Armageddon (1998) – A Rewatched Quick Capsule Review

Armageddon (1998) – A Rewatched Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
If I’m honest I wasn’t a fan of Armageddon when it was first released (much like other Bay films such as The Rock) but revisiting this some years later its actually held up far better than I expected.   In fact I’d argue that Armageddon is actually damn good fun.  Okay so it’s cheesy, it has that annoying song and everyone has turned it up to 11 (but not always in a good way) but it’s dumb enough that you can just about enjoy it on a base level.  So overall… much better than you expect and probably one of Willis last great performances.

Best Bit: “Tell me who killed JFK”

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream

If You Liked this Try: The Rock, Independence Day, Con Air

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Kill Chain (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

Kill Chain (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
On the surface Kill Chain looks like yet another direct to DVD/streaming Nicolas Cage movie.  And to be honest under the surface it pretty much is as well.  It pains me to think how far Cage has fallen of late.  Far from his Leaving las Vegas days, Cage now sits with Willis, Cusack, Travolta and many others in direct to crap hell, churning out movie after movie with little care for content or quality. To be fair Kill Chain is more interesting than most and at least puts forward an interesting concept.  Sad thing here is Cage mostly just book ends a wider (and more interesting) linked narrative.  It’s still not amazing but it’s a start.

Best Bit: Hotel fight

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream

If You Liked this Try: Wild At Heart, Con Air, The Rock 

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Bad Boys 2 (2003) – A Quick Capsule Review

Bad Boys 2 (2003) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Bad Boys, directed by a young and talented Michael Bay, produced by the legendary Simpson/Bruckheimer paring and starring a fresh off TV Will Smith, was a pleasant surprise. It was also a huge hit so a sequel was always gong to be incoming.  But by this point Bay had found his 12th gear and my memory of Bad Boys 2 was as an over long, bloated and sexist mess (with a few nice action scenes).  Years later is still all this but oddly after years of Transformer films and a huge slide in quality from Bay, it’s held up better than I expected.  And by that I mean it wasn’t as boring, as sexist or as over the top as seeing a robot with testicles or a 40 minute soliloquy about statutory rape.  So in the cannon of all things Bay, Bad Boys 2 is still memorable for all the wrong reasons yet still remains oddly distracting.

Best Bit: Smith/Lawrence chemistry

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream

If You Liked this Try: Bad Boys, Armageddon, The Rock 

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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6 Underground (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

6 Underground (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
6 Underground is a hot mess of a film with one of the worst and most unwatchable opening action sequences in recent memory.  Get beyond THAT car chase however and actually there’s a pretty fun action film with some solid set pieces, a handful of genuinely great free running sequences and a winning (if somewhat familiar) central performance from Ryan Reynolds.  It’s also a film that showcase the best and worst of it’s director Michael Bay – from poor dialogue and OTT acting (and a dash of sexism) to beautifully shot action, excellent use of slow mo and some top notch ideas (the magnet for one).  This gives me hope that Bad Boys for Life may actually be fun… so 6 Underground will not be for everyone but it won me over in the end.

Best Bit: Boat + Magnet

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Stream (Netflix)

If You Liked this Try: Bad Boys for Life, Bad Boys, The Rock

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019): Review by Grosse Point Geek

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019): Review by Grosse Point Geek

by Will Strong A Blog Grosse Point Geek The Blogs

Plot in a nutshell: Special Agent Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and former SAS Operative Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) are reluctantly forced to team up with Shaw’s sister (Vanessa Kirby) who also happens to be a rogue MI6 agent and go after a genetically and technologically enhanced terrorist (Idris Elba) who is hell bent on releasing a virus that will wipe out most of humanity.

 

 

What worked: Being honest  – pretty much all of it. Johnson and Statham make a great double act and bounce off each other very well, both delivering some great one liners and trading  alot of extremely funny insults. However its Vanessa Kirby who really shines , displaying bucket loads of charisma, out acting both her hulking male co stars, and  more than holding her own in all the action scenes. In addition, despite being too good for a film like this Idris Elba is excellent as the principle baddie.

 

 

Speaking of action this film doesnt disappoint – and its virtually non stop from the get go – theres a great car/motorbike chase early on, a preposterous but extremely well handled set piece in Russia which involves enormous explosions, masses of gunfire and more than just a bit of bone crushing fisticuffs. However the best is left to last when Johnson, Kirby and Statham enlist the help of Hobbs hard as nails Samoan family for a bonkers final 20 minutes that really has to be seen to be believed.

 

 

What could have been better: Its very hard to criticize a film as mad as this – admittedly its a bit long, some of the one liners dont always land, and a theres a gratuitous Kevin Hart cameo about an hour in that didnt really work at all.

 

 

Review Summary: A great big utterly mental popcorn blockbuster, jam packed with action, pickled with funny one liners and featuring some great chemistry from its three central leads.

 

 

I loved it – Great fun

 

Author: Will Strong aka Grosse Point Geek 

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Fighting With My Family (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

Fighting With My Family (2019) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Fighting With My Family follows the standard format of the sports movie almost to the letter.  You’ve seen it in Rocky, The Karate Kid and hell even Cool Runnings.  Underdog get’s their shot at the big time, wobbles, comes through it and ends up beating the odds.  What makes Fighting With My Family stand out from the more run of the mill offerings is the heart on show.  The pitch perfect cast really deliver (yes this is the rare good Vince Vaughn performance), especially Florence Pugh who totally convinces as soon to be WWE wrestler Paige (no spoilers – this is based on a true story) and it’s good to see The Rock as, well, The Rock.  Reminded me of my youth.  The ending almost brought a tear to my eye and whilst the film probably does focus a bit too much on the wrestling side (which could put people off) this is a cracking film and well worth a watch.

Best Bit: Raw debut

Cinema, Stream, Avoid: Cinema

If You Liked this Try: No Holds Barred, Beyond The Mat, The Wrestler

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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Podcast: Ross And Phil Talk… The 1st Annual Boyask Awards!

Podcast: Ross And Phil Talk… The 1st Annual Boyask Awards!

by RossAndPhil Ross and Phil Talk Movies The Podcasts

 

On this episode of the podcast we deliver The 1st Annual Boyask Awards for Achievement in Action Cinema.  Yes we are going where the academy awards still refuse to.

Categories include: Best Blockbuster Film, Best DTV Film, Best Action Sequence, Best Fight Scene, Best Stunt, Standout action performer, ‘Holy Shit’ moment of the year, Comeback of The Year and our picks for entry into the Ross And Phil Hall Of Fame.

Hosted by Award winning filmmaker Ross Boyask and blogger/writer/failed filmmaker Phil Hobden.

Films Discussed: Overlord, Apostle, Revenge, A Quiet Place, Sicario 2, Den Of Thieves, Deadpool 2, The First Purge, Mission Impossible: Fallout, The Night Comes For Us, Final Score, 24 Hours to Live, Braven, Accident man,. Upgrade, A Prayer before Dying, Accident Man, Final Score

For more on Ross Boyask search @RossBoyask on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. Also check out @EvoFilmsUK online.

For more on Phil Hobden check out www.philhobden.co.uk , Twitter (@PhilQuickReview) and Instagram (RossAndPhilTalkMovies)

#RossAndPhil #RossAndPhilTalkMovies #MoviePodcasts #Podcasts

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Podcast: Ross And Phil Talk… Films They Have Watched Vol. 5

Podcast: Ross And Phil Talk… Films They Have Watched Vol. 5

by RossAndPhil Ross and Phil Talk Movies The Podcasts

 

On this episode of the podcast we talk about films they have watched recently. Yup it’s our fifth review round up show so we bring you some films that are old, some that are new, some that are borrowed and maybe a couple of that are blue.  Oh and Alita – Battle Angel.

Hosted by Award winning filmmaker Ross Boyask and blogger/writer/failed filmmaker Phil Hobden.

Film Discussed: After The Screaming Tops, Supersonic, World War Z, Scum, The Rock, Back Panther, The Departed, Children Of Men, Robocop, Alita – Battle Angel, IO, Dumplin, Close, King of Thieves, Robin Williams Come Inside My Mind, Anna And The Apocalypse, The Golden Child, Unbreakable, Split, Murder By Death, A History Of Violence, Hot Fuzz, Assassination Nation, Fyre, Fyre Fraud, Bohemian Rhapsody, Glass, Mary Queen Of Scotts, Juliet Naked, Michael Inside, Strangers Pray At Night, They Shall Not For Old, Escape Room Green Book, Vice, Happy Death Day 2U

#RossAndPhil #RossAndPhilTalkMovies #MoviePodcasts #Podcasts

For more on Phil Hobden check out www.philhobden.co.uk , Twitter (@PhilQuickReview) and Instagram (RossAndPhilTalkMovies)

For more on Ross Boyask search @RossBoyask on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook

   

 

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Executive Decision (1996) – A Quick Capsule Review

Executive Decision (1996) – A Quick Capsule Review

by Phil Hobden Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Executive Decision is a classic 90’s action film – bombastic, silly and hugely over the top.  It’s also massively fun and immensity re-watchable. But it’s also a film that takes some risks – killing off one of your more bankable stars in Act 1 was bold and putting the film on the shoulders of Russell in a period he was making more serious dramas was inspired.  This really was a golden age for action – high concept films in a time before superhero would dominate.  That said the seeds of today’s superhero movie sit very firmly in this era – proper actors in action roles are now common place.  Executive Decision holds up well and is well worth a rewatch.

Best Bit: Seagal buys it!

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Buy

If You Liked this Try: Con Air, The Rock, Under Siege 

★★★★★★★★★★

 

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2: Top Gun (1986) – Phil’s Top 10 Films

2: Top Gun (1986) – Phil’s Top 10 Films

by Phil Hobden Hall of Fame Quick Review

Phil’s Quick Capsule Review:
Top Gun is everything you want in a film.  It’s quotable, it’s funny, it has the best aerial action sequences ever shot in a film and has a soundtrack that still get’s played almost weekly in my house.  It’s also, in it’s own way, pretty ground breaking.  Yes it’s become a film of much discussion over the years (think Tarantino Top Gun Gay rant)  but none of this matters when you have a film that’s so full of iconic moments. Top Gun is of it’s day for sure but this is the film that launched careers (director Tony Scott, Cruise, Kilmer), helped Bruckheimer establish himself as an action producer de jour and made a bucket load of money to boot.  I adore this movie and wont hear a bad thing about it… so walk away now.  Go on.  You’ve obviously lost that love and feeling…

Best Bit: The final battle

Buy, Stream, Avoid: Buy

If You Liked this Try: The Rock, Man On fire, Iron Eagle

 

 

 

 

 

Hall of Fame

 

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