are VERY slim) and pretty much kills any further spin off’s dead.

Best Bit: Wonder Woman. Again.

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream

If You Liked this Try: Wonder Woman, Batman Vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, The Dark Knight 

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Cult of Chucky (2017) – A ’31 Films Of Halloween’ Quick Capsule Review

Cult of Chucky (2017) – A ’31 Films Of Halloween’ Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Cult of Chucky is a fun 7th entry into the never ending Child’s Play/ Chucky series, working as a direct sequel to 2013’s Curse Of Chucky but revisiting characters from the original Childs Play all those years ago.   Set most in an asylum and focusing on Fiona Dourif’s Nica it’s pretty much more of the same with Chucky offing people one by one.  Tilly is fun, both Dourif’s are great and the gore, whilst not plentiful, does eventually come. Wont make new fans for sure BUT it’s one of the better entry’s.

Best Bit: Dourif once again

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream

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

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Killer Klowns From Outta Space (1988) – A ’31 Films Of Halloween’ Quick Capsule Review

Killer Klowns From Outta Space (1988) – A ’31 Films Of Halloween’ Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Killer Klowns may sound like a cheap 80’s low budget horror film (which to be fair it is) BUT it offers far more invention and creativity than you would expect from a film made for peanuts and directed by a trio of brothers who have done little of note since.   The basic premise of Alien clowns killing people in a small town is silly enough but the charm in which is does it and the creative use of clown tropes makes this far more enable that it has any right to have and oddly stands up well over 30 years later.  One to stream for sure (now on Netflix UK).

Best Bit: Shadow Puppets

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream

If You Liked this Try: Ticks, The Blob, Critters

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Prevenge (2017) – A ’31 Films Of Halloween’ Quick Capsule Review

Prevenge (2017) – A ’31 Films Of Halloween’ Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Prevenge is a cracking independent pitch black horror comedy starring, written and directed by the actually pregnant Alice Lowe.  Seeking revenge for something from her past, Lowe’s Ruth brutally slays what at first look sleek a series of unconnected victims. But are they?  To be fair the why is kinda given away early on but the how, when and where?  That’s the best part.  Mixing brutal deaths with dark humour, Prevenge is one of the most unique films I’ve seen in a while and a real must watch.

Best Bit: Disco Dan

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Buy

If You Liked this Try: Sightseers, Raw, Personal Shopper

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Gerald’s Game (2017) – A ’31 Films Of Halloween’ Quick Capsule Review

Gerald’s Game (2017) – A ’31 Films Of Halloween’ Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Gerald’s Game is yet another 2017 Stephen King adaptation.  This one sits between the most excellent I.T and the less than excellent (but still not as bad as everyone says!) The Dark Tower. With some strong central performances, a tight story and a nippy run time it works well, even if the tones and story is a little bit familiar.   Another strong Netflix original…

Best Bit: Netflix Hits again

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream (Netflix)

If You Liked this Try: IT, The Stand, Fifty Shades Of Grey, Misery

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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The Babysitter (2018) – A ’31 Films Of Halloween’ Quick Capsule Review

The Babysitter (2018) – A ’31 Films Of Halloween’ Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
The latest Netflix original horror film delivers two surprises… the first that it’s actually really quite excellent and the second that it comes from the directorial “talent” that is McG.  Yes Charlies Angels McG.  I know right.  That aside, The Babysitter is funny, smart and gory.  Okay so it lacks almost any actual scares but with a quick run time, great script and spirited performances this is another must see from Netflix.

Best Bit: Toy Car, Stairs, glass

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream (Netflix)

If You Liked this Try: Happy Death Day, Tucker And Dale Vs Evil, The Final Girls

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Blade Runner 2049 (2017) – A Revisited Quick Capsule Review

Blade Runner 2049 (2017) – A Revisited Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
So this is a turn up for the books – Blade Runner 2049 (Still a terrible DTV title) ends up being one of the best films of 2017.  Who saw that coming?  To be fair teaming up Reynolds, Deakins and director Villeneuve was a good starting point but still this was a sequel that nobody really wanted to a film that I still feel was a TOUCH overrated.  All this aside at nearly 3 hours in length, sitting in a terribly uncomfortable cinema with the worst audience i’ve shared a film with in a long time STILL didn’t dent my affection for this slow burn sci-fi wonder. Visually stunning, expertly performed and amazing direction.  A must watch. 

Best Bit: Deakins cinematography

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Buy

If You Liked this Try: Blade Runner, Star Wars Episode VII The Force Awakens, Strange Days

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Atomic Blonde (2017) – A Revisited Quick Capsule Review

Atomic Blonde (2017) – A Revisited Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Atomic Blonde isn’t the film the trailer has you think.  Less knock about 80’s spy romp with a hint of Roger Moore’s Bond, more hardcore spy thriller with sex, violence and action that puts this film on par with the likes of a John Wick (Think 007’s Licence To Kill).  The other thing to note about Atomic Blonde (other than a cracking central performance by Theron and it’s sumptuous hyper stylised 80’s Berlin ) is that it’s also oddly paced.  At times I found myself drifting off a bit, waiting for the next ‘thing’ to happen as the plot searched from one twist to the next.  That said when they do, such as the 7 minute staircase fight, they are often breathtaking with Atomic Blonde delivering some of the best action seen on screen this year.  It’s brutal, at times frustrating, at others exciting and layers in far too many plot turns for you to care by the end.  BUT it’s also unique and well worth a watch.

Best Bit: THAT fight sequence

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream

If You Liked this Try: John Wick, La Femme Nikita, Licence To Kill, Mad Max Fury Road

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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